Maricopa County, Arizona Genealogy
Guide to Maricopa County, Arizona ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Maricopa County was created on 14 February 1871 and named after the Maricopa Native Americans. Five Native American Reservations are located in the county. The largest are the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (east of Scottsdale) and the Gila River Indian Community (south of Chandler).[1] Its county seat is Phoenix.[2] It is located in the south-central area of the state.
County Courthouse
Maricopa County Courthouse
201 W. Jefferson Street
Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: 602-506-3204
Maricopa County Courthouse
Clerk Superior Court has marriage records from 1877, divorce records from 1930, probate and court records from 1871.
County Recorder has land records.[3]
Maricopa County, Arizona Record Dates
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1881 | 1877 | 1881 | 1871 | 1871 | 1871 | 1830 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[7]
History Timeline
- Until 1821 Spain controlled the land, called New Spain, that later would become Arizona. Records may have been sent to the archives in Seville, Spain or to archives in Mexico City.
- In 1821 - Mexico obtained jurisdiction over the land that later would become Arizona. Records may have been sent to archives in Mexico City.
- 18 Aug 1846 During the war with Mexico, the US took control of Santa Fe and proclaimed sovereignty over the land that later became the New Mexico Territory.[8] Look for records in the National Archives and Records Administration, the Mexico Archives and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
- 4 July 1848 In the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Mexico ceded part of present day Arizona.[9] The land south of the Gila River in Arizona was not ceded, it remained in control of Mexico. The land in present day Maricopa County was split between the US and Mexico. Look for records in the National Archives and Records Administration, the Mexico Archives and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
- 9 Jan 1852 New Mexico redefined the boundaries of previous counties and created new ones to cover all the land within its territory. The north part of the land in present day Maricopa County was then in Socorro (NM).[10] [11] [12] Look for records in Socorro County.
- 30 Dec 1853 The United States bought the Gadsden Purchase from Mexico. It contained land south of the Gila River in present day Arizona, including the south part of present day Maricopa County.[13] Look for records in the National Archives and Records Administration, the Mexico Archives, and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
- 4 Aug 1854 The land acquired in the Gadsden Purchase was officially added to New Mexico Territory.[14] Look for records in the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
- 3 Feb 1855 Dona Ana (NM) gained all the land acquired in the Gadsden Purchase.[15] This included the south part of present day Maricopa County. Look for records in Dona Ana County.
- 24 Feb 1863 The US created the Arizona Territory from the western half of New Mexico Territory.[16] All previous counties were discontinued for this new territory. Look for records in the Arizona State Library and New Mexico State Records Center and Archives
- 10 Nov 1864 Arizona created two counties: Pima and Yavapai counties.[17] These counties named for Indian tribes. Look for records in Pima andYavapai counties.
- 14 Feb 1871 Arizona created Maricopa County from land in Yavapai County.[18]
- 1 Feb 1875 Arizona created Pinal County from lands in Maricopa and Pima counties.[19] This county named for the Pinal mountains. Look for records in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties.
- 31 Jan 1877 Maricopa county gained land from Yavapai county, and lost a small area along the Gila River to Pima.[20] Look for records in Maricopa, Pima, and Yavapai counties.
- 8 February 1881 Gila County was created from lands in Maricopa and Pinal Counties.[21][22] This county named for the Gila River. Look for records in the Gila, Maricopa, and Pima counties.
See also Previous Jurisdictions to Land in Arizona showing dates the jurisdictions were created and maps. This will help in determining what jurisdiction your ancestor lived in and where the records are now located.
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- 1860-Onward Arizona, Biographical Database at MyHeritage — index ($)
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
For tips on accessing Census records online, see: Arizona Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1880 | 5,689 | — |
| 1890 | 10,986 | 93.1% |
| 1900 | 20,457 | 86.2% |
| 1910 | 34,488 | 68.6% |
| 1920 | 89,576 | 159.7% |
| 1930 | 150,970 | 68.5% |
| 1940 | 186,193 | 23.3% |
| 1950 | 331,770 | 78.2% |
| 1960 | 663,510 | 100.0% |
| 1970 | 971,228 | 46.4% |
| 1980 | 1,509,175 | 55.4% |
| 1990 | 2,122,101 | 40.6% |
| 2000 | 3,072,149 | 44.8% |
| 2010 | 3,817,117 | 24.2% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For more about Arizona denominations, see Arizona Church Records.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ward and Branch Records: Alma, Avondale, Buckeye, Capitol (Phoenix), Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Lehi, Mesa, Mesa 1st, Mesa 2nd, Mesa 3rd, Mesa 4th, Mesa 5th, Mesa 6th, Mesa 7th, Mesa 8th, Papago, Phoenix, Phoenix 1st, Phoenix 2nd, Phoenix 3rd, Phoenix 4th, Phoenix 5th, Scottsdale, Spanish-American and Tempe .
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Arizona Land and Property for additional information about early Arizona land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Land Search at General Land Office Records
- Land Records, 1871 to the present at County Recorder
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the Wiki page section Arizona Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
1895 Map of Maricopa county Arizona
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Arizona Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
World War II
- 1940-1945 Arizona, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Arizona, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- The Arizona Republic
- The Phoenix Gazette
- The East Valley Tribune (previously: The Mesa Tribune) microfilm copies of back issues found at
- Mesa Public Library
64 E First St
Mesa, AZ 85201
480-644-2207 - Maricopa county AZ Newpapers found at the Library of Congress
Obituaries
Online Obituary Records
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- 1860-1993 Arizona obituary card index, 1860-present - Digitization of images from the FamilySearch microfilmed collection; incomplete - more images will be added over time
- 1948-2008 Arizona Payson Obituaries 1948-2008 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1959-2014 Arizona, Mesa LDS Family History Center, Obituary Index, 1959-2014 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1993-1994 Arizona Obituary Index to Arizona Newspapers, 1993-1994 — index - How to Use this Collection
- The Mesa Public Library will do an obituary look up for The Arizona Republic for a fee.
- Maricopa County, Arizona Obituary Collection From GenealogyBuff.com ~ Free for obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the Sun City, East Mesa, Peoria, Chandler, and Surprise areas.
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
From 1850 to 1864, probate records of Arizona were kept by the probate courts of New Mexico. From 1864 to 1912, the records were handled by county probate courts. 1912 to present, records such as wills, claims, administrations, case files, and calendars are kept in the custody of the clerk of the superior court in the county courthouse.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1803-1995 Arizona Wills and Probate Records 1803-1995 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1870-1930 Arizona, Maricopa County Probate Records, 1870-1930 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Arizona Department of Health Services or the county clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.
Birth
- 1800-1946 Arizona Genealogy Birth Certificates, 1800-1947 at Arizona Department of Health Services — images
- 1855-1930 Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1887-1935 Arizona Birth Certificates, 1887-1935 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1909-1917 Arizona, Births and Christenings, 1909-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry($)
- 1909-1917 Arizona Birth Certificates, 1909-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
Marriage
- 1809-2011 Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011 at Ancestry — index($)
- 1833-1949 US Marriages – Arizona, 1833-1949 at Findmypast — index($)
- 1864-1982 Arizona Marriage Collection, 1864-1982 at Ancestry — index($)
- 1865-1949 Arizona Marriages, 1865-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1871-1964 Arizona, County Marriages, 1871-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1888-1908 Arizona Select Marriages, 1888-1908 at Ancestry — index($)
- Western States Marriage Index at BYU Idaho — index; Also at: FamilySearch
Death
- 1800-1972 Arizona Genealogy Record Search at Arizona Department of Health Services — images
- 1870-1951 Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1870-1963 Arizona Death Certificates, 1870-1963 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1910-1911, 1933-1994 Arizona, Deaths and Burials, 1910-1911, 1933-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry($)
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Maricopa County. For state-wide facilities, see Arizona Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Mesa Arizona Kimball East FamilySearch Center
- Paradise Valley Arizona FamilySearch Center
- Phoenix Arizona FamilySearch Center
- Phoenix Arizona Hispanic FamilySearch Center
- Scottsdale Arizona Camelback FamilySearch Center
- Tempe Arizona FamilySearch Center
- McClelland Irish Library - an affiliate library
- West Valley Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Maricopa County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arizona Archives and Libraries.
Museums
George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center
415 E Grant St
Phoenix, AZ 85023
Facebook
Email: carvermuseumaz@gmail.com
Website
Gilbert Historical Museum
Facebook
Website
Mesa Historical Museum
Website
San Tan Historical Museum
Website
Scottsdale Historical Museum
Website
Closed until further notice
Sun Cities Museum
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Maricopa County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Arizona Societies.
Arizona Historical Society, Arizona Heritage Center
1300 N College Ave.
Tempe, AZ 85281
Phone: 480-929-0292
Email: ahsadmin@azhs.org
Facebook
Website
Arizona Jewish Historical Society
122 E Culver St
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Phone: 602-241-7870
Email: jschesnol@azjhs.org
Facebook
Website
Family History Society of Arizona
Website
Glendale Arizona Historical Society
Website
Phoenix Genealogical Society
Facebook
Website
San Tan Historical Society
Website
Sun Cities Area Historical Society
Website
Tempe Historical Society
Website
West Valley Genealogical Society
Website
Websites
- Maricopa County AZGenWeb
- Maricopa County, Arizona Genealogy and Family History) at Linkpendium
- Maricopa County Genealogy
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides
References
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Maricopa, Arizona," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maricopa_County,_Arizona 7/10/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Maricopa County, Arizona p. 56. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Maricopa County, Arizona. Page 56-57 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 52.
- ↑ Ariz. Terr. Laws 1871, 6th assy./ pp. 53-54
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Maricopa County, Arizona," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maricopa_County,_Arizona, accessed 23 February 2019.
- ↑ Williams 108-110
- ↑ U.S. Stat., vol. 9, pp. 922-943; Parry, 102: 29-59; Van Zandt, 11, 28-29; Walker and Bufkin, 19, 20A
- ↑ N.M. Terr. Laws 1851, 1st assy., 1st sess./p. 119; N.M. Terr. Laws 1851, 1st assy., 2d sess. /pp. 266, 292
- ↑ William Thorndale, and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1987), 26. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 X2th.
- ↑ Original Counties of New Mexico Territory (map).
- ↑ U.S. Stat., vol. 10, pp. 1031-1037; Van Zandt, 11, 29, 162
- ↑ U.S. Stat., vol. 10, ch. 245[1854]/p. 575; Van Zandt, 162; Walker and Bufkin, 21-22
- ↑ N.M. Terr. Laws 1854, 4th assy. /p. 57
- ↑ U.S. Stat., vol. 12, ch. 56[1863]/pp. 664-665; Ariz. Terr. Laws 1864, 1st assy./ pp. vii-viii; Van Zandt, 162
- ↑ Howell Code, Ariz. Terr. Laws 1864, 1st assy., ch. 2/ pp. 24-25
- ↑ Ariz. Terr. Laws 1871, 6th assy./ pp. 53-54
- ↑ Ariz. Terr. Laws 1875, 8th assy./ pp. 19-20
- ↑ Arizona Territorial Laws 1877, 9th assy. pp. 12-13
- ↑ Arizona Territorial Laws 1881, 11th assy. pp. 14-17
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).