Pima County, Arizona Genealogy
Guide to Pima County, Arizona ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Pima County was created on 10 Nov 1864[1] and was one of the four original counties created by the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature with land acquired through the Gadsden Purchase from Mexico in 1853.[2] Its county seat is Tucson.[3] It is located in the south-central region of the state.
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Pima County Courthouse
110 West Congress Street
Tucson, AZ 85701
Phone: 520-724-3200
Pima County Courthouse
Clerk Superior Court has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1863 [4]
Pima County, Arizona Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1889 | 1863 | 1889 | 1863 | 1866 | 1863 | 1830 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
| |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
- 1 Feb 1875 - Arizona created Pinal County from lands in Maricopa and Pima counties.[8] This county named for the Pinal mountains. Look for records in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties.
- 1 Feb 1881 - Arizona created Cochise County from the eastern part of Pima County.[9] This county named for Cochise, the great Apache warrior who had died seven years before. Look for records in Cochise and Pima counties.
- 15 Mar 1899 - Arizona created Santa Cruz County from land in Pima County.[10] This county named for the Santa Cruz River. Look for records in Pima and Santa Cruz counties.
- Pima County also lost portions of land to Graham, Greenlee, and Maricopa 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[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- 1860-Onward Arizona, Biographical Database at MyHeritage — index ($)
- Arizona Biographical Database at Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records.
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For tips on accessing Census records online, see: Arizona Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1870 | 5,716 | — |
| 1880 | 17,006 | 197.5% |
| 1890 | 12,673 | −25.5% |
| 1900 | 14,689 | 15.9% |
| 1910 | 22,818 | 55.3% |
| 1920 | 34,680 | 52.0% |
| 1930 | 55,676 | 60.5% |
| 1940 | 72,838 | 30.8% |
| 1950 | 141,216 | 93.9% |
| 1960 | 265,660 | 88.1% |
| 1970 | 351,667 | 32.4% |
| 1980 | 531,443 | 51.1% |
| 1990 | 666,880 | 25.5% |
| 2000 | 843,746 | 26.5% |
| 2010 | 980,263 | 16.2% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Censuses were conducted in 1866, 1867, 1872, 1874, 1876. They include name, residence, whether head of family, number of single persons over 21, number between 10 and 21, number under 10, and remarks.
- In 1882, the census lists name only.
- FS Library Arizona, Pima Census Records
Church Records[edit | edit source]
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
- Ajo
- Binghampton
- Tucson
The Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson Archives and Library
Msgr. Donald H. Hughes Pastoral Center at St. Ambrose Parish
300 S. Tucson Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85716
Tel: (520) 886-5201 (Call for Appt.)
The diocese was first established in 1868. The archive's collection includes sacramental registers from across southwest, Bishop's correspondence, ephemera, art and artifacts.[11]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- Arizona Superior Court in Pima County
- Pima County Consolidated Justice Court
- Other Courts may be located here: Pima County Court Records Directory
- Holdings: criminal, civil (incl. traffic), domestic, real property, divorce, probate, guardianship, marriage. Beginning in 2010, all civil cases 50 years old and probate cases 100 years old must be sent to the Arizona State Archives for preservation. However, indexes and microfilm copies of those records are available at the courthouse in Legal Records, Room 241. The microfilm is not for public use due to mishandling and degradation. The court's online Record Search contains an index of cases from approximately 1980 through present day.
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
|
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
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.
Pima County Recorder's Office Holdings: deeds, mining records, mortgages.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 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 ($)
- The Chronicling America project lists 255 newspapers which cover areas of Pima County. Using their system one may narrow a search and use the links to the WorldCat system to locate copies of the papers.
- Arizona Newspaper Project -- allows users to search for Pima County newspapers
- Current obituaries for Tucson may be located on the Arizona Daily Star's website.
- Green Valley News and Sun also carries obituaries.
- Ajo Copper News Archives list deaths beginning in 1998 and births in 2000.
- Ajo Copper News - full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1975-2009
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1959-2014 Arizona, Mesa LDS Family History Center, Obituary Index, 1959-2014 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
|
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
From 1850 to 1864, probate records of Arizona were kept by the probate courts of New Mexico. From 1864 to 1912, the records were handled by county probate courts. 1912 to present, records such as wills, claims, administrations, case files, and calendars are kept in the custody of the clerk of the superior court in the county courthouse.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1803-1995 Arizona Wills and Probate Records 1803-1995 at Ancestry — index & images ($) Original records held by the Clerk of the Superior Court or the Arizona State Archives.
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
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.
Pima County Health Department issues certificates for Arizona Births from 1 Jan 1950 and Arizona Deaths from 1 Feb 2008. All other certificates may be ordered from the State Office of Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
- 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 ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Pima County. For state-wide facilities, see Arizona Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]
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
- Ajo Arizona FamilySearch Center
- Sahuarita Arizona FamilySearch Center
- Tucson Arizona FamilySearch Center
- Tucson Arizona West FamilySearch Center
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Pima County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arizona Archives and Libraries.
Pima County Public Library System
Website
Multiple locations
Joel D. Valdez Main Library
Pima County Public Library System
101 N. Stone Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85701
Phone: 520-594-5500
Website
Holdings include: Cele Peterson Arizona Collection (local history), historical Tucson newspapers,
assorted other papers, online resources available to library card holders, interlibrary loan.
University of Arizona
Main Library
POB 210055
1510 E University Blvd
Tucson, AZ 82721-0055
Phone: 520-621-6441
Website
Holdings: Special Collections (manuscripts, photographs, rare books), newspapers, government documents,
map collection, ethnic records, directories, Jewish collections
Museums[edit | edit source]
Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center
564 S Stone Ave
P.O. Box 889
Tucson, AZ 85701
Phone: 520-670-9073
Website
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Pima County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Arizona Societies.
Arizona Historical Society
949 E. 2nd St.
Tucson, AZ 85719
Phone: 520-628-577
Email: ahsadmin@azhs.gov
Website
Arizona Historical Society Research Library holds unpublished manuscripts, biographical files, books, maps, newspapers, oral histories, photographs, and more.
Ajo Historical Society
160 S Mission Rd.
Ajo, AZ 85321-2601
Phone: 520-387-7105
Website
Jewish Historical Society of Southern Arizona, Genealogy Group
4181 E Pontatoc Canyon Dr
Tucson, AZ 85718
Phone: 520-299-4486
Facebook
Southern Arizona Genealogical Society (aka Green Valley Genealogical Society)
PO Box 1009
Green Valley, AZ 85622
Email: jfcbcp@gmail.com
Website
Pima County Genealogy Society
P.O. Box 16421
Tucson, AZ 85732
Website
Sun City Vistoso Genealogical Society
1565 E Rancho Vistoso
Social Hall/Papago Room
Oro Valley, AZ 85737
Phone: 520-825-3711
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Pima County AZGenWeb
- Pima County, Arizona Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- 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[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Howell Code, Ariz. Terr. Laws 1864, 1st assy., ch. 2/ pp. 24-25
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Pima, Arizona," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pima_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), Pima 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), Pima 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.
- ↑ Howell Code, Ariz. Terr. Laws 1864, 1st assy., ch. 2/ pp. 24-25
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Pima County, Arizona," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pima_County,_Arizona, accessed 24 February 2019.
- ↑ Ariz. Terr. Laws 1875, 8th assy./ pp. 19-20
- ↑ Ariz. Terr. Laws 1881, 11th assy./ pp. 4-7
- ↑ Ariz. Terr. Laws 1899, 20th assy./ pp. 49-57
- ↑ Arizona Memory Project, "Archives of the Catholic Diocese of Tucson." https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/