Utah County, Utah Genealogy

Guide to Utah County, Utah ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named the same name as its state. The County is located in the north center area of the state.

County Courthouse
Utah County Courthouse 151 S University Ave Provo, UT 8461 Phone: 801-851-7200 Utah County Courthouse County Clerk has marriage records from 1887, divorce and probate records from 1859, and court records from 1885. County recorder has land records.

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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

History Timeline
NOTE: Unless otherwise mentioned, the below events were gleaned from Wikipedia for Utah County.
 * 1849 Provo was originally called Fort Utahwhen settled, but was renamed Provo in 1850 for Étienne Provost, an early French-Canadian trapper who arrived in the region in 1825.
 * 1850 American Fork was settled by Mormon pioneers, and incorporated as Lake City in 1852.
 * 1850 Mormon pioneers settled the area now known as Lehi, at a place called Dry Creek, near the head of Utah Lake. It was renamed Evansville in 1851, after David Evans, a local bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other historical names include Sulphur Springs and Snow’s Springs.
 * 1850 Mapleton was first settled, and for a time was known as Union Bench.
 * 1850 Payson first settled. Originally named Peteetneet, after a Ute Indian chief who lived near Payson's current location.
 * 1850 The original name of Pleasant Grove was Battle Creek. It was named for a battle which took place there in 1849 between Latter-day Saint settlers and a small band of Ute Indians.
 * 1850 Springville was originally settled. The city was first called Hobble Creek by early pioneers. Later, as the town grew, the name was changed to Springville because of the many freshwater springs in the area.
 * 1851 The first ward of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsin American Fork was organized with Leonard E. Harrington as bishop.
 * 1852 March 3- Utah County was created from the Utah Territory.
 * 1852 Lehi grew so rapidly that, Bishop Evans petitioned the Utah Territorial Legislature to incorporate the settlement. Lehi City was incorporated by legislative act on February 5, 1852 and approved a request to call the new city Lehi.
 * 1853 Daniel H. Wells, the head of the Nauvoo Legion(Utah Territorial Militia at the time), instructed settlers in American Fork to move into specific forts. At a meeting on July 23, 1853 at the schoolhouse in American Fork, Lorenzo Snowand Parley P. Prattconvinced the settlers to follow Wells' directions and all move together into a central fort.
 * 1855 The town of Fairfield was established when John Carson, his four brothers, and others settled in the Cedar Valley. The settlement was soon known as Frogtown.
 * 1855 to 1860  Between 1855 and 1860, the arrival of pioneers from Iceland made Spanish Fork into the first permanent Icelandic settlement in the United States.
 * 1860 Settlers changed the name of Lake City to American Fork.
 * 1861 Frogtown became Fairfield; named after Amos Fielding, who participated in establishing the community.
 * 1861 Lindon was settled. It was originally named "String Town" because of the way the houses were strung up and down the street. An old linden tree (Tilia) growing in town in 1901 inspired the present (misspelled) name.
 * 1870 American Fork served as a rail access point for mining activities in American Fork Canyon.
 * 1870 Highland was settled by homesteaders, so named by Scottish Latter-day Saint immigrants who felt the area resembled the highlands of Scotland.

Cemeteries

 * Territorial-1966 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * See Utah Burials Search at Utah State History
 * Utah County, Utah Cemetery IndexAncestry.com ($) Prepared by the Utah Valley Regional FamilySearch Center for Utah County.

Census Records

 * Utah Census for online indexes and images of US federal censuses. of: 1852, 1856, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940.
 * Statewide printed indexes, including 1856.
 * 1) "Utah Census Returns" Historical Department of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
 * 2) Index (Index Publishing)
 * 3) Index (AIS)

Church Records
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
 * 1877-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Utah County Justice Court deals with class B and C misdemeanors, violations of ordinances, small claims, and infractions committed within County jurisdiction. The Justice Court shares jurisdiction with the Juvenile Court over minors 16 or 17 years old, who are charged with certain traffic offenses. See the Juvenile Court below for other types of juvenile cases.
 * Juvenile Court handles juvenile cases concerning automobile homicide, alcohol or drug related traffic offenses, reckless driving, fleeing an officer, and driving on a suspended license are excepted. Juvenile Court shares jurisdiction with the Justice Court over minors 16 or 17 years old, who are charged with certain traffic offenses besides those listed above.

Directories

 * 1867 Owens, George. Salt Lake City Directory: Including a Business Directory of Provo, Springville, and Ogden, Utah Territory. Salt Lake City: G. Owens, 1867. Digital version at Internet Archive.
 * 1879-1880 Culmer, H.L.A. et al. Utah Directory and Gazetteer for 1879-80: Containing the Name and Occupation of Every Resident in the Towns and Cities of Salt Lake, Utah, Weber and Davis Counties: and a Very Complete List of the Merchants, Manufacturers, Professional Men and Officials: Together with Full Gazetteer Information. Salt Lake City, Utah: Printed for H.L.A. Culmer &amp; Co. by J.C. Graham &amp; Co., 1879. Digital version at Internet Archive.
 * Utah Directory, 1890: Salt Lake City, Logan, and Provo Ancestry.com ($) Data from Utah Gazetteer and Directory of Logan, Ogden, Provo and Salt Lake City, 1884.

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1847-1868 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & links to images

Funeral Homes
Anderson and Sons Mortuary 49 East 100 North American Fork, UT 84003 Phone: 801-756-3564 Fax: 801-763-0799 Warenski Funeral Home 1776 North 900 East American Fork, UT 84003 Phone: 801-763-5000 Fax: 801-763-5002 Wing Mortuary 118 E Main St. Lehi, UT 84043 Phone: 801-768-9514 Fax: 801-768-3534 Berg Mortuary 185 East Center Street Provo, Utah 84606 Phone: 801-373-1841 Fax: 801-371-0110 500 North State Street Orem, Utah 84057 Phone: 801-225-2131 Fax: 801-371-0110  525 East Fourth South Springville, Utah 84663 Phone: (801) 489-4233 Fax: (801) 371-0110 Sundberg-Olpine Mortuary 495 South State St Orem, UT 84058 Phone: 801-225-1530 Fax: 801-225-9720 Walker Sanderson Funeral Home 646 East 800 North Orem, UT 84097 Phone: 801-226-3500 Fax: 801-226-3531 85 East 300 South Provo, UT 84606 Phone: 801-373-6668 Fax: 801-374-2151  587 South 100 West Payson, UT 84651 Phone: 801-465-3846 Fax: 801-465-2507  187 South Main St Spanish Fork, UT 84660 Phone: 801-798-2169 Fax:801-798-0733 Olpin Family Mortuary 494 South 300 East Pleasant Grove, UT 84062 Phone: 801-785-3505 Fax: 801-785-9963 Brown Family Mortuary 66 South 300 East Santaquin, UT 84655 Phone:801-754-3692 Fax: 801-754-1225 Wheeler Mortuary 211 East 2nd South Springville, UT 84663 Phone: 801-489-6021

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Utah County has Web Access to Land Records (1980's forward) . This includes property searches by name, address, etc., map searches, document searches and document images.
 * Most of the land in Utah was originally obtained from the US federal government by a patent. These General Land Office Records are available and searchable free of charge. The minimum information needed for a search is the state where the land is located and the name of the person receiving the patent. Surveys and Land Status Records can also be searched here.

Local Histories

 * Holzapfel, Richard Neitzel. A history of Utah County, Utah Centennial County History Series
 * A Brief History of Utah County, on the Utah's Pioneer Library web site (It is now called Utah's Online Library). The county seat and largest city is Provo.
 * Memories that live Utah County centennial historyAncestry.com ($)


 * The County and the State are named after the Ute (or Utah) Indians. Named for the Ute Indians, Spanish word Yuta.
 * Lehi is named after Lehi, a prophet in the Book of Mormon.
 * The City of Orem was named after W.C. Orem, builder of the railroad which ran through the town. Orem was known as Sharon, a Biblical name for a mostly level strip of land running between mountains and the sea; Another former name was Provo Bench.
 * Payson was named after an early settler, James Pace. The community was previously known as Fort Peteetneet after a Ute Indian chief.
 * Springville was once known as Hobble Creek because a member of a Latter-day Saint exploring party lost his horse's hobbles in or near the creek.
 * Pleasant Grove, named after a cottonwood grove near the original town site, was once known as Battle Creek since it was the site of the first conflict between Indians and settlers.
 * Elberta was named for its Elberta peach orchards and Salem was named after New Salem, Massachusetts, but was first called Pond Town after the large pond that today is known as Salem Pond.
 * The first library in Provo was opened in 1854 and there has been an official U.S. Post Office in the city since at least 1894.
 * Provo General Hospital opened in 1903 and gave way to Utah Valley Hospital in 1939.
 * The Utah State (Mental) Hospital dates back to 1880 but was formerly known by less politically correct names.
 * Provo is the home of Brigham Young University. Brigham Young issued a deed of trust to establish Brigham Young Academy on October 16,1875. The fledgling institution went through some rough years and nearly folded on occasion before officially becoming Brigham Young University on October 23, 1903.


 * 1900 to the Present Day - The County population grew slowly and steadily through the years of World War I, the Great Depression and World War II. The official census counted 23,768 citizens in 1890 and that number grew to only 49,021 in 1940.
 * Geneva Steel was one of the few major employers outside of agriculture, government and schools. Geneva was built during World War II to provide steel for the war effort.
 * 1980s - present the valley became one of the entrepreneurial hot spots of the nation and, in particular, has become a Mecca for high-tech, computer-related companies.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Gallagher, John S. The Post Offices of Utah Burtonsville, Md.: The Depot, 1977.FS Library Book 979.2 E8g. A list of past and current post offices in Utah. It provides the dates of establishment for each post office. If a post office was discontinued, this source gives the date and the new post office designated to receive the mail. Several photographs are included.
 * Gannett, Henry A. A Gazetteer of Utah. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1900.
 * Gruber, Ted. Postal History of Utah, 1849-1976. Crete, NB: J-B Publishing Co., 1978.
 * Leigh, Rufus Wood. Five Hundred Utah Place Names. Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Press, 1961. FS Library Book 979.2 E2L. This book provides the history and origin of the name of each place, including names of places and landmarks that no longer exist. It also includes Native American residences.
 * Origins of Utah Place Names. Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah State Department of Public Instruction, 1941. FS Library Book 979.2 E2o; Fiche 6046696. This source documents when places were settled, former names, altitude and population in 1941. There is information on the creation of each county and boundary changes, including square miles. It also includes a list of extinct counties.
 * Sloan, Robert W. Utah Gazetteer and Directory of Logan, Ogden, Provo and Salt Lake City for 1884. Salt Lake City: Herald Printing and Publishing Co., 1884. familysearch.org/search/catalog/287900
 * Utah: A Guide to the State. New York: Hastings House, 1941. familysearch.org/search/catalog/180508
 * Utah State Gazetteer and Business Directory. 12 Volumes. Salt Lake City, Utah: R.L. Polk, 1900–1931. FS Library Book 979.2 U34p; On six films beginning with 1697782 item 3.) Exhaustive list of Utah towns and cities.
 * Van Cott, John E., comp. Utah Place Names: A Comprehensive Guide to the Origins of Geographic Names. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1990. FS Library Book 979.2 E2v. Excellent guide to Utah place names.
 * Ward, Jill Anderson. LDS Place Names Gazetteer. Salt Lake City: FamilySearch Library, 1986. familysearch.org/search/catalog/501349
 * Writers' Program (Utah), Utah: A Guide to the State. New York, New York: Hastings House, 1941.FS Library Book 979.2 E6w; Film 1033881 item 3. This gives a history of many areas and includes an index and maps of some cities. The book is arranged geographically and gives directions and mileage between areas. There is also information on altitude, population size, and roads.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places


 * County Maps from Utah County
 * Greer, Deon C., et al. Atlas of Utah. Ogden, Utah Weber State College, 1981. familysearch.org/search/catalog/96665
 * Miller, David E. Utah History Atlas. 2nd ed. n.p.: Miller, 1968. familysearch.org/search/catalog/284700
 * Moffat, Riley Moore. Printed Maps of Utah to 1900: An Annotated Cartobibliography. Western Association of Map Librarians, 1981. familysearch.org/search/catalog/192517
 * Current online highway map
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration

 * California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah
 * Mormon Trail to Southern California 1847 from Salt Lake City, Utah to Los Angeles, California
 * Central Overland Trail 1859-1869 from Salt Lake City, Utah to Carson City, Nevada (and usually on to northern California)
 * Union Pacific Railroad 1869 Ogden, Utah to Omaha, Nebraska
 * Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad 1883 Salt Lake City, Utah to Grand Junction, Colorado (and Denver)

Military Records

 * Territorial-1966 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Utah Military and Defence for Utah County from Dex Knows

 Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images at Partner site

World War I
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

 World War II
 * 1939-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1848-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1906-1930 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1906-1930 Utah, Federal Naturalization Records, 1906-1930 at Ancestry- index & images ($)

Newspapers

 * 1850-2003 Utah Newspapers, 1850-2003 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * Utah Digital Newspapers Project gives newspaper images online. Search All Newspapers by name or keywords, or Browse by County to view the digitized newspapers.
 * Provo Daily Enquirer, covering 1881 - 1897 is included.


 * Utah County Newspapers This is the FamilySearch Wiki page for "overflow" information on the newspapers of Utah County, including history and links to modern newspapers.

Obituaries

 * 1850-2005 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & links to images
 * 2010-2013 Utah, U.S., Obituary Index, 2010-2013 at Ancestry - index ($)

Prisons

 * 1892-1949 Board of Pardons Prisoners' Pardon Application Case Files, 1892-1949 at Utah Division of Archives and Records Service – index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1800-1985 Utah Wills and Probate Records 1800-1985 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1851-1961 at FamilySearch — images
 * State and County Probate records.

Social Security Records

 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Birth

 * 1898-1905 Series #84185 at Utah State Archives. Not online, no online index.
 * 1903-1914 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1906-1910 1906-1910 online images

Marriage

 * 1805-1992 Utah, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1860-1944 Utah, U.S., Select Marriage Records, 1860-1944 at Ancestry — index & images ($); selected counties
 * 1871-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1887-1937 Utah, County Marriages, 1887-1937 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1887-1966 Utah County. (Utah). County Clerk. Marriage Records of Utah County, 1887–1966 . These are also indexed in the Early Church Information File for marriages up to 1914.
 * 1887-1999 Utah, Marriages, 1887-1999 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1897-1917 Utah County (Utah) Vital Records, Marriage license applications, 1897-1917, Series 5585 at Utah State Archives — index and images; some images are in color
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho — includes some divorces and alternative sources

Death

 * 1904-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Pre-1904 Utah State Burial Database This site includes information on many Utah residents, who died before 1904.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Alpine Utah North FamilySearch Center
 * Alpine Utah West FamilySearch Center
 * American Fork Utah FamilySearch Center
 * BYU Family History Library
 * Elberta Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Genola Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Goshen Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Highland Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Lehi Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Lehi Utah YSA FamilySearch Center
 * Lindon Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Mapleton Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Mount Timpanogos Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Orem Utah Geneva Heights FamilySearch Center
 * Orem Utah Lakeridge FamilySearch Center
 * Orem Utah Park/Suncrest FamilySearch Center
 * Orem Utah Sharon Park FamilySearch Center
 * Orem Utah Sunset Heights FamilySearch Center
 * Orem Utah YSA 2nd FamilySearch Center
 * Orem Utah YSA 3rd FamilySearch Center
 * Payson Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Pioneer Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Pleasant Grove Utah East FamilySearch Center
 * Pleasant Grove Utah Grove Creek FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah Bonneville FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah Cove Point FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah East FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah Edgemont North FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah Freedom FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah Grandview East FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah Married Student FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah University Married Student 2nd FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah University Married Student 3rd FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah North Park FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah Sunset FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah University Married Student 3rd FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah Wasatch (Tongan) FamilySearch Center
 * Provo Utah YSA 18th Stake FamilySearch Center
 * Salem Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Santaquin Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Spanish Fork Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Springville Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Utah South Hispanic FamilySearch Center
 * Brigham Young University Utah FamilySearch Center - Public Library
 * BYU Family History Library - BYU Harold B. Lee Library

Libraries
BYU Family History Library

American Fork Library 64 South 100 East American Fork, UT 84003-2326 Phone: 801-763-3070 Website Highland City Library 400 West Civic Center Drive Highland, UT 84003 Phone: 801-772-4528 Website Lehi City Public Library 120 North Center Street Lehi, UT 84043-1850 Phone: 801-768-7150 Website Orem Public Library 58 North State Street Orem, UT 84057 Ohone: 801-229-7050 Website Payson City Library 66 South Main Street Payson, UT 84651 Phone: 801-465-5220 Website Pleasant Grove Library 30 East Center Street Pleasant Grove, UT 84062-2234 Phone: 801-785-3950 Website Provo City Library at Academy Square 550 North University Avenue Provo, UT 84601 Phone: 801-852-6650 Website Salem City Library 59 South Main Street Salem, UT 84653 Phone: 801-423-2622 Website Santaquin City Library 20 West 100 South Santaquin, UT 84655 Phone: 801-754-3030 Website Saratoga Springs Library 1307 N Commerce Drive Saratoga Springs, UT 84045 Phone: 801-766-6513 Spanish Fork Public Library 49 South Main Street Spanish Fork, UT 84660-2030 Phone: 801-798-5010 Website Springville Public Library 45 South Main Street Springville, UT 84663 Phone: 801-489-2720 Website Utah's Online Library, Provides links to library web pages, addresses, phone numbers, hours, and maps.

Websites

 * 1848-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Utah GenWeb, Utah State GenWeb
 * Utah USGW Archives, Utah State USGW Archives
 * Linkpendium
 * – 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.