Montana, Yellowstone County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection includes images of vital records, probate records, deeds, and discharge records from the county courthouse in Billings. The records are for the years 1881 to 2011.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

County
 * Name of primary individual
 * Event date
 * Event place
 * Residence
 * Age
 * Sex
 * Names of parents
 * Biographical information about parents such as date and place of birth
 * Names of heirs, such as spouse, children, other relatives, or friends
 * Names of the executor, administrator, or guardian
 * Names of witnesses
 * Dates the documents were written and recorded (used to approximate event dates since a will was usually written near the time of death)
 * Description and value of property or land
 * Occupation
 * Military information such as company, rank, and enlistment date
 * Farm information such as number and value of acres and details of crops raised
 * Statistical information about members of the household

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * The type of event
 * The names of family members and their relationships

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the ':
 * 1) Select the Record Category
 * 2) Select the Record Type, Volume, and Year Range to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
Whenever possible, view the original records to verify the information and to find additional information that might not be reported. These pieces of information can lead you to additional records and family members.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Search for vital records, such as birth, marriage, and death
 * Use the information found to search for the family in census records
 * Search the county for church, land, and probate records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Try viewing the original record to see if there were errors in the transcription of the name, age, residence, etc. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Montana.
 * Montana Guided Research
 * Montana Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Montana Research, 1880-Present

Family History Library Holdings

 * An Illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana. Spokane, Wash. : Western Historical Pub. Co., 1907
 * Yellowstone County, District Court, 13th Judicial District, Judgement Dockets, 1905-1960
 * Yellowstone County, District Court, 13th Judicial District, orders and decrees, 1896-1938
 * Yellowstone County, deed records, 1883-1940
 * Yellowstone County, marriage records, 1952-1959
 * Yellowstone County, miscellaneous records, 1883-1939
 * Yellowstone County, District Court, 13th Judicial District, probate records, 1897-1995
 * Yellowstone County, District Court, 13th Judicial District, wills, 1891-1940

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.