Twin Falls County, Idaho Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for the nearby waterfalls on the Snake River. The County has Twin Falls as its seat and the County was created February 21, 1907. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Twin Falls County Courthouse 630 Addison Ave W Twin Falls, ID 83303-0126 Phone: 208-736-4004 Twin Falls County Website

County Clerk Recorder has birth and land records from 1907 and military records from 1919. Court Services has divorce, probate and court records from 1907.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Home Town Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Census Records
For a summary of census records for the state of Idaho, see Idaho Census Records.

Church Records
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
 * List of Stakes and Wards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Twin Falls County, Idaho to about 1948.
 * For original or later records, check with the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.
 * Many of the records to about 1948 are available at the FamilySearch Libraryin Salt Lake City and at its FamilySearch Centers.

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

Directories
The Idaho State Archives has in its collections city, county, state and regional directories.

 Farm Directories The Gem State Rural's 1916-17 Farm Directory of Twin Falls County, Idaho is available at the College of Southern Idaho and the Twin Falls Public Library. It lists landowners by town, including those owning land in these two counties, but residing elsewhere. The size of the family, amount of acreage owned, the location of the land, and a list of crops and livestock raised on each farm is also included.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1907-1928 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1880-1914 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog
 * Twin Falls Land Records at Idaho Idaho State Archives
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Maps and Gazetteers

 * A digital Twin Falls County Idaho map is available online.
 * Map of Twin Falls County, Idaho is available online.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Twin Falls County for European and African American settlers included:
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon

Military Records
World War I
 * 1917-1918 World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Twin Falls County have been microfilmed. Copies of these records are available at the FamilySearch Library (their ) and are also available online at Ancestry.com, for a subscription fee. The original cards are maintained in the Southeast Regional Archives of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in East Point, Georgia and have been microfilmed by the National Archives as their Microcopy M1509.
 * G. Duncan McLeod. Twin Falls County in the World War Ogden, Utah : A. L. Scoville Press, c1920 FS Library Digital Images

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1892-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * Index to Naturalization at Idaho State Archives

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

 Current
 * Buhl Herald
 * Times-News

 Historical Copies of issues of many Idaho newspapers are in the collections of the Idaho State Archives.

Twin Falls Public Library Newspaper Archive http://newspaper.twinfallspubliclibrary.org/ The Twin Falls Public Library Newspaper Archive includes issues from The Home page contains a link with an Index of missing issues. The search engine isn't as robust as some. After using the search option, it would be a good idea to browse specific issues for information such as an obituary if not found in the search results list.
 * 1904-1927 Twin Falls Weekly News (1904-1927)
 * 1908-1916 The Twin Falls Times (1908-1916)
 * 1910 Twin Falls Times News (1910)
 * 1915-1916 Twin Falls Weekly Times (1915-1916)
 * 1918-1936 Twin Falls Daily News (1918-1936)
 * 1918-1936 Twin Falls Daily Times (1918-1936)
 * 1919-1920 Twin Falls Chronicle (1919-1920)
 * 1927-1930 The Idaho Citizen (1927-1930)
 * 1929-1930 Idaho Evening Twin Falls Times (1929-1930)
 * 1931-1940 Twin Falls Times (1931-1940)
 * 1936-1942 Idaho Evening Times (1936-1942)
 * 1941 Twin Falls News (1941)
 * 1942-October 2013 Times News (1942-October 2013)

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

County Commissioners' Records
The minute books of the County Commissioners contain interesting tidbits of history about the county as well as the names of individuals appealing to the County Commissioners for action on issues of concern to them. Minutes of those meetings were recorded from the formation of the county, for most counties. Some counties now post the minutes of current meetings online.

Most of these records have been preserved in the county courthouses of the State of Idaho. Few have been microfilmed. Contact the Twin Falls county clerk for information about years covered and availability of such records in Twin Falls County.

Online County Records
 * 1906-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Miscellaneous Series
Often overlooked by the genealogist, this group of volumes may contain affidavits for citizenship, final disposition of estates, divorce decrees, and many other types of valuable documents. The content varies from county to county, year to year and from clerk to clerk. When the estate case files, civil or criminal files are not available or have been destroyed, you may find key documents recorded here. Most counties will have an index to this series and it is a must search if the information you are seeking is not found elsewhere.

Pension Records
Mothers' Pensions were provided by the State of Idaho for widows and/or orphans, under certain conditions. Petitions for those pensions were filed with the probate court in each county. The original papers for several counties have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives in Boise and have been indexed. Twin Falls County Mothers' Pensions are included in that index.

Old Age Pensions were also provided by the State of Idaho from 1931 to 1936. The original records for these pensions in the Idaho State Archives and have also been indexed. Twin Falls County Old Age Pensions are included in that index.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed some of the earlier probate records of Twin Falls County (it was Cassia County before 1907), and these films can be viewed at their facility in Boise. For more recent probate records which may exist, it is recommended that you contact the Twin Falls County courthouse in Twin Falls.
 * 1857-1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Birth

 * 1861-1911 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Marriage

 * 1800-1987 Idaho, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1864-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Privacy law can't publish
 * 1864-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1878-1898; 1903-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1947-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * Western States Marriage Index

Death

 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1938-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Divorce

 * 1947-1963 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Archives

 * Idaho State Archives Digital Collections - Enter County in Search Bar
 * Idaho State Archives

FamilySearch Centers

 * Burley Idaho FamilySearch Center
 * Glenns Ferry Idaho FamilySearch Center
 * Grand View Idaho FamilySearch Center
 * Shoshone Idaho FamilySearch Center
 * Twin Falls Idaho FamilySearch Center

Libraries

 * Buhl Public Library 215 Broadway N Buhl, ID 83316 Phone: (208) 543-6500 Website


 * Filer Public Library 219 Main St Filer, ID 83328 Phone: (208) 326-4143


 * Hansen District Library 120 W Maple Ave Hansen, ID 83334 Phone: (208) 423-4122 Website


 * Kimberly Public Library 120 Madison St W Kimberly, ID 83341 Phone: (208) 423-4556 Website


 * Twin Falls Public Library 201 Fourth Ave E Twin Falls, ID 83301 Phone: (208) 733-2964 Website

Museums

 * Twin Falls County Historical Museum Filer, IdahoWebsite
 * Twin Falls County Museum 21337-A U.S. 30, Filer, ID 83328 (208) 736-4675 Website

Societies

 * State Historical Society 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd Boise, Idaho 208-334-2774 Website
 * National Society Daughters of the American Revolution-Idaho Chapter
 * The Idaho Welsh Society -- excellent cultural and historical site

Websites

 * Twin Falls County, Idaho Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Twin Falls GenWeb, ID GenWeb


 * – 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.