Utah, Salt Lake County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of land, property, and military records from the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City. This collection is being published as images become available.

Record Content
The information found varies depending upon the record type. You may find any of the following:


 * Names of interested parties
 * Recording dates
 * Place of event
 * Names of witnesses
 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Residence
 * Names of family members and their relationships
 * Names of heirs
 * Name of the executor, administrator, or guardian

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The name of the primary individual or individuals
 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * Other identifying information such as age or residence

Search the Collection
To search the collection ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Record Category" category ⇒Select the "Record Type, Volume, and Year Range" category which takes you to the images.

Many of these volumes have indexes at the beginning or end. You should search these first. If your ancestor is in the index download a copy or write down the page numbers listed for your ancestor. You can then quickly turn to those pages.

If you do not find your ancestor in the index, look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use probate records to identify heirs and relatives.
 * Use the information in the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records since the probates exist for an earlier time period.
 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate census, church, and land records.
 * Use the occupations listed to find other types of records such as employment records or military records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.
 * Use a marriage number to identify previous marriages.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Probate records often contain information about adoptions or guardianship of any minor children and dependents. They may also having information about land transactions.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * The name of the officiator at the event may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.*When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

General Information About These Records
County officials began keeping records from the time the county was formed or shortly thereafter. Each type of record within the county was created for a different purpose, but most were created to keep track of the vital events happening in the lives of the citizens and to safeguard their legal interests as well as those of their heirs. The records are generally reliable, but may not contain complete information.

Related Websites

 * Salt Lake County Records Management and Archives
 * Salt Lake County, Utah Free Public Records Directory

Related Wiki Articles

 * Utah
 * Utah Land and Property
 * Utah Military Records

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.