Columbia County, Oregon Genealogy

Guide to Columbia County, Oregon ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records. Oregon Online Genealogy Records

Description
Columbia County was named for the Columbia River. The county is located in the northwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has marriage records from 1890, divorce and court records from 1854 and probate records from 1880.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Quick Facts
Named for the Columbia River, which forms the northern and eastern boundaries.

Parent County
16 January 1854: from Washington County.

Boundary Changes

 * No parts were taken to create any county.

For animated maps illustrating Oregon County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Oregon County Boundary Maps" (1843-1975) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

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:

Neighboring Counties
Clatsop | Multnomah | Tillamook | Washington | Washington counties: Cowlitz | Clark | Wahkiakum

Cemeteries
For a detailed list, including addresses, phone numbers, and external links, see Columbia County, Oregon Cemeteries.


 * Oregon Department of Transportation 1978 Cemetery Survey
 * Cemeteries managed by the city of Clatskanie
 * Rainier Cemetery District
 * Oregon Metro
 * Oregon Genealogy Cemeteries
 * Columbia County, Oregon, 1856 census

Territorial and State Census Records (Extant)

 * 1845 (as part of Tuality County, aka Twality or Twalitain)
 * 1849 (as part of Tuality County, aka Twality or Twalitain)
 * 1853 (as part of Washington County)
 * 1865

Federal Census Records (Extant)

 * 1850
 * 1860
 * 1870
 * 1880
 * 1900
 * 1910
 * 1920
 * 1930

Church History and Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * FamilySearch Places

County Records

 * 1854-1958 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection - images
 * County Records Inventory lists record collections and locations held.

Gazetteers

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

Land and Property
Wiki articles describing land records online are found at Oregon, Columbia County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Maps

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

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1919-1920 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1921-1938 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
[Https://sites.google.com/site/onlinenewspapersite/Home/usa/or Oregon Online Historical Newspapers] - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.

Historic Oregon Newspapers as a division of the Oregon Digital Newspaper Program has digitzied more than 644,000 pages of newspapers throughout Oregon. Dates range from 1846-1922 with selected issues continuing through 1973.

Of particular interest to Columbia County researchers:

The Columbia Register (Houlton) The Columbian (St. Helens) The Oregon Mist (St. Helens)

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1833–1963 Oregon Wills and Probate Records 1833-1963 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)

Vital Records
See also How to order Oregon Vital Records, order electronically online or download an application for Oregon Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

Birth Records

 * 1842-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images (*); Also at: Ancestry
 * 1860-1952 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Delayed Birth Certificates

Marriage Records

 * 1826-1975 Oregon, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1842-1917 Oregon, U.S., State Births, 1842-1917 at Ancestry - index & images, ($); Also at: 
 * 1849-1884; 1991-2006 at FamilySearch — index and images; collection is incomplete.
 * 1906-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Marriages, 1906-1968 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * Extractions of early marriages are listed on the Western States Marriage Index
 * Marriage Index 1885-1896 Actually is a book of affiants reporting the marriages. Historical Records Collection

Societies, Libraries and Museums
Columbia County Museum Association 230 Strand St St. Helens, OR 97051 Website Regional Museums

Scappose Public Library 52469 SE 2nd St Scappoose, OR 97056 Phone: 503-543-7123 Website Facebook

St Helens Public Library 375 S 18th St St Helens, OR 97051 Phone: 503-397-4544 Website Facebook

Clatskanie Public Library 11 NE Lillicch St Clatskanie, OR 97016 Phone: 503-728-3732 Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Rainier Oregon Family History Center
 * St Helens Oregon Family History Center
 * Vernonia Oregon Family History Center
 * The Genealogical Forum of Oregon - an affiliate library

Websites

 * Columbia County, OR History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Oregon Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Columbia County GenWeb Project part of The ORGenWeb Project
 * Linkpendium
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project
 * FamilySearch Catalog for Columbia County
 * Oregon, Columbia County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records