Otero County, Colorado Genealogy

United States Colorado  Otero County

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

County Courthouse
County Clerk has marriage records from 1892 and land records 1889 Clerk County Court has divorce and probate recors; Clerk District Court has court records

County Seat
La Junta

Parent County

 * Before 1861 the southern 2/3rds of this modern Colorado county were in New Mexico.


 * 1852 January 9 it was created part of Taos County in New Mexico Territory.
 * 1860 February 1 it became part of Mora County.
 * 1861 February 28 it was transferred to Colorado (1 Nov 1861 Huerfano County).
 * Look for pre-1861 records in New Mexico. For further explanation see Taos County.

1889 March 25: Otero County was created from Bent County.

Neighboring Counties



 * Bent
 * Crowley
 * Kiowa
 * Las Animas
 * Pueblo

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

Cemeteries

 * Otero County Cemeteries -  Otero County Genealogy and History
 * Otero County Cemeteries -  USGenWeb Archives
 * Otero County Cemeteries -  List, Findagrave
 * Otero County Cemeteries -  Map, Findagrave

Census

 * 1860-1940 Colorado Census Records from 1860 to 1940 at FamilySearch.org — index/images

Court Records
Numerous records are available at Colorado Archives. To use this link scroll down the page to where it asks for Record Type. Click there and scroll down the list to the records you want and select. The next field asks for county. Select the county you want and then click on Search. You can narrow the search by adding the additional information it asks for.

Maps
Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Probate Records
Online Records
 * 1875–1974 Colorado Wills and Probate Records 1875-1974 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Archives
1877-1892 Rocky Ford School Census

Family History Centers

 * La Junta Colorado Family History Center

Birth
Birth records may become public records when 100 years have elapsed after the date of birth. EXCEPTION: The birth record of any individual who is known to be currently alive will remain confidential even if they are 100 years of age or greater.

Marriage

 * 1853-2006 at FamilySearch.org — index/images
 * 1859-1900 Colorado Marriages, 1859-1900 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1864-1995 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1900-1939 Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index, 1900-1939 at Ancestry.com — index $

Death
Death records may become public records when 75 years have elapsed after the date of death.

Websites

 * Otero County CO Trails to the Past
 * Orero County CO GenWeb
 * Otero County CO GenWeb Archives
 * Orero County CO Rootsweb
 * Otero County CO Linkpendium
 * Otero County CO Genealogy and History