Lake County, Oregon Genealogy

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

Oregon Online Genealogy Records

Description
Lake County was named for the many lakes found within its boundaries. The county is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has marriage and land records. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, probate and court records.

Lake County Government

Historical Facts
Named for sizeable number of lakes found within the boundary, including Lake Abert and.

Trivia Tidbits: Little biographic bits associated with the names of non-population localities.

Parent County
24 October 1874: Created from Jackson and Wasco Counties.

Boundary Changes
17 October 1882: Part taken for Klamath 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.

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

Populated Places
The following are locations in the county:

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator

Post Offices
 * Adel: Adel is a post office on Deep Creek where it debouches into Warner Valley. C. A. Moore, in a communication in the Oregonian, on Sept. 18, 1926, says the office was named by Bert Sessions, who owned the land where it was first established in 1896. He named it for a former sweetheart. A more intriguing source is suggested by Judge Virgil Langtry of Portland who states that Mrs. Jacob Messner, an early settler in the Warner Valley, had recalled to her grandchildren that the name was a compliment to Leda, a cow of many virtues belonging to a local resident. Since the spelling was reversed, one can only assume the compliment was back-handed.

Neighboring Counties
Deschutes | Harney | Klamath | Modoc County, California | Washoe County, Nevada

Trivia Tidbits
Information about localities, too small or too brief to describe in separate pages. Exception to this are Post Offices. &gt; Trivia Tidbits

Cemeteries

 * Oregon Metro
 * Oregon Genealogy Cemeteries

Church History and Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

County Records

 * 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

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
[Oregon Online Historical Newspapers] - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.

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

Rivers and Waterways
Details about the rivers and waterways where farms and settlements are often found along them. &gt;&gt; Rivers and Waterways

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
Lake County Historical Society 118 South E St Lakeview, OR 97630 Phone: 541-947-2220 Website

Lake County Libraries - Main Branch 26 South G St Lakeview, OR 97630 Phone: 541-947-6019 Website Facebook

Family History Centers

 * Klamath Falls Oregon Family History Center
 * Lakeview Oregon Family History Center
 * Yonna Valley Oregon Family History Center
 * Jackson County Genealogy Library - an affiliate library
 * Klamath County Library - an affiliate library
 * Oregon Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

Websites

 * Lake County, OR History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Oregon Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Lake County GenWeb Project part of The ORGenWeb Project
 * Linkpendium
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project