Clackamas County, Oregon Genealogy

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

Description
Clackamas County was named for the Native Americans living in the area, the Clackamas Indians, who were part of the Chinookan people. The county is located in the northwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clackamas County Courthouse 807 Main Street Oregon City, OR 97045 Phone: 503-655-8447 Clackamas County Website


 * County Clerk has marriage and land records 1846. State Archivist has custody of some old county records.
 * County Records Inventory - records held at the Clackamas County Court House as of September/October 2006.

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:

History Timeline

 * 11 January 1854: Wasco set off.
 * 22 December 1854: Multnomah set off.

Cemeteries

 * Oregon Metro
 * Oregon Genealogy Cemeteries

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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Clackamas County for European and African American settlers included:
 * Willamette River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * Applegate Trail 1846 from Winnemucca, Nevada to Oregon City, Oregon
 * Barlow Road 1846 from The Dalles to Oregon City

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

Military Records
 Civil War World War I
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1919-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1921-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers
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 digitized more than 644,000 pages of newspapers throughout Oregon. Dates range from 1846-1922 with selected issues continuing through 1973. Of particular interest to Clackamas researchers: Clackamas County Record (Oregon City) Oregon City Courier (Oregon City) oregon courier (Oregon City)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1833–1963 Oregon Wills and Probate Records 1833-1963 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1864-1922 Clackamas County Oregon list of will book testators SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

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

Vital Records
The FamilySearch Library has copies of some county records as following: Clackamas County Coroner's Inquest 1859-1883, Certificates of Death 1921-1944

Birth

 * 1842-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1855-1970 Oregon, U.S., County Births and Deaths, 1855-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1860-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

 * 1826-1975 Oregon, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1849-1884;1991-2006 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1906-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Marriages, 1906-1968 at Ancestry - index and images ($)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho
 * Marriage Index 1885-1896 Historical Records Collection

Death

 * 1855-1970 Oregon, U.S., County Births and Deaths, 1855-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1864-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Deaths, 1864-1968 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Lake Oswego Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * Milwaukie Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * Mount Hood Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * Oregon City Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * Portland Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * Woodburn Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * The Genealogical Forum of Oregon - an affiliate library
 * Lake Oswego Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Wilsonville Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Clackamas County Public Libraries 16201 SE McLoughin Blvd Oak Grove, OR 97267 Phone:503-655-8543 135 E Dartmouth ST Gladstone, OR 97027 503-655-8540 Website

Museums
Museum of The Oregon Territory 211 Tumwater Drive Oregon City, OR 97045 Phone: 503-655-5574 Website Facebook

Societies
Clackamas County Family History Society PO Box 995 Oregon City, OR 97045 Website

End of the Oregon Trail 1726 Washington St Oregon City, OR 97045 Phone:503-357-9336 Website

Stevens-Crawford Heritage House 603 6th St Oregon City, OR 97045 Phone:503-655-2866 Website

Websites

 * Clackamas County GenWeb part of ORGenWeb
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project


 * – 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.