Lea County, New Mexico Genealogy

Guide to Lea County, New Mexico ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Lea County was named for Captain Joseph Calloway Lea. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lea County Courthouse 100 N Main Avenue PO Box 4C Lovington, NM 88260 Phone: 505.396.8532 Lea County Website County Clerk has marriage and probate records from 1917, and land records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit https://newmexico.hometownlocator.com/counties/cities,cfips,025,c,lea.cfm HomeTown Locator]. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Census Records
Federal Census Records Federal Censuses were taken for New Mexico starting in 1850. For links to Federal census indexes, see New Mexico Census.

State Census Records
 * 1885 New Mexico Territorial Census 1885 at Ancestry(free)
 * Late 1800s 1800s Arizona and New Mexico Territories Census, Late 1800s ($)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Funeral Homes

 * Calvary Memorial Funeral Home in Hobbs
 * Griffin Funeral Home in Hobbs
 * Stevens Funeral Home in Lovington

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796 - 1907 U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry- index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1863 - 1908 U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of New Mexico - shows boundary changes for New Mexico Counties
 * NMGenWeb - historical maps

Revolutionary War

 * 1775 - 1783 at FamilySearch - images only - How to Use this Collection
 * For more nationwide Revolutionary War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * For more nationwide Civil War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

World War I

 * 1917 - 1919 New Mexico, World War I Records, 1917-1919 at Ancestry($)
 * For more natiowide World War I databases, see US Military OnlineGenealogy Records.''

World War II

 * 1940 - 1945 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1941 - 1945 World War II Records, 1941-1945 State Summary of War Casualties from World War II for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Personnel from: New Mexico
 * 1941 - 1945 World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel from: New Mexico
 * 1941 - 1945 New Mexico, World War II Records, 1941-1945 at Ancestry($)
 * For more nationwide World War II databases, see US Military Online Genealogy.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1882-1983 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers
Online Newspapers
 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * New Mexico Historical Newspapers at University of New Mexico Digital Repository

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1801-1993 New Mexico Wills and Probate Records 1801-1993 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)

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 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Birth

 * 1726 – 1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Marriage

 * 1727 - 1900 New Mexico Marriages 1727-1900 at Ancestry($)
 * 1751 - 1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Death

 * 1788 – 1798; 1838 – 1955 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1889 - 1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry ($)

Family History Centers

 * Carlsbad New Mexico Family History Center
 * Hobbs New Mexico Family History Center
 * Roswell New Mexico Family History Center


 * Ruidoso Public Library - an affiliate library

Museums
Hobbs Family History Research Center 3720 N. Grimes Hobbs, New Mexico, 88240 Telephone: 505-392-6200

Lea County Museum103 South Love Street Lovington, NM 88260 575-396-4805 Website

Societies
Lea County Historical Society PO Box 1195 Lovington 88260

Lea County Genealogical Society PO Box 1044 Lovington, New Mexico, 88260

Southeastern New Mexico Genealogical Society PO Box 5725 Hobbs, New Mexico, 88240

Websites

 * Lea County, NM History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New Mexico Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * - 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