Sarpy County, Nebraska Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Peter A. Sarpy. The County has Papillion as its seat and the County was created February 7, 1857. The County is located in east central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Sarpy County Courthouse 1210 Golden Gate Drive Papillion, NE 68046 Phone: 402.593.5775 Sarpy County Website County Judge has marriage and probate records. County Clerk has land records.

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:

Census divisions
Sarpy County is divided into the following divisions, called precincts, except for the City of Bellevue.


 * Bellevue
 * Bellevue Second I
 * Bellevue Second II
 * Bellevue Second III
 * Bellevue Second IV
 * Fairview
 * Forest City No. 1
 * Forest City No. 2
 * Gilmore I
 * Gilmore II
 * Highland I
 * Highland II
 * LaPlatte I
 * LaPlatte II
 * La Vista
 * Melia-Forest City
 * Papillion
 * Papillion Second I
 * Papillion Second II
 * Platford-Springfield I
 * Platford-Springfield II
 * Richland I
 * Richland II
 * Richland III
 * Richland IV
 * Richland V
 * Richland VI
 * Richland VII
 * Richland VIII
 * Springfield

Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for Nebraska starting in 1860. For links to Federal census indexes, see Nebraska Census.

State Census Records


 * 1854 - 1870 - Nebraska, Compiled Census Index, 1854-1870 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
 * 1860 - 1885 - Nebraska State Census Collection 1860-1885 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1885 - Nebraska State Census 1885 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)

Land and Property Records

 * Digital images of Grantor/Grantee books, containing indexes of land transactions between 1857 and 1990 at the Sarpy County Register of Deeds site.

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

For more information see Nebraska Land and Property

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Nebraska Gazetteer - database for all known places found in 1890 and 1911 Nebraska gazetteers
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Nebraska - shows boundary changes for Nebraska Counties

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Sarpy County for European and African American settlers included:


 * Missouri River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

Revolutionary War

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

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1948 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1891 - Nebraska Resident Military Roster on June 1, 1891 at Ancestry.com - ($), Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the War of 1812, the Mexico War, and the War of the Rebellion, residing in Nebraska June 1, 1891
 * 1893 - Roster of Nebraska Veterans - list of veterans in 1893
 * For more nationwide Civil War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

World War I

 * 1917 - 1918 - World War I Drafts 1917-1918 - index only
 * For more nationwide World War I databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

Newspapers
 Nebraska Newspapers Online Nebraska Newspaper Catalogs
 * Nebraska Newspapers - contains images of newspapers throughout Nebraska
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Nebraska newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * Nebraska State Historical Society - catalog of known Nebraska newspapers; lists repositories that have the newspapers
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

Other Records

 * 1870 - 1990 — Nebraska Prisoner Records 1870-1990 — index only

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1806 – 1989 Nebraska Wills and Probate Records 1806-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Marriage

 * 1855 - 1995 — at FamilySearch — index only
 * 1856 - 1898 — Nebraska Marriages 1856-1898 at Ancestry.com ($), index only

Death

 * 1861 - 1948 - at FamilySearch — index

Family History Centers

 * Papillion Nebraska Family History Center

Libraries

 * Gretna Public Library Main Library - 736 South St. Gretna, NE Phone: 402-332-4480
 * Sump Memorial Library 222 N Jefferson St Papillion, NE Phone: 402-597-2040
 * La Vista Public Library 9110 Giles Rd La Vista, NE 68128-3081 Phone: 402-537-3900 Fax: 402-537-3902 e-mail: rbarcal@cityoflavista.org Director: Rose Barcal

Societies

 * Sarpy County Historical Society 2402 Clay Street Bellevue, NE 68005 Phone: 402-292-1880

Websites

 * NEGenWeb
 * USGenWeb
 * Genealogy Trails
 * - 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