Yavapai County, Arizona Genealogy

fGuide to Yavapai County, Arizona ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records. Arizona Online Genealogy Records

County Courthouse
Yavapai County 120 South Cortez St Prescott, AZ 86301 Phone: 520-639-8110

Clerk Superio Court has marriage, divorce probate and court records County Recorder has land records

Description
The County was named after the Yavapai people. The County has Prescott as its seat and the County was created November 9, 1864. The County is located in the central area of the state.

History
Yavapai County was one of four original counties created by Arizona Territory. It originally covered over 65,000 square miles in size and is believed to be the largest county ever created in the lower 48 States.

Yavapai County came to be known as the “Mother of Counties” because Apache, Coconino, Gila, and Navajo counties were carved from it, plus parts of Greenlee, Graham, Mohave, Maricopa, and Pinal. Today, Yavapai County is 8,125 square miles in size – approximately the same size as the state of Massachusetts!

Yavapai County was also home to Arizona’s first territorial capital, with the provisional seat of the territorial government being established in the Chino Valley area in 1864 and then several months later moved to Prescott. In 1867, the territorial capital was moved to Tucson and ten years later returned to Prescott. In 1889 the capital was moved to Phoenix, where it remains to this day.

Parent County

 * Until 1821 -New Spain controlled land that later would become Arizona. Some records of early settlers may have been sent to an archives in Seville, Spain, or to Mexico Archives and Libraries in Mexico City.
 * In 1821 -Mexico; obtained jurisdiction over the land that later would become Arizona. Records of this period may have been sent to Mexico Archives and Libraries in Mexico City.
 * 18 Aug 1846 - During the war with Mexico, the US took control of Santa Fe and proclaimed sovereignty over the land that later became the New Mexico; Territory. Look for records in the National Archives and Records Administration, the Mexico Archives and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives
 * 4 July 1848 - In the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Mexicoceded part of present day Arizona, including all of present day Yavapai County. Look for records in the National Archives and Records Administration the Mexico Archives and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
 * 9 Jan 1852 - New Mexico redefined the boundaries of previous counties and created new ones to cover all the land within its territory. Land in present day Yavapai County was then part of Socorro County, New Mexico, Bernalillo, Santa Ana (extinct) and Valencia counties. Look for records in Socorro County, Bernalillo, and Valencia counties.
 * 24 Feb 1863 - The US created the Arizona Territory from the western half of New MexicoTerritory. All previous counties were discontinued for this new territory. Look for records in the Arizona State Library and New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.

21 December 1864 - Yavapai County was created as an original county of Arizona. County seat: Prescott It is named for the Yavapai Indians. Look for records in Yavapai County.

Boundary Changes

 * 14 Feb 1871 - Arizona created Maricopa County from land in Yavapai County. This county named for the Maricopa Indians. Look for records in Maricopaand Yavapai counties.
 * 14 Feb 1879 - Arizona created Apache County from land in Yavapai County. This county named for the Apache Indians. Look for records in Apache and Yavapai counties.
 * 19 Feb 1891 - Arizona created Coconino County from land in Yavapai County. This county named for the Coconino Indians. Look for records in Coconino and Yavapai counties.

See Previous Jurisdictions to land in Arizona showing dates the jurisdictions were created and maps. This will help in determining what jurisdiction your ancestor lived in and where the records are now located.

For animated maps illustrating Arizona county boundary changes, Rotating Formation Arizona County Boundary Maps (1852-1993) 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
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:

Footnote
This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Neighboring Counties

 * Coconino, Arizona
 * Gila, Arizona
 * La Paz, Arizona
 * Maricopa, Arizona
 * Mohave, Arizona

Church
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Bagdad
 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1911-2000 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Maps

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

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Arizona Daily Journal-Miner - full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1900-1902
 * Arizona Historical Digital Newspapers at Arizona Memory Project
 * Arizona Journal-Miner - Google News Archive; covers 1903-1912
 * Arizona Miner - Google News Archive; covers 1866-1871
 * Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner - Google News Archive; covers 1893-1900
 * Arizona Weekly Miner - Google News Archive; covers 1877

Obituaries

 * 1959-2014 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1803 – 1995 Arizona Wills and Probate Records 1803-1995 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Birth Records
Online Birth Indexes and Records
 * 1855-1930 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1887-1935 - Arizona Birth Certificates, 1887 - 1935 at MyHeritage - index and images
 * 1909-1917 - Arizona Select Births and Christenings 1909-1917 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1909-1917 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection, index

Marriage Records
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * 4,374 marriages are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.


 * 1833-1949 - Arizona, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1864-1982 - Arizona Marriage Collection 1864-1982 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1871-1964 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1888-1908 - Arizona Select Marriages 1888-1908 at Ancestry.com — index

Death Records
Online Death Indexes and Records
 * 1870-1963 - Arizona Death Certificates, 1870 - 1963 at MyHeritage ($) - index and images
 * 1910-1911 and 1933-1994 - Arizona Select Deaths and Burials 1910-1911 and 1933-1994;at Ancestry.com — index $

Voting Records

 * 1875-1932 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection - index and images

Societies and Libraries
Northern Arizona Genealogical Society Our Society is a general genealogical society covering the counties of Yavapai and Coconino Arizona. Prescott is the county seat for Yavapai County and Flagstaff is the county seat for Coconino County.

Camp Verde Historical Society 435 South Main Camp Verde, AZ 86322 Phone: 928-567-9560 Jerome Historical Society''' 200 Main Street Jerome, AZ 86331 Phone: 928-634-5477 Sharlot Hall Museum Library and Archives 115 S. McCormick St Prescott, AZ Phone: 928-445-3122 ex 14

Family History Centers
Introduction to Family History Centers


 * Bagdad Arizona Family History Center
 * Cottonwood Arizona Family History Center
 * Prescott Arizona Family History Center
 * Spring Valley Arizona Family History Center

Websites

 * Yavapai County AZGenWeb
 * Yavapai County, AZ History, Records, Facts and Genealogy(Genealogy Inc)
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Yavapai County, Arizona Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)