Deschutes County, Oregon Genealogy

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

Description
Deschutes County was named for the Deschutes River. The county is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Deschutes County Courthouse 1100 NW Bond Street Bend, Or 97703 Phone: 541-388-5300 Deschutes County Website
 * County Clerk has marriage, burial, divorce, land, probate, military discharge records from 1853 and Naturalization records from 1916.
 * County Records Inventory listing the records held at the Deschutes County Court House as of September/October 2007.

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:

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

Local Histories
 Historical Named for Deschutes River. French name was Riviere des Chutes or Riviere aux Chutes, meaning River of the Falls. The waterfall it referred to was Celilo Falls near where the river exits into Columbia River.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

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

Military Records
 Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War I
 * 1919-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1921-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & 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 Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1833-1963 Oregon Wills and Probate Records 1833-1963 at Ancestry.com — index & 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

Birth

 * 1842-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * 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 ($)
 * 1842-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * 1849-1884;1991-2006 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1906-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Marriages, 1906-1968 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho
 * Marriage Index 1885-1896 Actually is a book of affiants reporting the marriages. Historical Records Collection

FamilySearch Centers

 * Bend Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * Prineville Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * Redmond Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * The Genealogical Forum of Oregon - an affiliate library
 * Oregon Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Deschutes Public Library Administration 507 NW Wall St Bend OR 97703 Website Facebook

Societies

 * Bend Genealogical Society 2200 US-20 Bend, OR 97701 Telephone: 541-317-9553 E-mail: [mailto:bgs@bendbroadband.com bgs@bendbroadband.com] Website


 * Deschutes County Historical Society 129 NW Idaho Ave Bend OR 97701 Telephone: 541-389-1813 Website Facebook

Websites

 * Deschutes County GenWeb part of OR GenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives


 * – 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.