Canyon County, Idaho Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for the canyon of the Boise River near Caldwell. The County Seat is Caldwell and was founded March 7, 1891. It is located in the west central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Canyon County Courthouse 1115 Albany Street Caldwell, ID 83605 Phone: 208-454-7300 Email: canyoncountyclerk@canyonco.org Canyon County Website

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit hometownlocator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

History Timeline

 * 15 March 1915 Gem County created from parts of Boise and Canyon Counties
 * 28 February 1917 Payette County created from part of Canyon County

Resources
Many of the older court, land, naturalization, probate, pension, and vital records for Canyon County have been microfilmed and are available at the in Salt Lake City and through their family history centers. They are also available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise. Details of the county records in these respective institutions can be obtained from their online catalogs or listings. Original records which have been microfilmed and more recent records are in the county courthouse in Caldwell.

Census Records
The 1890 federal census for Idaho was destroyed. However, the Idaho State Historical Society Public Archives and Research Library is creating a list of 1890 Idaho residents by indexing a variety of records, 1885-1894. This reconstructed list will substitute for the destroyed 1890 federal census. For a summary of census records for the state of Idaho, see Idaho Census Records.

Church Records
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
 * List of Canyon County stakes and wards to about 1948.
 * The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Canyon County, Idaho prior to 1950.
 * For original or later records, check with the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.
 * Many of the records to about 1948 are available at the FamilySearch Library

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

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1865-1976 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1911-1924 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog. Judgment records, 1911-1924; index, 1911-1924l Includes divorces, probate documents, civil and criminal actions, and many other court actions.

Directories
The Gem State Rural's 1916-17 Farm Directory of Canyon County, Idaho is available at the Idaho State Archives, the Nampa Public Library, and at the University of Idaho in Moscow. It lists landowners by town, including those owning land in these two counties, but residing elsewhere. The size of the family, amount of acreage owned, the location of the land, and a list of crops and livestock raised on each farm is also included.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records Deeds, 1865-1902; index, ca. 1865-1902
 * (*) at FamilySearch Catalog; Declaration of homesteads, 1868-1919; index, 1868-1977;

Local Histories
The book Canyon County : A Treasure of Land and Its Peopleis available at various libraries nationwide. The Canyon County IDGenWeb has posted a brief history online.

Maps and Gazetteers
In 1895 George Ogle published the "Standard Atlas of Canyon County, Idaho, Including a Plat Book of the Villages, Cities and Townships of the County; Map of the State, United States and World, Patrons Directory.” Links to online maps include:
 * 1895 map
 * Canyon County map
 * Map of Canyon County, Idaho

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Canyon County for European and African American settlers included:
 * Snake River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon

Military Records
World War I
 * 1917-1918 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1917-1918 World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry.com
 * 1917-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1919-1945 Soldiers Discharge Records, 1919-1945, for Canyon County have been microfilmed and are available at both the Idaho State Archives in Boise and the in Salt Lake City or at any of the Library's Family History Centers.

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1892-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

 Current
 * Idaho Press - Tribune, based in Nampa.

Historical The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed the following Canyon County newspapers: Blab: 1910:10:17, 1912:8:5, 11:11 Boise Valley Herald: 1928:6:14-1968:9:26 Boise Valley Herald: 1968:09:12 Caldwell Daily News: 1907:10:5-1923:4:30 Caldwell Daily News: 1920:10:29 Caldwell Daily News: 1922:06:26 Caldwell News: 1904:12:3, 1905:12:6, 1906:11:21 Caldwell News: 1918:10:03 Caldwell News: 1926:1:7-1928: 4:5 Caldwell News-Tribune: 1928:4:12-1975:12:31 Caldwell Progress Bulletin: 1959:10:14-1959:12:2 Caldwell Record: 1897:3:3, 1901:2:27 Caldwell Record: 1897:2:17, 1898:5:11, 8:17, 1900:2:7, 2:14 Caldwell Times, 1983: 1983:1: 13-1985: 4:17 Caldwell Tribune: 1883: 12:22-1926:12:31 Caldwell Tribune: 1895:6:8, 1898:5:21, 1906:11:24 Canyon County Weekly: 1969:5:1-1971:2:25 Canyon County Weekly Herald: 1971:5:4-1975:2:27 Canyon Herald: 1975:5:6-1982:8:25 County-Wide Sunday Limelight: 1951:11:18-1952:7:13 Daily Nampa Leader-Herald: 1930:10:23-1937:8:28 Daily Nampa Leader-Herald: 1926:2:16-1936:6:11 Gateway Journal: 1995:3:9-1995:11:9 Gem State Rural: 1895:9:15-1916:9: Idaho Conservative: 1968:05:00 Idaho Free Press: 1919:4:9-1980:6:30 Idaho Granger: 1931:5:-1946:1: Idaho Leader, 1899: 1899:10:28-1904:12:20 Idaho Leader, 1918: 1918:8:17-24, 1920:10:2-9 Idaho Leader, 1919: 1919:1:4-1919:12:20 Idaho Leader, 1920: 1920:1:3-1920:12:18 Idaho Press-Tribune: 1980:7:1-9999 Idaho Woman: 1897:04:15 Idaho's Lamplighter: 1950:1-1954: Middleton Gazette: 1986:5:16-1995:12:7 Middleton Herald: 1907:6:28-1928:6:7 Nampa Evening Leader: 1907:4:1-1907:8:31 Nampa Leader: 1898:05:06 Nampa Leader: 1898:5:6-1904:11:8 Nampa Leader-Herald: 1904:12:27-1930:10:21 Nampa Progress: 1889:9:14-1895:1:18 Nampa Times: 1902:8:30, 1904:5:20 News-Tribune: 1967:1:2-1980:6:30 Parma Herald: 1903:10:17-1917:10:11 Parma Review: 1909:12:3-1993:6:29 Review: 1993:6:30-1995:3:8 Shovel: Vol. 1/1 No Date Western Canyon Chronicle: 2002:12:12-2004:6:24 Wilder Herald: 1918:6:7-1969:4:25

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

County Commissioners' Records
The minute books of the County Commissioners contain interesting tidbits of history about the county as well as the names of individuals appealing to the County Commissioners for action on issues of concern to them. Minutes of those meetings were recorded from the formation of the county, for most counties. Some counties now post the minutes of current meetings online.

Most of these records have been preserved in the county courthouses of the State of Idaho. Few have been microfilmed. Contact the county clerk for information about years covered and availability.

Miscellaneous Series
Often overlooked by the genealogist, this group of volumes may contain affidavits for citizenship, final disposition of estates, divorce decrees, and many other types of valuable documents. The content varies from county to county, year to year and from clerk to clerk. When the estate case files, civil or criminal files are not available or have been destroyed, you may find key documents recorded here. Most counties will have an index to this series and it is a must search if the information you are seeking is not found elsewhere.

Both the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho, and the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah have copies of the miscellaneous record of Canyon County. The originals are held in the Canyon County courthouse in Caldwell, Idaho and can be accessed by visiting there. Copies in the Idaho State Archives are available for viewing in Boise. Those held by the can be viewed either at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of its Family History Centers.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1857-1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1885-1959 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog Wills, 1893-1939; General index to probate records, 1885-1959; Probate records, vols. 1-5, 1895-1926

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

 * 1800-1987 Idaho, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1856-1925 Some Idaho births and christenings(1856-1965) are online.
 * 1861-1911 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1907-1911 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog

Marriage

 * 1864-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Privacy law can't publish
 * 1864-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1878-1898; 1903-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1947-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * Western States Marriage Index

Death

 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 *  1907-1912 (*) At FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1938-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Divorce

 * 1947-1963 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Archives
Historic Preservation Commission 1115 Albany St. Caldwell, ID 83605 208-454-6884 Website
 * Idaho State Archives Digital Collections - Enter County in Search Bar
 * Idaho State Archives

Family History Centers

 * Boise Idaho Family History Center
 * Caldwell Idaho Family History Center
 * Eagle Idaho Family History Center
 * Emmett Idaho Family History Center
 * Fruitland Idaho Family History Center
 * Kuna Idaho Family History Center
 * Nyssa Oregon Family History Center
 * Meridian Idaho East Family History Center
 * Meridian Idaho West Family History Center
 * Nampa Idaho Family History Center
 * Ontario Oregon Family History Center

 Family History Centers
 * Boise Idaho Family History Center
 * Caldwell Idaho Family History Center
 * Eagle Idaho Family History Center
 * Emmett Idaho Family History Center
 * Fruitland Idaho Family History Center
 * Kuna Idaho Family History Center
 * Nyssa Oregon Family History Center
 * Meridian Idaho East Family History Center
 * Meridian Idaho West Family History Center
 * Nampa Idaho Family History Center
 * Ontario Oregon Family History Center

Libraries

 * Caldwell Public Library 1010 Dearborn St Caldwell, ID 83605 Phone: (208) 459-3242 Website
 * Middleton Public Library 307 E Main St Middleton, ID 83644 Phone: (208) 585-3931 Website
 * Nampa Public Library 101 11th Ave S Nampa, ID 83651 Phone: (208) 468-5800 Website
 * Notus Public Library 387 First St Notus, ID 83656 Phone: (208) 459-8247 Website
 * Patricia Romanko Public Library 121 N 3rd St Parma, ID 83660 Phone: (208) 722-6605 Website
 * Wilder District Library 207 A Ave E Wilder, ID 83676 Phone: (208) 482-7880 Website

Societies

 * Canyon County Historical Society 1122 Main Street Caldwell, ID 83605-3844 (208) 459-1413 Facebook Website
 * State Historical Society 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd Boise, Idaho Phone: 208-334-2774 Website
 * Idaho Historical Society Facebook Page Website
 * National Society Daughters of the American Revolution-Idaho Chapter
 * The Idaho Welsh Society

Websites

 * Canyon County Idaho GenWeb and ID 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.