Utah, Davis County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection contains images of these records from the county courthouse in Farmington:


 * Births (1898-1905)
 * Deaths (1898-1953, dates vary by registration district)
 * Marriages (1887-1907)
 * Land records (1869-1946)
 * Land record indexes (various years)
 * Naturalization and citizenship papers (1932-1938)
 * Cemetery records (Lakewood Cemetery, no dates)
 * Wills (1877-1968)
 * Mining claims (1871-1918)

Many of the record types have indexes which are included in this collection. Most of the indexes and records are handwritten. The collection covers the years 1869 to 1946.

For a list of records by categories currently published in this collection, select the Browselink from the collection page.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The details of land and probate records may vary, depending upon the record type, but the records generally contain the following information:


 * Names of interested parties
 * Recording date
 * Place of event
 * Names of witnesses

Depending on the record, it may also contain:


 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Residence
 * Names of family members and their relationships
 * Names of heirs
 * Name of the executor, administrator, or guardian

Birth Records for Davis County included the following information:


 * Name and gender of child
 * Color, race or nativity
 * Date and place of birth
 * Parents' names and residence
 * Name of attending physician or midwife or other attendant

Marriage Indexes gave the following information:


 * Females (brides) names were listed in alphabetical order
 * Males (grooms) names were listed alongside the female name
 * Year and month of the marriage(s) were designated in record
 * The volume, page number and the number assigned to marriage listed

Marriage Certificates provided the following information:


 * Name and current residence of groom
 * Name and current residence of bride
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Name of person who solemnized the marriage
 * Names of witnesses

Death Records of Davis County included the following information:


 * Name and gender of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Color or nativity of deceased
 * Occupation and marital status of deceased
 * Birthplace of deceased
 * Length of residence in county
 * Name of informant

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * The name of the individual or individuals such as the names of the bride and groom or the deceased
 * Other identifying information such as age or residence.

Search the Collection
To search the collection ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Record Category" category ⇒Select the "Record Type, Volume, and Year Range" category which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Check the surname index
With each type of records, there is an index (usually a page for each letter of the alphabet). Name indexes make it possible to access a specific record quickly. Remember that these indexes may contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

Search the index for your ancestor. If you find you ancestor’s name in the index, make note of the page or image number listed.

Find the image
Start searching individual images or pages that you have listed. Compare the information in the records to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use probate records to identify heirs and relatives.
 * Use the information in the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records since the probates exist for an earlier time period.
 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate census, church, and land records.
 * Use the occupations listed to find other types of records such as employment records or military records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.
 * Use a marriage number to identify previous marriages.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Probate records often contain information about adoptions or guardianship of any minor children and dependents. They may also having information about land transactions.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * The name of the officiator at the event may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.*When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

General Information About These Records
County officials began keeping records from the time the county was formed or shortly thereafter. Each type of record within the county was created for a different purpose, but most were created to keep track of the vital events happening in the lives of the citizens and to safeguard their legal interests as well as those of their heirs. The records are generally reliable, but may not contain complete information.

For a summary of this information see the wiki article: United States, How to Use the Records Summary.

Related Websites
Davis County, Utah Free Public Records Directory

Related Wiki Articles

 * Utah
 * Davis County, Utah
 * Utah Land and Property
 * Utah Nauturalization and Citizenship

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Utah, Davis County Records, 1869-1953," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org FamilySearch.org: accessed 24 June 2011). Edwin Albert Youngberg, 19 November 1932; citing County Records, Citizenship records, Citizenship, 1932-2938, Image 3; Davis County Clerk's Office, Farmington, Utah, United States.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.