Nevada Genealogy
Guide to Ancestry and Family Tree Records

The 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ceded Nevada to the United States. However, it was considered to be part of California for two years after that.

Then, in 1850, it became part of Utah Territory. The Mormon Station settlement was established in 1849 in Carson Valley. Mormon Station later became Genoa. However, it wasn’t until the Comstock Lode was discovered in 1859 that more people really began to settle in what is now Nevada.

Up until that time, Nevada was nothing more than a stopping point for travelers on the way to seek gold in California. Nevada’s Virginia City mining camp became quite famous and, as settlers and prospectors came to the area, it was eventually organized into Nevada Territory. That occurred in 1861.

Nevada Counties – The Nevada Territory, was organized on March 2, 1861. The State of Nevada was created as the 36th state on October 31, 1864. Nevada borders Arizona in the southeast, California, Idaho,  Oregon and Utah.

It has 16 Counties and 1 Independent City. The Nevada state capital is located in Carson City and the official state website is nv.gov/.

Select a Nevada county to view information & records pertaining to each County

A Guide for Nevada Genealogy Enthusiasts – One of the westernmost states in the country, Nevada is still a place with a long history and a huge amount of genealogical value. This is because there is a lot of Native American heritage in the entire area and because so many people migrated or settled there in earlier decades. Luckily there is a log of data for Nevada genealogy available.

Tips for Nevada Genealogy – When you begin looking for Nevada genealogy materials, whatever your current location, you have to understand that your resources are going to be found online and offline. Currently, there are a lot of smaller archives that have not yet been converted into online digital formats, and that means the first step in any research for Nevada genealogy is to make a list of the different records that you might access. You can begin at the computer and then visit archives if you fail to find what you need.

Major Resources for Nevada Genealogy – This brief introduction to the materials for Nevada genealogy will provide you with a lot of details about the best sources available to people doing research for Nevada genealogy projects. Let’s first become familiar with the basic list that all researchers for Nevada genealogy will use:

• State Records – from probate information to birth certificates, cemetery information, death records, deeds, estate information, genealogical folders, land records, maps, marriage details, military or veterans information, newspapers, private manuscripts, state census information, surname lists and more, such records are available as online and offline resources for Nevada genealogy.
• Local Records – state research tends to start in the county clerk’s office or at their website, and then moves on to the local genealogical societies, small local libraries, historical societies, and school or college libraries for Nevada genealogy materials. These are items that are usually offline and viewable by appointment or special arrangement.
• Vital Records – these will always cover the basic birth, marriage, divorce, and death records from county, state, and national archives. These might also contain census records, newspaper items, military records, immigration and naturalization details, cemetery or obituary information, and passenger lists and records as well. These are going to be available as online or offline resources for Nevada genealogy.

Primary Resources for Nevada Genealogy – You may be surprised to discover how many resources are available for Nevada genealogy projects, and the best are listed below:

Office of Vital Records,
4150 Technology Way, Suite 104, Carson City, NV 89706; Website: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/nevada.htm

This is the location for ordering birth, death, marriage and divorce records.

Additionally, vital records along with many state and local records can be found at the following:

Nevada State Library and Archives, 100 North Stewart Street, Carson City, NV 89701; Website: http://nsla.nevadaculture.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=579&Itemid=85

Their website has a huge amount of information relating to all of the different genealogical resources in Nevada that includes biographies, census issues, marriages, newspapers, vital records, and even school year books.

In addition to state archives, you may want to investigate the materials and options available through the Nevada State Genealogical Society’s website at: https://sites.rootsweb.com/~nvsgs/.

The websites listed below will provide state-specific genealogical details that can give those looking for Nevada genealogy information a huge amount of data: