Colorado Genealogy

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Overview of Colorado records

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Overview of Colorado Genealogy Records

• History: Colorado was first settled in 1851. In 1854 parts of Colorado were part of the territories of Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, and New Mexico. In 1861 it became Colorado Territory, and in 1876 it became a state.
• Birth records: Some birth records were kept in Colorado starting in 1876. Statewide registration began in 1907 with complete records being kept by 1920. Birth records from 1910 to the present can be obtained from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment .
• Marriage records: Marriage records were kept from the time that counties were organized in 1860. Copies of marriage records can be obtained from the appropriate county clerk.
• Death records: Some death records were kept in Colorado starting in 1876. Statewide registration began in 1907 with complete records being kept by 1920. Death records from 1900 to the present can be obtained from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment .
• Divorce records: Divorce records are kept by the individual county clerks.
• Census records: The first federal census available for Colorado is 1860. There are federal censuses publicly available for 1860 (listed with Nebraska, Kansas, or New Mexico), 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, and 1950. There is a partial 1885 state census.
County records: Court, land, probate, naturalization, and tax records were kept by the individual counties.
• Other records: Many cities and towns kept newspapers, records kept by churches, cemeteries, histories, school, city directories, and other records that can be located by using the city pages on this site. Records specific to minority groups can be found in the Minority Records section.
• All records: Use the links on this site to locate online indexes and images of many of the above records.