Multnomah County, Oregon Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for the Chinookan word for the "lower river". The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has divorce, court and land records from 1854


 * Multnomah County Courthouse

Boundary Changes
22 December 1854: Multnomah county was created from Clackamas and Washington Counties. Named after Native American people first recorded in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Mulknomans, who inhabited the area of Portland, most specifically on Sauvie Island.

For animated maps illustrating Oregon County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Oregon County Boundary Maps" (1843-1975) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.


 * County Records Inventory listing Multnomah County records as of October 2006 inventory.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Places / Localities
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:

Former Communities
 * Vanport

Trivia Tidbits
Information about localities, too small or too brief to describe in separate pages. Exception to this are Post Offices. Trivia Tidbits

Cemeteries

 * Caruthers, Beth Israel, Jefferson Street, and Stark Cemeteries, early Portland cemeteries.
 * Mt. Calvary &amp; Gethsemani Catholic Cemeteries, online index.
 * Oregon Metro
 * Oregon Genealogy Cemeteries

Census

 * 1860
 * 1870
 * 1880
 * 1890
 * 1895---State census, lists only names (no age or birthplace). An index is available in the Oregon Historical Records Index, at the Oregon State Archives.
 * 1900
 * 1910
 * 1920
 * 1930

Lutheran

 * Records of Central Lutheran Church, Portland, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Migration
Early migration routes to and from for European and African American settlers included:


 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * Barlow Road 1846 from The Dalles to Oregon City
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * Barlow Road 1846 from The Dalles to Oregon City

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1921-1938 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * 1942-1945 - at FamilySearch — index

Newspapers
Oregon Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.

Probate Records
Online Records
 * 1833 – 1963 Oregon Wills and Probate Records 1833-1963 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

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

Birth Records

 * 1860 - 1952 - at FamilySearch — index

Delayed Birth Certificates

Birth Registers

Marriage Records
The Genealogical Forum of Oregon has placed an index on-line to the following marriage books: (FI$)


 * 1826-1975 - Oregon, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index 4
 * 1855 - 1901 of the Multnomah County Marriage Books

See also How to order Oregon Vital Records, order electronically online $ or download an application for Oregon Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

Societies, Libraries and Museums
Oregon Historical Society Museum 1200 SW Park Ave Portland, OR 97205 Telephone: 503-222-1741 Website

Fairview Rockwood Wilkes Historical Society 17111 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, OR 97230 Telephone: 503-261-8078 Website

Multnomah Historical Association PO Box 19785 2929 SW Multnomah Blvd Portland, OR 97219 Website

David Douglas Historical Society 1500 SE 130th Ave. Portland, OR 97233 Telephone: 503-254-0797

Family History Centers

 * Portland Oregon Family History Center
 * Gresham Oregon Family History Center

Websites

 * Multnomah County, OR History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Oregon Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Oregon Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Multnomah County GenWeb Project, part of The ORGenWeb Project
 * Linkpenium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * USGenWeb Archives (backup site)