In Utah genealogy records are not available as a single source. Rather, this information is more readily available through other sources. If you wish to learn about your family's history, including where it lived, where it came from and who was a part of it, it takes time to build out a genealogy. If you use numerous resources to help you to do this, you will learn some incredible details about your family and its history. Sometimes, the searches in Utah are easy to do especially if family members had religious ties. In other cases, especially for very old records, this becomes much more difficult to do.

Your first step in creating Utah genealogy records is to learn about the state's laws. In 1905, the state mandated that all county and local officials report the births, deaths and marriages to the state. For records prior to this, though, it is not possible to say a complete history exists. Prior to this period, there were other laws that went into place to try and to establish this requirement, but it did not really stick. The counties were instructed in 1898 to record these vital records at that level. This is why it is always a good idea to turn to local resources including county clerks for more thorough data.

If you are looking for any birth and death records from 1905 onward, or any marriages from 1978 onward, the best resource is the state. You can write to or visit the following location to conduct a records search for this information.

Utah Bureau of Vital Records

288 North 1460 West

Salt Lake City, Utah 84114

Keep in mind that genealogy records searches through this location can take some time to complete. There may be a nominal fee you must pay for it as well. If you do not find the data you need here or are readily to take your Utah genealogy records further back, you will need to turn to other sources including towns, churches and county offices.

Each of the counties does have a wide range of data available that can help. The counties have birth and death registers on file that date back into the 1800's in some cases. There are also incorporation case files on hand in most counties for the last 100 to 200 years. Civil law cases and even divorce cases are on record at the county offices.

For additional information on Utah genealogy records, you will want to turn to the churches here. The churches were some of the first to establish the area and as such, individuals often turned to churches for their documentation. Churches have records of the births, deaths and marriages in the region. They often also have records about who owned what property. It is a good idea to use these resources to help you to navigate the process of developing accurate Utah genealogy records. Though it is not an easy process in all situations, most records are out there.

• Utah Genealogy