Navajo County, Arizona
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Court Records | Vital Records | County History | County Links |

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Navajo County was created on March 21, 1895 and was formed from part of Apache County. The county seat is Holbrook. Navajo County was named for Navajo Native American people.

Counties adjacent to Navajo County are Apache County (east), Graham County (south), Gila County (southwest), Coconino County (west), San Juan County, Utah (north).

Cities include Holbrook, Show Low, Winslow. Towns Include Pinetop-Lakeside, Snowflake, Taylor. Unincorporated Communities include Indian Wells, Joseph City, Linden, Oraibi, Pinedale.

The Official County Website is located at http://www.navajocountyaz.gov/ . See Extended History for More information.

Navajo County Census Records - Federal Population Schedules that exist for Navajo County, Arizona are 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930.

Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree are Industry and Agriculture Schedules available for the years 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1870 and 1880.

Search Arizona Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

Navajo County Court Records - Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

Navajo County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1895 , Marriage and Divorce Records from 1895 and Probate Records from 1895 and is located at Navajo County Governmental Complex, 100 East Carter Drive, South Highway 77, P.O. Box 668, Holbrook, AZ 86025; (928) 524-4188.

County Court Clerks issue marriage licenses, maintain marriage and divorce records, civil, domestic, criminal, juvenile and probate records, Notary Public Bonds and Commissions, and any other duties that the presiding judge may prescribe.

Navajo County Recorder has Land Records from 1895 and is located at Recorder Office, 100 East Carter Drive, South Highway 77, P.O. Box 668, Holbrook, AZ 86025; (928) 524-4194.

The County Recorder has two principle duties. The first duty of the County Recorder is to record documents, as required by law, to be public record. Instruments recorded include real estate transactions, mortgages, deed of trust, family trusts, personal property, tax liens, mining locations, subdivision plats, records of survey, military discharges, official appointments of office, and other documents required to be made of public record. The second major duty concerns elections since the County Recorder is also the registrar of voters for the county. This involves maintaining the county register, conducting early voting, verifying petition signatures, lists for political parties and candidates, and jury lists.

Navajo County Assessor has Tax Records and is located at Assessor Office, 100 East Carter Drive, South Highway 77, P.O. Box 668, Holbrook, AZ 86025; (928) 524-4086 .

The County Assessor’s Office has the statutory duty to locate, identify and value all taxable property in the county’s jurisdiction. The Assessor’s office maintains ownership of certain files, provides public services, value all land, improvements, and personal property annually, maps all parcels and maintains all tax authorities (area and boundaries). The utilization of recorded documents, deeds, plat maps and sub-divisions are among the tools used by the Assessor’s Office to accomplish several of these tasks.

Navajo County Vital Records Office has Birth and Death Records from 1895 and is located at Navajo County Health Department, 117 East Buffalo Street, Holbrook, Arizona 86025; Open Monday - Thursday 7am - 6pm, Closed Fridays &amendments by appointment only. Please call for an appointment. .

For Birth and Deaths occuring before 2007 contact the Arizona Bureau of Public Health Statistics, Office of Vital Records. See the Vital Records page for more information. You can Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

State and National Research

Statewide Information for Arizona Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records, Land Records, Marriage Records, Tax, Court & Probate Records, Census Records, Church & Cemetery Records, Military Records, State Genealogical and Historical Addresses.

Nationwide Information for United States Census Records, Court Records, Probate Records, Tax Records, Land Records, Military Records, Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records, Church & Cemetery Records, Immigration Records and State & County Maps.

Below is a list of online resources for Navajo County Family Trees, web forums and other type information dealing with this county.

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Navajo County History

 

Navajo County was formed on March 21, 1895, as the final act of the Territorial Assembly before it adjourned at midnight. What is now Navajo County was first included in Yavapai County, but in 1879, the area was added to the newly formed Apache County.

By the time it became Navajo County, the railroad had crossed the county for more than a decade, and North America’s third largest ranch, the Aztec Land and Cattle Company near Holbrook, had been established. Backed by Easterners, Aztec bought 1 million acres of land from the railroad at 50 cents an acre. A company, known as the Hashknife Outfit because of its brand, brought 33,000 longhorn cattle and 2,200 horses into northern Arizona from Texas. The county seat, Holbrook, was founded in 1881.

In the north is Kayenta, founded in 1909 as a trading post, and now the gateway to the Navajo Tribal Park at Monument Valley and a thriving Navajo community. Farther south is the Hopi Indian Reservation, which is completely surrounded by the Navajo Reservation. The Hopi Pueblo of Oraibi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the United States.

Almost 66 percent of Navajo County’s 9,949 square miles is Indian reservation land. Individual and corporate ownership accounts for 18 percent; the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management together control 9 percent; and the state of Arizona owns 5.9 percent. All of Navajo County is an Enterprise Zone.

Today, Navajo County’s principal industries are tourism, coal mining, manufacturing, timber production and ranching.

Navajo County has an area of 6,343,040 acres which is laid off in a fifty mile wide stretch two hundred twenty five miles long. Holbrook is the county seat. Navajo, a part of the original Apache County, became an entity on March 21, 1895. The enactment of the bill followed a two months' fight, with the bill being held up by a filibuster. It finally passed within a few moments of adjournment on the last day of the session. Will C. Barnes, author of the bill, is responsible for the name being Navajo instead of Colorado County.

The name Navajo has been interpreted in several ways. Currently it is thought that the word derives from nava, "field", and ajo, a Spanish suffix indicating that the article in question is small. Thus Navajo may mean a somewhat worthless field. Early Spaniards along the Rio Grande were familiar with the term Apachu ("strangers") and de Nabahu ("of the cultivated fields"). In writing they changed the "h" to "j" for Navajo and the "u" into the current "e" of Apache. A pueblo ruin of pre-Spanish period known to the Tewa Indians as Navahu was found in the northwest corner of New Mexico. The man who found these ruins and investigated them (Hewett) conjectured that the term Apachu de Navahu referred to a band which invaded the Tewa area at this spot, hence the name. The principal industries of Navajo county include lumbering, farming, livestock raising, trading with the Indians, and the producing of Indian Crafts."

Barnes, Will C.; Granger, Byrd (ed.). Arizona Place Names. University of Arizona Press. 1960. P. 232

"Created by Territorial Legislature at midnight, March 21, 1895, after two months fight against a hostile minority. Bill was held up until the last moment by a filibuster. Two members took turns in holding the floor, reading page after page of Arizona court decisions, histories of Arizona, decisions U.S. Supreme court, etc. Finally the writer, who was author of the bill, managed to get it before the house on a parliamentary question and it was passed only a few minutes before adjournment at midnight, the last day of the session. There was a strong sentiment for calling it Colorado County, but the writer insisted on adhering to names of Indian Tribes or individual Indians and spelling it with a "J"- Navajo."

Barnes, Will C. Arizona Place Names. University of Arizona Press. 1997 . p. 296

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Navajo County Links

 

Navajo County Family Histroy Site Links - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher. When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide.

  • Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
  • The Arizona Family Group Sheets Project
  • Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.
  • Arizona USGenweb Site
  • National USGenweb Main Page
  • Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
  • Family Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
  • Navajo County, Arizona Family Books at Amazon.com

Navajo County Court, Probate, Land, Immigration, and Tax Record Links - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which covers the State of Arizona. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
  • Navajo County, Arizona Court Books at Amazon.com

Navajo County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Record Links - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service. - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Arkansas obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Arkansas newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Arizona . Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Arkansas newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
  • Navajo County, Arizona Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com

Navajo County Census Record Links - Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

  • Research In American Census Records
  • U.S. Census Extraction Forms - These are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research.
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
  • Navajo County, Arizona Census Books at Amazon.com

Navajo County Military Record Links - Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

  • Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.
  • Navajo County, Arizona Military Books at Amazon.com

Navajo County Church Links

  • Navajo County, Arizona Church Books at Amazon.com

Navajo County Cemetery Links - Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

Navajo County Map & Atlas Links

  • Research In State Map Collections
  • Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Arkansas and other states.
  • Rotating animated maps for Arizona showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries .
  • Arizona Department of Transportation - You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at The Arkansas Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here
  • Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.
  • Navajo County, Arizona Map Books at Amazon.com

Navajo County General Genealogy Links

  • Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
  • Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
  • Search the Family Tree DNA Project - Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
  • Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Arizona Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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