Santa Cruz County, Arizona
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

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

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Santa Cruz County was created on March 15, 1899 and was formed from parts of Cochise and Pima Counties. The county seat is Nogales. Santa Cruz County was named for Santa Cruz River, a small river that flows through Arizona.

Counties adjacent to Santa Cruz County are Pima County (west, north), Cochise County (east), Nogales, Sonora, Mexico (south), Santa Cruz, Sonora, Mexico (south), Sáric, Sonora, Mexico (southwest).

Cities include Nogales. Towns Include Patagonia . Unincorporated Communities include Arivaca, Ruby, Sasabe.

The Official County Website is located at http://www.co.santa-cruz.az.us/ . See Extended History for More information.

Santa Cruz County Census Records - Federal Population Schedules that exist for Santa Cruz County, Arizona are 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930.

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....

Santa Cruz 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.

Santa Cruz County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1912, Marriage and Divorce Records from 1899 and Probate Records from 1899 and is located at 2150 North Congress Drive, Nogales, AZ 85621; (520) 375-7700 .

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.

Santa Cruz County Recorder has Land Records from 1864 and is located at 2150 N Congress Dr., Suite 101, Nogales, Az 85621; (520) 375-7990 .

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.

Santa Cruz County Assessor has Tax Records and is located at 2150 N Congress Dr., Nogales, AZ 85621; (520) 375-7800 .

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.

Santa Cruz County Vital Records Office has Birth and Death Records from 1903 and is located at ?? .

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 Santa Cruz County Family Trees, web forums and other type information dealing with this county.

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Santa Cruz County History

 

Santa Cruz County is located the southernmost central part of Arizona, bordering Mexico and serving as the gateway to North America's most important port of entry, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. While one of the state's smallest counties, Santa Cruz County is also one of Arizona's most diverse and interesting destinations, offering an eclectic blend of history, culture, art, recreation, shopping, cuisine and entertainment in a beautiful and relaxing setting. From the artist colony of Tubac to the historic national monuments at Tumacacori, to the twin border towns of Nogales, Arizona and Mexico, to the mountain and birding town of Patagonia, to Arizona's wine country in Sonoita & Elgin, a journey though Santa Cruz County will intrigue, stimulate and satisfy the senses!

The history of the region dates back to the cultures of the Apache, Yaqui and Hohokam peoples who built their communities along the Santa Cruz River, Sonoita Creek and Harshaw Creek, whose waters flowed year round and provided ideal sites for agriculture and ranching.

In 1539 the Spanish explorer and Franciscan monk, Fray Marcos de Niza, was the first European to visit the area, entering near present-day Lochiel on the Mexican border. Coronado's expedition also entered the region in the 16th century in search of the legendary Seven Cities of Gold. Nearly a century and a half later in the late 1600s, the Spanish sent the Jesuit priest Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino to the region to establish missions and map the territory for Spain. For the next two decades this extraordinary man, known as a humanitarian, farmer, cattle rancher, explorer, mathematician, cartographer and geographer, traveled through Southern Arizona spreading the Catholic faith and teaching people how to farm.

In 1752, after an uprising by the Pima Indians, the Spanish Crown established New Spain's northernmost outpost and Europe's first settlement in Arizona at what is now Tubac. Shortly thereafter, soldier and explorer Juan Bautista de Anza along with 240 settlers traveled through Presidio de Tubac on their journey to found the city of San Francisco in 1775 and 1776. During his tenure at Tubac (1760-1776), Anza built the chapel of Santa Gertrudis, the foundations of which lie beneath today's St. Ann's Church.

Gradually the vast Spanish land grants that had been established were broken up as settlers from the East moved west to homestead and ranch. By 1853, the Gadsden Purchase formed the southeastern corner of Arizona, then Mexico, making it part of the United States. Santa Cruz County, created in 1899 by Arizona's 20th Territorial Assembly, is named after the Santa Cruz River which was named in the late 1600s by Father Kino. Santa Cruz means "holy cross" in Spanish.

"On March 15, 1899,  the smallest of Arizona's counties was created outof parts of Pima and Cochise Counties. It was Santa Cruz County, with Nogales as its seat of government. Names which has been proposed for the new count included Papago County and Grant County, but both were set aside in favor of the name taken from that of the Santa Cruz River, which traverses the county. The area of the county is 797,240 acres.

Historically, Santa Cruz County is interesting, for it encompasses early explorations and missionizing by the Spaniards as well as later explorations by Americans in the mid-nineteenth century. Emigrants hustling to the West Coast during the California Gold Rush left their imprint on the future Santa Cruz County. Its story is replete with tales of mining and Apache warfare. Santa Cruz County counts agriculture and mining among its industries. Its county seat, Nogales, is the major Arizona port of entry from Mexico."

Barnes, Will C.; Granger, Byrd (ed.). Arizona Place Names. University of Arizona Press. 1960. P. 312

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Santa Cruz County Links

 

Santa Cruz 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.
  • Santa Cruz County, Arizona Family Books at Amazon.com

Santa Cruz 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.
  • Santa Cruz County, Arizona Court Books at Amazon.com

Santa Cruz 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.
  • Santa Cruz County, Arizona Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com

Santa Cruz 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.
  • Santa Cruz County, Arizona Census Books at Amazon.com

Santa Cruz 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.
  • Santa Cruz County, Arizona Military Books at Amazon.com

Santa Cruz County Church Links

  • Santa Cruz County, Arizona Church Books at Amazon.com

Santa Cruz 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.

Santa Cruz 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.
  • Santa Cruz County, Arizona Map Books at Amazon.com

Santa Cruz 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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