Phoenix Arizona Genealogy

Genealogy research in Phoenix starts with understanding how Arizona handles vital records. Phoenix is the largest city in Arizona and serves as the state capital. Birth certificates, death records, and marriage licenses are not kept at the city level. Instead, Maricopa County manages these records for all Phoenix residents. The county has five vital records offices across the valley, with the main location in central Phoenix. You can also use state archives and free online databases to trace your Phoenix family history back to the 1800s.

Maricopa County Handles Phoenix Genealogy Records

All vital records for Phoenix residents go through Maricopa County. The county health department issues birth and death certificates. The Clerk of the Superior Court handles marriage licenses and divorce records. This is how Arizona works. Cities do not keep vital records. Everything flows through the county system.

Maricopa County has the largest genealogy record collection in Arizona. The county recorder maintains over 50 million documents going back to 1871. This includes property deeds, land records, military discharges, and other historical files. The Maricopa County Recorder website lets you search many of these records online for free. You can look up your Phoenix ancestors without leaving home.

The Maricopa County Vital Records office handles birth and death certificates for Phoenix. They have five locations in the metro area. The main Phoenix office sits at 1645 E. Roosevelt Street. You can reach them by phone at 602-506-6805. Office hours run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They open at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays.

Phoenix City Clerk Office

The Phoenix City Clerk does not handle vital records or genealogy documents. The city clerk manages elections, public records requests for city business, domestic partnership registration, and liquor licenses. If you need a birth certificate, death record, or marriage license, you must contact Maricopa County instead.

The Phoenix City Clerk office shown above handles city administrative records, not vital records for genealogy research.

The city clerk office is at 200 W. Washington Street in downtown Phoenix. Their phone number is 602-262-6811. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., by appointment only. For genealogy purposes, this office can help with historical city documents like old council minutes or archived city records. But for family history vital records, go to the county.

Phoenix Area Vital Records Locations

Maricopa County operates five vital records offices that serve Phoenix and surrounding cities. Same day service is often possible when you visit in person. The state bureau in Phoenix no longer offers walk-in service, so county offices are your best bet for quick turnaround on genealogy record requests.

The Phoenix vital records locations include the main office at 1645 E. Roosevelt Street in Phoenix. There is also an East Valley office at 331 E. Coury Avenue in Mesa. The Northwest Valley location sits at 8088 W. Whitney Drive in Peoria. A Glendale office operates at 5141 W. Lamar Road. The Goodyear location is at 14130 W. McDowell Road. All these offices can help Phoenix residents with genealogy record requests.

Each certified copy of a birth or death certificate costs $20. Non-certified copies for genealogy purposes cost $5. Payment methods include cash, money orders, cashier's checks, and credit or debit cards. Personal checks are not accepted at any location. Bring a valid photo ID when you visit in person.

Note: Call ahead before visiting any vital records office to confirm hours and avoid unexpected closures.

Phoenix Marriage Records

Marriage licenses for Phoenix couples are issued by the Maricopa County Clerk of the Superior Court. Under ARS 25-121, couples must apply in person at a county clerk office. The fee is $98 for a marriage license. Certified copies of existing marriage records cost $43.50, or $35.50 if you provide a self-addressed stamped envelope.

The main clerk of court office is at 620 West Jackson Street in downtown Phoenix. Phone number is 602-372-5375. Maricopa County also offers an online marriage license program for Arizona residents. You can start the application online and then complete it at any of the four clerk locations in the county. Locations include downtown Phoenix at 601 W. Jackson Street, the northeast office at 18380 N. 40th Street in Phoenix, the northwest office at 14264 W. Tierra Buena Lane in Surprise, and the southeast office at 222 E. Javelina in Mesa.

Marriage records contain valuable genealogy information. They list full names of both parties, ages, residential addresses, and sometimes parents' names. These details help connect family members across generations.

State Archives Near Phoenix

Phoenix is home to the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. This facility sits at the Polly Rosenbaum Archives and History Building at 1901 W Madison Street. The archives holds genealogy materials that predate the state vital records system. You can find court records, naturalization papers, prison records, voter registration lists, and probate files here.

The archives phone number is 602-926-3720. Visits require an appointment. Hours run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Arizona residents get free access to Ancestry records from the state archives. This is a major benefit for Phoenix genealogy researchers. The Arizona State Archives genealogy guide explains how to use this free access.

The state also maintains a free genealogy database at genealogy.az.gov. You can search birth and death certificate images here at no cost. Birth records older than 75 years and death records older than 50 years are open for genealogy research. No need to prove a family relationship for these historical records.

Phoenix Court Records for Genealogy

Court records provide valuable information beyond vital records. Probate files show inheritance and family relationships. Divorce decrees list children and property. Civil cases might mention family members as parties or witnesses. Arizona courts use the eAccess system for online record searches. You can access court records from most Arizona counties through this portal 24 hours a day.

For Phoenix specifically, the Maricopa County Superior Court maintains extensive records. The clerk of court office can provide certified copies of court documents for $35 per document. Research fees run $35 per year searched. Old probate records, civil cases, and criminal files may contain useful genealogy information about your Phoenix ancestors.

More Phoenix Genealogy Resources

FamilySearch operates several centers in the Phoenix metro area. These locations provide free access to subscription databases like Ancestry, FindMyPast, and Newspapers.com. Centers are located in Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, and Scottsdale. The FamilySearch Arizona guide lists all available free records and research tools.

The Arizona Historical Society has a research location in Tempe that serves Phoenix area researchers. Founded in 1884, this organization holds manuscripts, photographs, diaries, and oral histories documenting Arizona family stories. The Arizona Memory Project offers nearly 280,000 digital items including historical photos that might show your Phoenix ancestors.

Cemetery records help confirm death dates and find family burial plots. Many Phoenix area cemeteries have records on Find A Grave and Interment.net. These free sites contain photos of headstones and burial information going back to the 1800s.

Nearby Cities for Genealogy Research

Several other large cities near Phoenix also use Maricopa County for vital records. If your ancestors moved around the Phoenix metro area, the same county offices can help you find their records.

Neighboring cities with genealogy resources include Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, and Scottsdale. All of these cities fall within Maricopa County. Tempe and Peoria are also in Maricopa County. Each city has its own local history resources, but vital records flow through the same county system.

For ancestors who lived in southern Arizona, check Tucson in Pima County. The search methods are similar but you would work with different county offices.