About the Utah Population Database 

The Utah Population Database (UPDB) is a unique and vast computerized research resource that contains records from many sources, including genealogies, cancer registry records, Utah birth and death certificates, hospitalization records, and driver's license data. These records are linked to inpatient and outpatient records from the University of Utah Health Sciences Center and Intermountain Healthcare.

The UPDB contains genealogies for the original Utah pioneers and their modern-day descendants, and was created in the early 1970s with data from the Utah Family History Library. Today, the UPDB has expanded its genealogical coverage by using vital records and now includes information for approximately 7 million persons—some with pedigrees 12 generations deep.

Researchers at HCI are involved with numerous studies that have used the UPDB to describe how family history can affect cancer risk. Data from these types of studies are then used to help estimate cancer risk for patients. UPDB is also used to help identify high-risk families that may qualify for participation in specific cancer clinical trials. Access to the UPDB is governed by the Utah Resource for Genetic and Epidemiologic Research. For more information, contact the UPDB.

This family portrait shows a couple (center front) that was married in 1853 and had 12 children, nine of which survived to adulthood. The couple has 6,050 descendents in UPDB with 5,422 of these living. This family spans at least 10 generations.