Inyo County, California Genealogy

Guide to Inyo County, California ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. California Online Genealogy Records

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1904 marriage and land records from 1866 and mining records from 1872

Parent Counties
22 March 1866: Inyo County was created 22 March 1866 from Mono and Tulare Counties. County seat: Independence

Description
The county was named from the Native American name for the mountains in its area. The meaning of the word inyo is "dwelling place of the great spirit." wikipedia. The County Seat is Independence and was founded 1866. It is located in the east-central area of the state.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating California county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation California County Boundary Maps" (1850-1925) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Records Loss
Inyo Co. Courthouse was destroyed by an earthquake March 26, 1872. On June 30, 1886 a fire broke out in a vacant building in Independence and destroyed thirty-eight buildings. Although the county records and most of the furniture were saved, the courthouse was one of the buildings destroyed.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Neighboring Counties

 * Clark County, Nevada
 * Esmeralda County, Nevada
 * Fresno
 * Kern
 * Mono
 * Nye County, Nevada
 * San Bernardino
 * Tulare

Biography

 * Index to Inyo County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Index to Inyo County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Inyo County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)

Cemeteries
The following web site may have additional information on Inyo County cemeteries.


 * Interment.net California cemetery records by County.

Census

 * 1870 - Inyo County Census Files (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1880 - Inyo County 1880 Mortality Schedule (Genealogy Trails)

Church History and Records

 * 1864-1985 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Churches in Inyo County, California (Genealogy Trails)

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Bishop
 * FamilySearch Places

Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Land and Property

 * Index to Inyo County Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Migration

 * 1906-1935 - at FamilySearch — index

Military History and Records

 * 1883 - Inyo County List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)

World War I

 * 1914-1918 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * Inyo County WWII Army Enlistments, Surnames A-G (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Inyo County WWII Army Enlistments, Surnames H-M (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Inyo County WWII Army Enlistments, Surnames N-V (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Inyo County WWII Army Enlistments, Surnames W-Z (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Honor List of Dead and Missing WWII, Inyo County, California (Genealogy Trails)

Newspapers

 * California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research

Obituaries

 * Inyo County Vital Records and Obituaries (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Inyo County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1833 – 1991 at FamilySearch — images

Archives, Libraries and Museums

 * Inyo County Libraries (Genealogy Trails)

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Bishop California Family History Center

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records
 * Inyo County Vital Records and Obituaries (CAGenWeb Project)

Birth

 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1812 - 1988 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1905 - 1995 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1905 - 1810 - Inyo County Birth Index (Genealogy Trails)
 * Inyo County Birth Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

 * 1800 - 2007 - California, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1850 - 1945 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1850 - 1952 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1854 - 1885 - Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Inyo County Marriage Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Divorce

 * 1966 - 1984 - at FamilySearch — index

Death

 * 1776 - 2000 - at FamilySearch — index, some images
 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - 1939 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1940 - 1997 - at FamilySearch — index

Voting Registers

 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry.com - index ($)

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
Bishop Museum &amp; Historical Society P.O. Box 363 Bishop, CA 93514, Phone: (760) 873-5950 Website

Friends of the Eastern California Museum P.O. Box 206 155 Grant Street Independence, CA 93526 Phone:760-878-364 or 760-878-0259-8

Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert P.O. Box 2001 230 W Ridgecrest Blvd. Ridgecrest, CA 93555 Phone: 760-675-8465 Website

Searles Valley Historical Society P.O. Box 630 Trona, CA 93592 Website


 * List of California Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Websites

 * Inyo County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Inyo County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Inyo County Genealogy Trails
 * FamilySearch Catalog
 * Inyo County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)