California, United States Genealogy

United States California

Guide to California ancestry, family history, and genealogy, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records

''This article is about a state of the United States. For other uses, see California (disambiguation)''. Welcome to California, the Golden StateMost unique genealogical features:
 * Spanish mission (church records) list many of the earliest settlers
 * CA took an 1852 state census
 * About 14% of CA immigrants before the railroad are in CA Pioneer Project
 * Starting 1866 most CA counties have Great Registers (voter lists)

Step-by-Step California Research, 1905-Present

Counties
Extinct or Renamed Counties:  Branciforte· Klamath· Lake (Nevada)· Pahute· Roop· Nataqua Territory

Click on the map below to go to a county page. Hover over a county to see its name. To see a larger version of the map, click here.

Major Repositories
Bancroft Library· California State Library· Sutro Library· California State Archives· California Historical Society· Society of California Pioneers Library· State Lands Commission· California Genealogical Society and Library· Carlsbad City Library· Chinese Historical Society· Fresno City and County Historical Society Archives· Huntington Beach Central Library· Immigrant Genealogical Society Library· Long Beach Public Library· Los Angeles Public Library· Los Angeles FamilySearch Library· Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County· County of Los Angeles Public Libraries· Napa Valley Genealogical Society Library· Oakland FamilySearch Library· Sons of the Revolution Library· Southern California Genealogical Society and Family Research Library· Tuolumne County Genealogical Society Library· National Archives at Riverside· National Archives at San Francisco· Family History Library

Migration Routes
Applegate Trail· Butterfield Overland Mail· California Trail· Camino Real de California· Central Overland Trail· Mormon Trail to Southern California· Old Spanish Trail· Atlantic and Pacific Railroad· Central Pacific Railroad· Santa Fe Railway· Southern Pacific Railroad· Texas and Pacific Railway· Union Pacific Railroad· Ship Passenger Arrivals

Collections
Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:


 * California, Birth Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California 1852 State Census (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California County Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California Divorce Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California Great Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California Marriage Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)




 * California, Northern U.S. District Court Naturalization Index FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California, San Diego Naturalization Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * San Francisco California Area Funeral Home Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California, San Francisco Passenger Lists (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California, Los Angeles Passenger Lists (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California, San Mateo County Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Califormia, San Mateo County, Colma, Italian, Cemetery Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * California, Southern District Court (Central) Naturalization Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Research Tools

 * The California State Genealogical Alliance's Online Research Guide briefly tells about early settlement, research facilities in the state.
 * Finding Aids for the collections of university libraries, public libraries, state and county archives, historical societies, genealogical societies and other record repositories are collected together in the Online Archive of California
 * California Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * How to order California Vital Records
 * Researching California Census Records
 * State of California County &amp; City Government Court links
 * Rotating Formation California County Boundary Maps and Atlases
 * California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * List of California Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies
 * History &amp; Facts of California Counties
 * American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
 * The American Civil War
 * Family Tree Encyclopedia - Terminology &amp; Meanings of Genealogical Terms
 * Printable Genealogy Forms used in Research
 * Research in California Military Records
 * David Rumsey Map Collection is a large online collection of rare, old, antique historical atlases, globes, maps, charts plus other cartographic treasures.

Obtain additional help

 * Join a Facebook Group
 * Consult a Professional Genealogist

Help with the California Wiki pages
In order to make this wiki a better research tool, we need your help! Many tasks need willing volunteers. You can help:


 * Expand county articles
 * Check links on pages
 * ...and more

Find more opportunities to help with the California pages. To add your knowledge and help expand the wiki click here: