Guide
California Genealogy Search at a Glance
California family history has two free statewide indexes that most states lack: the California Birth Index for 1905 to 1995 and the California Death Index for 1940 to 1997, both public and both searchable online. Before 1905, the county recorders kept births, deaths and marriages from the 1850s, and before 1850 the records are Spanish and Mexican mission and pueblo registers. The California State Archives in Sacramento holds the state's own records, and the 1852 state census fills the gap between the first federal census in 1850 and the Gold Rush boom.
California's 58 counties formed from 27 original counties in 1850, so early records for a family in Kern, Orange or Riverside sit in the parent county.
Official sources on this page were checked on September 25, 2026.
Guide
California Genealogy
California statewide genealogy links
- California Secretary of State ArchivesCalifornia Government Archives
- California Department of Public Health Office of Vital RecordsArchived Vital Records
- California State Archives and Libraries SearchCalifornia Archives and Libraries
- National Archives Pacific Region Records for CaliforniaCalifornia Genealogy Research at the National Archives
- Online Archive of CaliforniaCalifornia State Archives
- California State Archives Minerva Online CatalogOnline Descriptive Catalog of California Archives
- California State Library Genealogy ResourcesLibrary Genealogical Resources
- California Library History Room DatabasesHistorical Databases
- California Digital Newspaper CollectionDigital Newspaper Library
- Los Angeles County California Department of CoronerLos Angeles Coroner Database Search
- USGenWeb Archives CaliforniaSearch California GenWeb Archives
- California State Lands CommissionPublic Access to Land Records
Guide
Vital records for California family history
California began statewide birth and death registration in 1905, and the California Department of Public Health holds the certificates, with county recorders holding copies and the earlier county registers from the 1850s. The statewide birth index for 1905 to 1995 and the death index for 1940 to 1997 are public and free online through several sites, and certified informational copies of any birth or death certificate are available to anyone. Marriage records are held by the county recorder or county clerk from each county's founding, with a statewide marriage index for 1949 to 1959 and 1960 to 1985, and divorce files sit with the superior court clerk.
- California Department of Public Health Vital RecordsBirth, death and marriage certificates from 1905, checked September 25, 2026
- California State ArchivesState records, 1852 census, Great Registers and county records on microfilm, checked September 25, 2026
- California Vital Records guideHow to order certificates and the public indexes
Guide
California archives, census and military records
The State Archives holds the 1852 state census, the Great Register voter rolls kept by each county from 1866 to 1944, Spanish and Mexican land grant case files, state prison registers from San Quentin and Folsom, and the records of the Secretary of State and the state courts. The Bancroft Library at Berkeley and the Huntington Library in San Marino hold mission registers and rancho papers. Federal land patents are at the General Land Office site, and the National Archives at Riverside and San Francisco hold California's federal court, naturalization, Chinese Exclusion Act case files and immigration records from Angel Island and San Pedro.
- California Digital Newspaper CollectionFree digitized California newspapers for obituaries and news, checked September 25, 2026
- National Archives at San FranciscoFederal court, naturalization and Angel Island immigration records, checked September 25, 2026
- Bureau of Land Management General Land Office recordsFederal land patents for California, checked September 25, 2026
- FamilySearch California research guideFree indexed California records and images, checked September 25, 2026
Guide
County courthouse records in California
California county recorders hold deeds, mortgages and the pre-1905 birth, death and marriage registers, county clerks hold marriage licenses and naturalization records in most counties, and superior court clerks hold probate, divorce and civil case files. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire destroyed the city's records, so San Francisco research relies on the Great Registers, city directories, church records and the reconstructed property records. Los Angeles County's recorder, the largest in the country, and most other recorders post grantor and grantee indexes online.
Guide
Federal & National Authoritative Sources
These federal and national sources complement California's state-level records. They are the authoritative sources you should cross-check when California state records are incomplete or out-of-state activity matters.
NARA, National Archives The federal government's primary archive. Holds the U.S. census (1790, 1950), ship passenger lists, naturalization records, military service files, and land entry files.
FamilySearch Free online genealogy platform operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Digitized microfilm copies of many county and state records worldwide.
Library of Congress, Local History & Genealogy The LoC's research guides, city directories, newspapers, and Civil War records, most accessible free online through loc.gov.
Straight answers
California Genealogy Search, questions
Is the California Death Index free?
Yes. The California Death Index for 1940 to 1997 and the Birth Index for 1905 to 1995 are public records available free through several genealogy sites, listing name, dates, county and mother's maiden name.
What are the California Great Registers?
Voter registration rolls kept by each county from 1866 to 1944, listing adult male citizens, and after 1911 women, with age, birthplace, occupation and address. The State Archives and FamilySearch hold them.
Where are San Francisco records from before 1906?
Most were destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. Great Registers, city directories, church registers, newspapers and the reconstructed property records at the recorder's office are the substitutes.