California Genealogy Search at a Glance
California genealogy search, look up ancestors, browse CA archived records, history, census information and more online
1California Genealogy
California statewide genealogy links
- California Secretary of State Archiveswww.sos.ca.govCalifornia Government Archives
- California Department of Public Health Office of Vital Recordswww.cdph.ca.govArchived Vital Records
- California State Archives and Libraries Searchwww.sos.ca.govCalifornia Archives and Libraries
- National Archives Pacific Region Records for Californiawww.archives.govCalifornia Genealogy Research at the National Archives
- Online Archive of Californiawww.oac.cdlib.orgCalifornia State Archives
- California State Archives Minerva Online Catalogwww.sos.ca.govOnline Descriptive Catalog of California Archives
- California State Library Genealogy Resourceslibrary.ca.govLibrary Genealogical Resources
- California Library History Room Databaseswww.library.ca.govHistorical Databases
- California Digital Newspaper Collectioncdnc.ucr.eduDigital Newspaper Library
- Los Angeles County California Department of Coronermec.lacounty.govLos Angeles Coroner Database Search
- USGenWeb Archives Californiawww.cagenweb.comSearch California GenWeb Archives
- California State Lands Commissionwww.slc.ca.govPublic Access to Land Records
2Federal & 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.
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.
https://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy (archives.gov)
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.
https://www.familysearch.org/ (familysearch.org)
The LoC's research guides, city directories, newspapers, and Civil War records, most accessible free online through loc.gov.
https://guides.loc.gov/genealogy (loc.gov)
California Genealogy Search, FAQ
Is the 1950 census released?
Yes. Under the 72-year rule, the 1950 U.S. Census was released by NARA on April 1, 2022 and is free to search on archives.gov and familysearch.org.
How do I request a military service record?
NARA's National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis holds military service records. Requests use SF-180 and are free for the veteran or next of kin.
Do I need a paid subscription to do genealogy?
No. FamilySearch, Archives.gov, the Library of Congress, and most state archives provide substantial free access. Commercial services (Ancestry, MyHeritage) add convenience and private trees but not exclusive records.
Where are vital records for the 1800s kept?
Before state-level vital registration (roughly 1890, 1920 depending on state), most births, deaths, and marriages were recorded only by the county, the church, or the family Bible. State archives and FamilySearch are the primary starting points for that era.