California Genealogy

California Genealogy is being developed as a genealogical and historical resource for your personal use. It contains information and records for California ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Specifically, it provides sources for birth records, death records, marriage records, census records, tax records, court records, and military records. It also provides some historical details about different times and people in California history.

We will be updating these pages frequently with additional California genealogy and historical data, so please subscribe to our website to receive notifications.

Please take some time and read books we have put on line for you research:

  • 1876-1878 Pacific Coast Business Directory
    The triennial business directory, containing the name of each merchant, manufacturer, and professional in the States of California, Oregon, Nevada, the Territories of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona, and Alaska, and the Colony of British Columbia.
  • Membership Roll of the Pioneers of Los Angeles County
    Provides pioneers name, birthplace, occupation, year arrived in Los Angeles county,  town of residence,  and when arrived in state.
  • Register of Officers of the National Guard and Naval Militia of California
    This book provides some insight into the National Guard and Naval Militia in California in 1917. We have listed only the people who served and not the structure of the military. In some cases there were blank lines where it was thought there should be another officer, they were removed. The book does not provide information as to the dates after the names, we can only guess it is the date of the start of their service.
  • Cemeteries of California
    A list of all cemeteries in California, first by name, county and location.  A great tool to help with cemeteries that have the same name within the state.
  • 1922 Householders’ Guide of the City of Watsonville
    Alphabetical listing of names, including address
  • 1948 Directory, Alturas, Modoc County
    A listing as of June 1948 of the citizens of Alturas
  • Death Valley In ’49
    Autobiography Of A Pioneer, Detailing His Life From A Humble Home In The Green Mountains To The Gold Mines Of California; And Particularly Reciting The Sufferings Of The Band Of Men, Women And Children Who Gave “Death Valley” Its Name.
  • The Adventures of a Forty-niner
    An Historic Description of California, with Events and Ideas of San Francisco and Its People in Those Early Days, By Daniel Knower. Daniel went to California in 1849 during the start of the gold-rush days. This manuscript provides sketches on events and ideas that he saw, as well as detailing his trek to the gold rush town of Coloma.
  • Old Mission Stories of California
    In these quiet, unpretending stories the writer has attempted to give a faithful picture of life among the Indians and Spaniards in Nueva California during the early days of the past century.
  • La Baja California
    Very soon after the conquest of Mexico the attention of Cortez was attracted by certain stories told by some of the conquered tribes regarding a mysterious but wonderful country, lying far to the northwestward. This land they called Ciguatan, or The Realm of Women; and they declared that it abounded in gold, in pearls, rubies, garnets, turquoises, and many other products, rich and precious.

We are also the hosts of California Gold Rush Most Wanted, if you have a ancestor lost in California during the time of the Goldrush, 1840s-1880s, you will want to make a “brick-wall” post here.

Surrounding States

California has borders with Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Mexico.

Other California Genealogy Websites

Records of Bidwell Chapel Funeral Home, 1896-1992

The Bidwell Chapel Funeral Home records (1896-1992) consist of microfilm records from the Chico, California-based funeral home, which has experienced numerous name and ownership changes since its establishment. The collection includes funeral registers, death records, and funeral information files that detail the deceased’s personal information, death and burial arrangements, and…
Read More

The Madera County Historian, Volume 3, Issue 1

The Madera County Historian documents the history of Madera County and was published by the Madera Historical Society beginning in 1961. This is issue 1 of volume 3, was published in January of 1963 and totaled 8 pages. Since the 1800s California has diverted its rivers to assist farmers in…

Read More

The Madera County Historian, Volume 2, Issue 4

The Madera County Historian documents the history of Madera County and was published by the Madera Historical Society beginning in 1961. This is issue 4 of volume 2, was published in Oct of 1962 and totaled 8 pages. Doris E. Foster continues her article on the First Annual California Mission…

Read More

The Madera County Historian, Volume 2, Issue 3

The Madera County Historian documents the history of Madera County and was published by the Madera Historical Society beginning in 1961. This is issue 3 of volume 2, was published in July of 1962 and totaled 8 pages. A visit to one or more of the four Presbyterian Missions in…

Read More

Time Book from the E. W. Chapman Ranch, 1876-1878

This original ledger was used by the E. W. Chapman Ranch to keep track of their employees time spent working, starting in July of 1876 and running through June of 1878 . Generally the amount worked are either indicated by a check mark for a day of the month,…
Read More

The Madera County Historian, Volume 2, Issue 2

The Madera County Historian documents the history of Madera County and was published by the Madera Historical Society beginning in 1961. This is issue 2 of volume 2, was published in April of 1962 and totaled 8 pages. The issue starts out with an article by Archie Marston concerning the…

Read More

The Madera County Historian, Volume 2, Issue 1

The Madera County Historian documents the history of Madera County and was published by the Madera Historical Society beginning in 1961. This is issue 1 of volume 2, was published in January of 1962 and totaled 8 pages. This issue starts out with the Mordecai family of Madera County who…

Read More

The Madera County Historian, Volume 1, Issue 4

The Madera County Historian documents the history of Madera County and was published by the Madera Historical Society beginning in 1961. This is issue 5 and totaled 8 pages. Doris and Clyde Foster, members of the Madera County Historical Society, wrote and submitted two articles on the history of the…

Read More

The Madera County Historian, Volume 1, Supplement

This alphabetical list was taken from the the original roster of John C. Fremont’s California Battalion, nine companies of volunteers which operated against the Mexican forces in California at the time of the occupation of the country by the United States (1846-1847).
Read More

The Madera County Historian, Volume 1, Issue 3

Starting on June 21, 1880, a group of Madera County friends made a camping trip to Yosemite Valley. They kept a diary of their vacation, taking turns in writing of their impressions and progress. The Daulton’s, joint editors of this article, narrate the trip for us while highlighting specific passages…
Read More

Pin It on Pinterest

Scroll to Top