San Luis Obispo County, California Genealogy

Guide to San Luis Obispo County, California ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The county was named from Saint Louis of Toulouse. The county seat San Luis Obispo and the county were created in 1850. The County is located in the southwest central area of the state.

County Courthouse
San Luis Obispo County Courthouse 1050 Monterey St San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 Phone: 805-706-3600 San Luis Obispo Website County Clerk Recorder has birth records from 1873, marriage and death records from 1850 and land records from 1842. County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records

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:

Biographies

 * San Luis Obispo County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to San Luis Obispo County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * San Luis Obispo County Biography Links
 * Drury Woodson James (Genealogy Trails)

Census Records

 * 1850, 1860 San Luis Obispo County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records

 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1772-1950 Mission San Luis Obispo Catholic Church Records 1772-1950 at Sao Jorge Genealogical Society — index and scans
 * 1797-1937 (*); Catholic Church. Mission San Miguel Arcangel at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Directories

 * 1956 San Luis Obispo, California, City Directory, 1956 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1957 San Luis Obispo - Paso Robles, California, City Directory, 1957 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1958 San Luis Obispo - Paso Robles, California, City Directory, 1958 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1907-1956 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Index to San Luis Obispo County Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Local Histories

 * Index to San Luis Obispo County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration

 * 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Military Records

 * San Luis Obispo County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)

 Civil War Regiments. Civil War Service Men in San Luis Obispo County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in this county:
 * Civil War Veterans Roster, Fred. Steele Post No. 70, G. A. R. 1886 (USGenWeb Archives)
 * - 1st Battalion, California Native Cavalry (Union), Company A

 World War I
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

 World War II
 * Index to San Luis Obispo County World War II Army Enlistments (USGenWeb Archives)
 * San Luis Obispo County World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 342nd Infantry Regiment, 86th Infantry Division, Camp San Luis Obispo, 1945Baton Rouge, Louisiana : Army and Navy Pub. Co., 1945.

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
 * California, U.S., Newspapers.com Stories and Events Index at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Obituaries

 * San Luis Obispo County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to San Luis Obispo County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Indexes to San Luis Obispo County Obituaries

Voting Records

 * Great Register Abstracts & Indexes
 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1782-1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Vital Records

 * Links to San Luis Obispo County Vital Records Information (CAGenWeb Project)

Birth

 * 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * San Luis Obispo County Birth Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

 * 1800-2007 California, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1850-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1850-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho

Death

 * 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Divorce

 * 1966-1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

FamilySearch Centers

 * Atascadero California FamilySearch Center
 * San Luis Obispo California FamilySearch Center
 * Santa Margarita California FamilySearch Center
 * Santa Maria California FamilySearch Center
 * Taft California FamilySearch Center

Libraries
San Luis Obispo Genealogical Library San Luis Obispo Public Library 995 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA Arroyo Grande Genealogical Library Arroyo Grande Public Library South County Regional Center 800 W. Branch Street Arroyo Grande, CA

Societies
San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Hall 520 Dana Street San Luis Obispo, CA Website

San Luis Obispo County Historical Society 696 Monterey Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Website

Websites

 * San Luis Obispo County CAGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * San Luis Obispo County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Linkpendium
 * San Luis Obispo County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)


 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.