Alpine County, California Genealogy

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

County Information
Alpine County was named because of its resemblance to the Swiss Alps. The county is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Alpine County Courthouse 14777 State Route 89 Markleeville, CA 96120 Phone: 530-694-2113 Alpine County Website

County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, probate, court and land records from 1900.

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

 * Alpine County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Alpine County Pioneers (Genealogy Trails)

Census Records

 * 1870, 1880 Alpine County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records

 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1863-1879 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1866-1922, 1864-1866 (*); Alpine County Sheriff at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1864-1869 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1864-1919 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1864-1920 (*); Alpine County, County Clerk at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1864-1927 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1864-1928 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1864-1930 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1865-1877 (*); Alpine County Sheriff at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1865-1890 (*); California Superior Court, Alpine County at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1865-1901 (*); Alpine County Assessor at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1865-1926 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1865-1866 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1867-1928 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1873-1905 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1867-1931, 1880-1931 (*); California, Superior Court, Alpine County at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1888-1985 (*); Alpine County Sheriff at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1898-1933 (*); Alpine County Sheriff at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1909-1910 (*); Alpine County Surveyor at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1882-1883, 1910-1913 (*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * Index to Federal Land Records, Alpine County (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * One Hundred Years of History, Recreation, Lore in Alpine County, California, 1864-1964. Centennial Book Committee. Campbell, California : Craftsmen Typographers, [1964?]. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Alpine County History at Genealogy Trails.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Alpine County for emigrant settlers included:
 * 1844-1869 California Trail1844 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * 1848 Carson (River) Trail 1848 (aka: Mormon Emigrant Trail) crossed the Forty Mile Desert past the west side of the Carson Sink to pick up the Carson River near Fallon, Nevada up to Hope Valley and Red Lake. The Devil's Ladder then climbed 700 feet (210 m) in half a mile so ropes, chains, and pulleys were required to lift the wagons. Carson Pass was followed by the relatively easy West Pass (Kirkwood, California) and then on to Pollock Pines, Placerville, and Sutter's Fort, California
 * 1851 Big Tree Road (Ebbetts Pass), 1851 from western Nevada to Markleeville, Murphys, and Stockton, California
 * 1852 Sonora Road, 1852 from the Carson Trail to Sonora, California
 * 1854 Luther Pass Trail, 1854 connected the Carson Trail and Johnson's Cutoff and allowed travelers to avoid Lake Tahoe. It became one of the routes to the Comstock Lode in Nevada
 * 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Military Records

 * 1768-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

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

 World War II
 * World War II Army Enlistees, Alpine County (USGenWeb Archives)
 * World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)

 Korean War
 * Korean War Army Casualties (USGenWeb Archives)

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1831-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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

Obituaries

 * Index to Alpine County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Alpine County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Voting Records

 * 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 ($)
 * 1833-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

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

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($)
 * 1905-1920 Alpine County Birth Index, 1905-1920 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1921-1930 Alpine County Births, 1921-1930 (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

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

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
 * 1905-1907 Alpine County Death Index, 1905-1907 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 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

 * Auburn California FamilySearch Center
 * El Dorado California FamilySearch Center
 * Jackson California FamilySearch Center
 * Lodi California FamilySearch Center
 * Murphys California FamilySearch Center
 * South Lake Tahoe California FamilySearch Center
 * Sacramento California FamilySearch Center

Societies
Alpine Historical Society P.O. Box 382 Alpine, CA 91903 Phone: 619-485-0625 Website

Websites

 * Alpine County CAGenWeb and CA GenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Alpine County, California, Genealogy Trails
 * Alpine County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Alpine County Historical Records Commission
 * – 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.

Research Guides

 * Alpine Research Guide at California State Library