Sacramento County, California Genealogy

County Courthouse
County Offices Directory

County Clerk/Recorder 600 8th Street Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-874-6334

Parent County
1850--Sacramento County was created 18 February 1850 as an original county. County seat: Sacramento

Record Loss
1854 -- Courthouse burned and many records were damaged.

For further information on researching in burned counties, see the following:


 * Burned Counties Research
 * http://blogs.ancestry.com/circle/?p=2424

Populated Places
Populated places in Sacramento County include:


 * Arcade
 * Carmichael
 * Citrus Heights
 * Courtland
 * Elk Grove
 * Elverta
 * Fair Oaks
 * Florin
 * Folsom
 * Freeport
 * Galt
 * Rio Linda
 * Sacramento
 * Sheldon
 * Sloughhouse
 * Walnut Grove

Neighboring Counties

 * Amador
 * Contra Costa
 * El Dorado
 * Placer
 * San Joaquin
 * Solano
 * Sutter
 * Yolo

Railroads
In 1864, the First Transcontinental Railroad started from Sacramento California.

American Memory has an [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/map_item.pl?data=/home/www/data/gmd/gmd436/g4361/g4361p/rr001890.sid&style=gmd&itemLink=r?ammem/gmd:@field%28NUMBER+@band%28g4361p+rr001890%29%29&title=New%20enlarged%20scale%20railroad%20and%20county%20map%20of%20California%20showing%20every%20railroad%20station%20and%20post%20office%20in%20the%20state. online map] showing the railroads and each railroad station and post office.

Cemeteries
The following web sites have entries for people buried in Sacramento County. None have complete lists:


 * Find A Grave
 * Interment.Net
 * USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project section for Sacramento County

In the Family History Library Catalog Place Search on FamilySearch, for Sacramento, California, look at the list of records for Cemeteries. Films can be sent to family history centers. Public libraries may have copies of the books or can obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.

LDS Cemetery Records

US Vol. 21 page 3 - New Helvetia Cemetery, Sacramento

Church
Church records are usually found in the towns rather than on the county level. However histories of churches may be on the county level.

In the Family History Library Catalog Place Search on FamilySearch, for Sacramento, California, look at the list of records for Church history. Films can be sent to family history centers. Public libraries may have copies of the books or can obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.

LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Arcade
 * Carmichael
 * Homestead
 * Sacramento

Court
In the Family History Library Catalog Place Search on FamilySearch, for Sacramento, California, look at the list of records for Court records and Court records - Indexes. Films can be sent to family history centers. Public libraries may have copies of the books or can obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.

Land
For information about deeds and other land records in Sacramento County, see the Service Directory.

For deeds, 1965 to the present, see County Register.

In the Family History Library Catalog Place Search on FamilySearch, for Sacramento County, California, look at the list of records for Land and property and Land and property - Indexes and Land and property - Maps. Films can be sent to family history centers. Public libraries may have copies of the books or can obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.

Local Histories
Google Books has some books about the history and people in Sacramento County, California. Try various search terms, including the names of people. Books designated with "Full view" can be read online.

In the Family History Library Catalog Place Search on FamilySearch, for Sacramento County, California, look at the list of records for History and History - Indexes. Films can be sent to family history centers. Public libraries may have copies of the books or can obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.

Maps
For historical maps of Sacramento County,search the following free sites:

• Maps-Historical-Sate of California, the Carlifornia government's site. Links to American Memory (Library of Congress), California Missions, and the State Library

• Historical Maps of California

• California Maps - HSU Library, also lists and links to gazetteers

• David Rumsey Collection for Sacramento, California

• Perry-Castaneda Map Collection for California

For topographical maps of California mountains, rivers, etc., try the sites listed at USGS Topographic Maps of California.

For current maps, search Google Maps or MapQuest or other map services online.

Military
The California State Military Museum has a great deal of historical information and links to other military web sites.

Ancestry.com has Records of California men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867

Newspapers
The California Digital Newspaper Collection has newspapers from 1848 through 1922. You can search by keyword, including names, and/or by date.

Probate
In the Family History Library Catalog Place Search on FamilySearch, for Sacramento, California, look at the list of records for Probate records. Films can be sent to family history centers.

Taxation
In the Family History Library Catalog Place Search on FamilySearch, for Sacramento, California, look at the list of records for Taxation. Films can be sent to family history centers.

Vital Records
At RootsWeb is an index to California Death Records 1940-1997 (free)

At Ancestry is the California Birth Index, 1905-1995 ($)

In the Family History Library Catalog Place Search on FamilySearch, for Sacramento, California, look at the list of records for Vital records and Vital records - Indexes. Films can be sent to family history centers. Public libraries may have copies of the books or can obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.

The Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder has birth and death certificates for the county of Sacramento. These can be ordered in person, by mail, by fax, by email and online. For more information, see the Sacramento County web site.

County Clerk/Recorder, 600 8th Street Sacramento, CA 95814; phone: 916-874-6334

Sacramento County can only issue:

• Birth certificates for children born in Sacramento County since 1850. Certificates for births prior to 1850 are not available.

• Copies of marriage certificates for licenses issued in Sacramento County since 1905.

• Certificates for deaths which occurred in Sacramento County since 1850. Certificates for deaths prior to 1850 are not available.

Societies and Libraries
• California Genealogical Society and Library web site has the CGSL catalog, discusses many useful California records, and has a list of links to other California web sites.

• Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society Their library is located in the: California State Archives Building. 1020 O Street,-4th floor, Sacramento, CA. Hours: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday.

• Genealogical Association of Sacramento They have a genealogy collection at the Sacramento Central Library, 828 "I" Street (9th &amp; I)- 4th Floor, Sacramento, CA Phone: 916-264-2920 Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 10-8, Friday 10-6, Saturday 10-5, Sunday 12-5pm

• Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center 551 Sequoia Pacific Boulevard Sacramento, CA 95811 Phone: (916) 264-7072

Researchers must have an appointment to use the records. More old records from the City and County of Sacramento are located here than probably at any other facility.

• Genealogical &amp; Historical Council of Sacramento Valley The web site for this organization has a list with links for over 30 genealogical and historical organizations in the Sacramento Valley area.

Web Sites

 * The Sacramento County CA GenWeb Project, a member of The CAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project. The USGenWeb project may have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Family History Library Catalog
 * Linkpendium for Sacramento County
 * Online California Death Records &amp; Indexes links to California sites and Sacramento County sites
 * Genealogy Trails section on Sacramento County, California Genealogy &amp; History