San Luis Obispo County, California Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
San Luis Obispo County Courthouse 1144 Monterey St Suite C San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 Phone 805.781.5080

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

Parent County
18 February 1850: San Luis Obispo was created as an original county. County seat: San Luis Obispo

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

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating California county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation California County Boundary Maps" (1850-1925) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Records Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

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:

Neighboring Counties

 * Kern
 * Kings
 * Monterey
 * Santa Barbara
 * Ventura

Biography

 * 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

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

Church History and Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 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
 * FamilySearch 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 - [[California, passenger and crew lists at various ports - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * How to Use this Collection]]; index and images

Gazetteers

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

History

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

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

Maps

 * 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

Military History and Records

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

Civil War

 * - 1st Battalion, California Native Cavalry (Union), Company A


 * Civil War Veterans Roster, Fred. Steele Post No. 70, G. A. R. 1886 (USGenWeb Archives)

World War I

 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and 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

Obituaries

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1833 – 1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images

Archives, Libraries and Museums
San Luis Obispo Genealogical Library San Luis Obispo Public Library 995 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, California Librarian - Mary Hansen

Arroyo Grande Genealogical Library Arroyo Grande Public Library South County Refional Center 800 W. Branch Street Arroyo Grande, California Librarian - Carolyn Baker

County Courthouse

FamilySearch Centers

 * Atascadero California Family History Center
 * San Luis Obispo California Family History Center
 * Santa Margarita California Family History Center
 * Santa Maria California Family History Center
 * Taft California Family History Center

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

Vital Records

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

Birth

 * 1800 - 1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and 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
 * 1850 - 1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1854 - 1885 Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Divorce

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

Death

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

Voting Registers

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

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
San Luis Obispo County Historical Society 696 Monterey Street San Luis Obispo 93401 Website '

Websites

 * San Luis Obispo County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * San Luis Obispo County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * FamilySearch Catalog
 * San Luis Obispo County, California Genealogy Trails
 * San Luis Obispo County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)