California Biography

Online Resources

 * California Pioneers, 1542-1848, ($). Partial index.
 * Historical and biographical record of southern California: containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlers, ($). Index.
 * California, Biographical Index Cards, 1781-1990, ($). Index.
 * California, Pioneer and Immigrant Files, 1790-1950, ($). Index.
 * Roster of California Pioneers
 * DAR California Pioneers
 * Biographical Materials for the State of California
 * California Biographies
 * California Biographical Collection:Responses to Vital Record Inquiries, 1822-1964 Index and images.
 * California Pioneer List
 * U.S., Women of the West, 1928, ($). Index.
 * Who's who among the women of California, e-book
 * California and Californians, Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Vol. 4, Vol. 5, e-books
 * Personal sketches of California pioneers I have known, e-book
 * A history of the new California, its resources and people, V. 1, V. 2
 * A memorial and biographical history of the coast counties of central California e-book
 * A memorial and biographical history of northern California, e-book
 * Early days in California, e-book
 * Men of achievement in the great southwest : a story of pioneer struggles during early days in Los Angeles and Southern California, e-book
 * A Volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of northern California, e-book
 * A history of California and an extended history of its southern coast counties: also containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present, e-book
 * The new empire and her representative men; or, The Pacific coast, its farms, mines, vines, wines, orchards, and interests; its productions, industries and commerce, with interesting biographies and modes of travel, e-book

The California State Library and theBancroft Library at the University of California-Berkeley have major collections of California biographies. Use the Online Archive of California to search for materials in those libraries as well as other repositories throughout the state.

Between 1929 and 1962 the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) prepared a 26-volume biographical collection, Records of the Families of California Pioneers. It is found at the DAR Library in Washington, D.C., and at the Family History Library on. Each volume has an every-name index. Indexes to the principal persons found in this collection can be found:


 * online at DAR California Pioneers
 * Robert L. Davignon, Pioneers of California Index (Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, 1986; Family History Library book 1986; film  item 7; another copy on fiche ).

The California Historical Society has gathered biographical materials for the entire state throughout it's history. Finding Aids can be found on OAC.

The Society of California Pioneers has a collection of biographies and reminiscenses of Early California Settlers.

Richard Schellens collected materials on a variety of individuals and places mainly covering San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. A few volumes cover the state in general. Name Index, Place Index

There are many published statewide, regional, and county biographical collections. Many have been digitized and are available on Internet Archive. (California Biography) The Family History Library has volumes both in print and on microfilm. Search WorldCat using names, biography and places to uncover books, articles, manuscript collections and more. Be sure to read mateials by those who were in the same place at the same time as your ancestors for background information.

County Histories are a wonderful source of biographical information for those who settled in and remained in an area before they were printed. An index of biographies published in 61 county histories from 1855 to 1898 was compiled in 1979 by J. Carlyle Parker.

Web Sites
California Biographies

GeneaSearch California Biographies

UC California Digital Archives - Biographies - Regents of the University of California