California, San Francisco County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of records from San Francisco County, California for the years 1824 to 1997. The collection includes the following:


 * General index
 * Alphabetical newspaper clipping file of the "San Francisco Examiner"
 * Death reports
 * Deeds and indexes
 * Marriage certificates, licenses and indexes
 * Naturalization records and indexes
 * Coroner's records
 * Alien registrations, World War I

This collection is being published as images become available.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Naturalization indexes
 * [on 1898 Index Cards only] Precinct (Pr.) and Assembly District (Dist.)
 * The name of registrant
 * Where registrant is living at time of registration
 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Nativity (Where born)
 * When and where Naturalized
 * Date of Registration

Probate indexes
 * Full name of individual
 * Deceased, Incompetent, or Minor
 * Volume and Page number

Marriage licenses
 * Name of groom
 * Age of groom
 * Name of bride
 * Age of bride
 * When and where couple was married
 * Names of witnesses

Death reports
 * Name of person reporting case
 * Name of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Age, gender, civil status, occupation, and race of deceased
 * Residence
 * Cause of death

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person
 * The date of the event

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Record Category
 * 2) Select the Record Type, Volume, and Year Range to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
If these are indexes, the original records may contain additional information than was not indexed, or the information might have been indexed incorrectly. You may want to search for the original record.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find other vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records
 * Search for death or burial information in BillionGraves Index
 * Search for military records
 * If applicable, search for immigration and naturalization records as well

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching a nearby locality
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of California.
 * California Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1905 | 1905-Present

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.