California, Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains church records from various denominations in California, for the years 1864 to 1985, including:
 * St. Clement's Episcopal Church (Berkeley, California)
 * The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (El Monte, Los Angeles County)

The record content and time period varies by denomination and locality.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Church records may contain:
 * The names of individuals
 * Dates of significant events, such as birth, baptism, marriage, death, and burial
 * The names of relatives
 * The names of clergy

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date and or location of the event

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.

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

 * Search for vital records such as birth,marriage, and death
 * Use the information found in the church record to find land, probate and immigration records
 * Use the information found in the church record to find additional family members in census records
 * Search for land probate records

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 records of a nearby town or county
 * 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.
 * Collection Citation: "California, Church Records, 1864-1985." Index. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2020.

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