Marin County, California Genealogy

Guide to Marin County, California ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. 

County Courthouse
County Recorder has birth and death records from 1863, marriage records from 1856, land records from 1852; County Clerk has divorce and court records from 1900 and probate records from 1880

Parent County
18 February 1850: Marin County was created as an original county. County seat: San Rafael

Description
The county was named for "Marin", great chief of the tribe Licatiut". The county seat San Rafael and the county was created February 18, 1850. The County is located in the west 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

 * San Francisco
 * Sonoma

Biography

 * Marin County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Surname Index, Marin County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Index to Marin County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)

Cemeteries
The following web site may have additional information on Marin  County cemeteries.


 * Interment.net California cemetery records by County.

Census

 * 1850, 1870 - Index to Marin County Census Transcriptions (USGenWeb Archives)

Church History and Records

 * 1864-1985 - at FamilySearch — index

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


 * San Rafael

History

 * Marin County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * A Brief History of Marin County (CAGenWeb Project)

Land and Property

 * Original Mexican Land Grants from Mexico in Marin between 1834 and 1846 CAGenWeb Project)

Maps

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)

Migration

 * 1906-1935 - at FamilySearch — index

Civil War

 * 1883 - Marin County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1886 - Gen. McDowell Post No. 90, G. A. R. 1886 Civil War - Rosters (USGenWeb Archives)

World War II

 * Index to Marin County World War II Army Enlistees (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1946 - Marin County World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1852-1989 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Obituaries

 * Index to Marin County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Marin County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Marin County, California Obituary and Death Notice Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, Corte Madera, and Tiburon areas.

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1833 – 1991 at FamilySearch — images

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * San Rafael California Family History Center

Societies

 * Marin County Genealogical Society

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records

Birth

 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1812 - 1988 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1905 - 1995 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Some Marin County Birth Notices, 1874-1954 (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

 * 1800 - 2007 - California, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1850 - 1945 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1850 - 1952 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1854 - 1885 - Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Some Marin County Marriage Notices, 1863-1951 (Genealogy Trails)

Divorce

 * 1966 - 1984 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Marin County Divorce Index (Genealogy Trails)

Death

 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - 1939 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1940 - 1997 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Marin County, California Obituary and Death Notice Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, Corte Madera, and Tiburon areas.

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
Marin County Genealogical Society Marin Family History Center at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (415) 479-2200 220 North San Pedro Rd San Rafael, CA 94903 Website

Marin County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 1511 Novato 94948


 * List of California Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Websites

 * Marin County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * California Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Marin County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * FamilySearch Catalog
 * Marin County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Marin County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)