California Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This index is an electronic index for the years 1812 to 1988. This index is not complete for any particular place, region or time period. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Birth and Christening records may include:
 * Name of the individual
 * Date of the Event
 * Names of the parents
 * Residence

Coverage Table
A coverage table for this collection is available is the wiki article California Births and Christenings, Coverage Table (FamilySearch Historical Records)

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

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?

 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find other vital records such as marriage, and death records
 * Search for the births and christenings of other family members
 * Use the information found in the record to find family members in census 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 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

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.

"California, Births and Christenings, 1812-1988." Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.
 * Collection Citation:

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