Stanislaus County, California Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for the Stanislaus River. The county seat Modesto and the county was created 1854. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Stanislaus County Courthouse 800 11th Street Modesto, CA 95354 Phone: 209-530-3100 Stanislaus County Website County Clerk Recorder has marriage records from 1870 birth and death records from 1900. Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records from 1854. County Recorder has land records from 1854.

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:

Biographies

 * A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Merced, Stanislaus, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa, California. New Haven, Connecticut : Research Publications, 1968. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
 * Stanislaus County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Stanislaus County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Modesto
 * Oakdale
 * Turlock

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Directories

 * 1941 Modesto and Turlock, Stanislaus County, California, City Directory, 1941 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1942 Modesto and Turlock, Stanislaus County, California, City Directory, 1942 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1958 Modesto, Stanislaus County, California, City Directory, 1958 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1854-1904 (*); Stanislaus County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * California Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration

 * 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Military Records

 * Stanislaus County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)

 Civil War
 * Civil War Veterans, Grant Post No. 9, G. A. R. 1886 (USGenWeb Archives)

World War I
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1831-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research

Obituaries

 * Newspapers.net
 * Rootsweb.com
 * Stanislaus County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Stanislaus County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Stanislaus County Contributed Obituaries (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Stanislaus County, California Old Obituaries Page (CAGenWeb Project)

Voting Records

 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1782-1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1833-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Birth

 * 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Marriage

 * 1800-2007 California, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1850-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1850-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho
 * Early Stanislaus County Marriages (Genealogy Trails)

Death

 * 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Divorce

 * 1966-1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

FamilySearch Centers

 * Livermore California FamilySearch Center
 * Manteca California FamilySearch Center
 * Merced California FamilySearch Center
 * Modesto California FamilySearch Center
 * Modesto California North FamilySearch Center
 * Stockton California FamilySearch Center
 * Tracy California FamilySearch Center
 * Turlock California FamilySearch Center

Libraries
The library's catalog is online. The library subscribes to a number of online databases. The Special Collections room at the Modesto Library includes works on genealogy.
 * Stanislaus County Library 1500 I St Modesto, CA 95354 Website

Societies

 * McHenry Museum and Historical Society 1402 I Street Modesto, CA 95354 Phone: 209.577.5235 Website
 * Genealogical Society of Stanislaus County P.O. Box 1352 Modesto, CA 95352-1352 Website
 * Patterson Township Historical Society PO Box 15 Patterson, CA 95363 Website

Websites

 * Sonoma County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Stanislaus County, California Genealogy Trails


 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.