San Joaquin County, California Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1851 County Recorder has birth, marriage, death and land records

Parent County
18 February 1850: San Joaquin was created as an original county. County seat: Stockton

Description
The county was named from the San Joaquin River. The county seat Stockton and the county was created 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.

Neighboring Counties

 * Alameda
 * Amador
 * Calaveras
 * Contra Costa
 * Sacramento
 * Santa Clara
 * Stanislaus

Biography

 * San Joaquin County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to San Joaquin County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Biographical Indices, San Joaquin County (CAGenWeb Project)

Cemeteries
The following web sites may have additional information on San Joaquin  County cemeteries.


 * Interment.net California cemetery records by County.


 * 1850 - 1960 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Census

 * 1850 - San Joaquin County, 1850 Census (CAGenWeb Project)

Church History and Records
Church records are usually found in the towns rather than on the county level.

LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Stockton
 * Tracy
 * Manteca

Court Records
San Joaquin County Court Directory gives addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers and links to the courts websites and online resources..

Ethnic Groups

 * Cambodian. The city of Stockton has the fifth largest population of Cambodians in the United States and the second largest in California. The Stockton Cambodian Oral History Project works to preserve the legacy of this important community.
 * Chinese. Chinese immigrants began arriving in San Joaquin County during the mid-1800s as part of the California Gold Rush. The city of Stockton soon had the third largest Chinese-American population in the U.S., and was once known as “Sam Fow” (third city, in Cantonese). The Chinese Cultural Society of Stockton (CCSS) has both a website and a Facebook page. The city of Stockton has an annual Chinese New Year Celebration.
 * Filipino. From the 1920s to the 1960s, Stockton's Little Manila neighborhood was home to the largest Filipino community outside of the Philippines. Downtown Stockton is home to the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) - Stockton Chapter. The Little Manila Foundation works to preserve the history and remaining structures tied to this historic neighborhood.
 * German.


 * Hmong. The Hmong come from the mountainous regions of southern China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong refugees began immigrating to the United States in large numbers after the fall of Saigon. The city of Stockton — home to the sixth largest Hmong population in the United States — holds an annual Hmong New Year Celebration, and it is home to the Hmong American Association of San Joaquin, Inc.


 * Italian. Italian immigrants have a long history in San Joaquin County. The California Italian American Project has a page about the history of Italians in the city of Stockton. The Pacific Italian Alliance was founded in Stockton in 1991.
 * Japanese. The Japanese American Citizens League, Stockton Chapter has a Facebook page.
 * Vietnamese.

Religious Groups

 * Buddhist (Japanese). The Stockton Buddhist Temple is a member of Buddhist Churches of America (BSA) based in San Francisco, CA. Website
 * Buddhist (Cambodian). Wat Dhammararam Buddhist Temple in Stockton was established in 1982 by refugees escaping war-torn Southeast Asian countries. Website
 * Catholic. The Diocese of Stockton was formed in 1962 from territory taken from the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the Diocese of Sacramento. Website
 * Sikh. The Stockton Sikh Temple (Gurdwara Sahib Stockton), founded in 1912, is the oldest existing Sikh temple in the United States. Website Facebook page

Genealogy
San Joaquin Genealogical Society

History
Google Books has some books about the history and people in San Joaquin County, California. Try various search terms, including the names of people. Books designated with "Full view" can be read online.

The San Joaquin Genealogical Society maintains an extensive bibliography of publications about San Joaquin County history and genealogy.
 * Index to San Joaquin County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * San Joaquin County History Records (CAGenWeb Project)

Maps
For historical maps,search the following free sites:


 * Maps of California (1850-1925)


 * Maps-Historical-Sate of California, the Carlifornia government's site. Links to American Memory (Library of Congress), California Missions, and the State Library


 * Historical Maps of California


 * California Maps - HSU Library, also lists and links to gazetteers


 * David Rumsey Collection


 * Perry-Castaneda Map Collection

Migration
Early migration routes to and from for emigrant settlers included:


 * California Trail 1844 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California


 * Carson (River) Trail 1848 (aka Mormon Emigrant Trail) crossed the Forty Mile Desert past the west side of the Carson Sink to pick up the Carson River near Fallon, Nevada up to Hope Valley and Red Lake. The Devil's Ladder then climbed 700 feet (210 m) in half a mile so ropes, chains, and pulleys were required to lift the wagons. Carson Pass was followed by the relatively easy West Pass (Kirkwood, California) and then on to Pollock Pines, Placerville, and Sutter's Fort, California


 * Big Tree Road (Ebbetts Pass) 1851 from western Nevada to Markleeville, Murphys, and Stockton, California

Military History and Records
The California State Military Museum has a great deal of historical information and links to other military websites.

Ancestry.com has Records of California men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867 ($)

Civil War

 * - 1st Battalion, California Native Cavalry (Union), Company A
 * - 3rd Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company A
 * - 3rd Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company B
 * - 3rd Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company D
 * - 3rd Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company I
 * - 3rd Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company K


 * 1883 - San Joaquin County List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1886 - Civil War Veterans, Rawlins Post No. 23, G. A. R. 1886 Roster (USGenWeb Archives)

World War II

 * Index to San Joaquin County World War II Army Enlistments (USGenWeb Archives)
 * San Joaquin County World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)

Newspapers
One of the members at the Lodi California Family History Center has compiled an index of Lodi-area obituaries from the 1880s to the 2000s. The Lodi Public Library holds a copy of his work as well. An index exists for The Record (Stockton) if you ask the reference librarian at the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library. Neither index is available online at this time, and the papers themselves must be accessed via microfilm.

There may be some information relevant to the county in the California Digital Newspaper Collection, which has newspapers from 1848 through 1922. You can search by keyword, including names, and/or by date.

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

California, San Joaquin County Public Library Obituary Index File (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Obituaries

 * Index to San Joaquin County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Surname Index to San Joaquin County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Obituary Links (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Funeral Home/Mortuary Obituary/Service Listings for San Joaquin County (CAGenWeb Project)

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

Archives, Libraries and Museums

 * Stockton-San Joaquin County Library

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Lodi California Family History Center
 * Manteca California Family History Center
 * Stockton California Family History Center
 * Tracy California Family History Center

Schools

 * Index to San Joaquin County School Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Societies

 * San Joaquin Genealogical Society
 * San Joaquin County Historical Society and Museum

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
 * 1905 - San Joaquin County Births (Genealogy Trails)
 * Early San Joaquin Birth Notices by year (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
 * San Joaquin Marriage Notices by year (Genealogy Trails)

Divorce

 * 1966 - 1984 - at FamilySearch — index

Death

 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - 1939 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1940 - 1997 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Selected San Joaquin County Deaths (USGenWeb Archives)

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
San Joaquin County Historical Society 11793 N. Micke Grove Road, Box 21 Lodi CA 95241 Website

San Joaquin Genealogical Society P.O. Box 690243 Stockton, CA 95269-0243 Website Facebook page

Tracy Area Genealogical Society 1141 Adam Street Tracy, CA 95376-3506 Website
 * List of California Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Websites

 * San Joaquin County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * California Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * [www.cagenweb.com/sanjoaquin/ San Joaquin County CAGenWeb]
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * FamilySearch Catalog
 * San Joaquin County, California Genealogy Trails
 * San Joaquin County CA Genealogy (LDS Genealogy)
 * San Joaquin Genealogical Society
 * San Joaquin Genealogical Society on Facebook