San Benito County, California Genealogy

Guide to San Benito 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 after the San Benito Valley. Father Juan Crespi, in his expedition in 1772, named a small river in honor of San Benedicto (Saint Benedict), the patron saint of the married, and it is from the contraction of this name that the county took its name. The county seat Hollister and the county were created 1874. The County is located in the west central area of the state.

County Courthouse
San Benito County Courthouse 450 Fourth Street Hollister, CA 95023 Phone: 831-636-4057 San Benito County Website

County Clerk has birth marriage, death, burial, land and naturalization records from 1894. Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records

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

 * Indexed San Benito County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * San Benito County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Published Histories and Biographical Works of San Benito County (CAGenWeb Project)

Cemeteries

 * 1911-1948 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Church Records

 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1850-1874 (*); San Benito County (California). Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1850-1874 (*); San Benito County (California). Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1850-1900 (*); San Benito County Superior Court at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1855-1889 (*); San Benito County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1870-1912 (*); San Benito County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1870-1919 (*); San Benito County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1874-1907 (*); San Benito County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1874-1908 (*); San Benito County Superior Court at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1874-1918 (*); San Benito County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1874-1920 (*); San Benito County Superior Court at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1878-1898 (*); San Benito County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1886-1898 (*); San Benito County Superior Court at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1887 (*); San Benito County Superior Court at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1897-1916 (*); San Benito County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1899-1908 (*); San Benito County Superior Court 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 San Benito County - How to Use FS Places

Migration

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

Military Records
 Civil War
 * 1883 San Benito County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1886 San Benito County Civil War Veterans, Jesse L. Reno Post No. 58, 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 San Benito County, World War II Army Enlistees (USGenWeb Archives)
 * San Benito 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
 * 1852-1989 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

 * San Benito County Transcribed Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to San Benito County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Voting Records

 * 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($)
 * San Benito County Birth Notices (Genealogy Trails)

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
 * San Benito County Marriage Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Death

 * 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Divorce

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

FamilySearch Centers

 * Coalinga California FamilySearch Center
 * Fresno California East FamilySearch Center
 * Fresno California FamilySearch Center
 * Fresno California West FamilySearch Center
 * Hollister California FamilySearch Center
 * Los Banos California FamilySearch Center
 * Madera California FamilySearch Center
 * Fresno County Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Madera County Library - an affiliate library

Societies
San Benito County Historical Society P.O. Box 357 Hollister, CA 95023 Phone: 831-637-9709 Website San Benito County Historical Society 498 Fifth Street Hollister, CA 95023 Phone: 831-635-0335 Website San Juan Bautista Historical Society PO Box 1 San Juan Bautista, CA 95045

Websites

 * San Benito County CAGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * San Benito County History and Genealogy (Linkpendium)
 * San Benito County, California Genealogy Trails
 * San Benito CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * – 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.