Santa Cruz County, California Genealogy

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

Historical Facts
The first European settlements in Santa Cruz County began with the founding of a Franciscan mission in 1791 near the San Lorenzo River in what is now the city of Santa Cruz. In 1797, a proprietary Spanish colony was founded near the mission church and named Branciforte. When California became part of the United States in 1850, Branciforte County was one of the original counties but the name was quickly changed to Santa Cruz County.

Geographically, the coastline gives way to coastal mountains which often come right down to the sea. Two significant rivers played a role in settlement, the San Lorenzo (Santa Cruz city) and the Pajaro River (Watsonville). California hightway route 1 passes through the county along the coast and route 17 provides a connection over the coastal mountains to the San Jose/Silicon Valley area. A railroad also came to the area in the late 1800s providing a shipping outlet for agricultural products of the coastal farmlands.

Earthquakes have affected the area destroying much of the mission church in 1857 and another doing major damage to the city of Santa Cruz in 1989 but they did not cause any significant loss of records.

Parent County
18 February 1850: Originally as Branciforte County. County seat: Santa Cruz

19 April 1850: Renamed Santa Cruz County.

Description
The county was named for "Santa Cruz" ("Holy Cross"). The county seat Santa Cruz and the county was created 1850. The County is located in the west central area of the state.

Boundary Changes
No significant 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

 * Monterey, California
 * San Benito, California
 * San Mateo, California
 * Santa Clara, California

Biography

 * Index to Santa Cruz County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Santa Cruz County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)

Cemeteries
The following web sites may have additional information on Santa Cruz  County cemeteries.


 * Interment.net California cemetery records by County.


 * 1850 - 1960 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Church Records

 * 1864-1985 - at FamilySearch — index

Census

 * 1850 - Federal Census, Santa Cruz County, California (USGenWeb Archives)

History

 * Santa Cruz County History (USGenWeb Archives)

Land and Property

 * Index to Federal Land Records, Santa Cruz County, California (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)

Migration
Online Records
 * 1929-1954 - at FamilySearch — index

Military History and Records

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

Civil War

 * - 1st Battalion, California Native Cavalry (Union), Company A
 * - 7th Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company K
 * - 8th Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company A


 * 1886 - Index to Civil War Veterans Rosters, G.A.R. Posts, Santa Cruz County, California] (USGenWeb Archives)

World War II

 * Index to World War II Army Enlistees, Santa Cruz County, California (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Santa Cruz 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

Newspapers
Santa Cruz Sentinel (Santa Cruz 1866-present 2011)

Santa Cruz Surfer (Santa Cruz 1889-1919)

Mountain Echo (Boulder Creek 1896-1916)

Register Pajaronian (Watsonville, 1868-present)

Obituaries

 * Index to Santa Cruz County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Santa Cruz County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

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

 * Santa Cruz Central Library

224 Church Street Santa Cruz, CA 95060


 * Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County library

(housed in the Central Branch Library, significant collection of genealogies)

County Courthouse
Santa Cruz County 701 Ocean Street Santa Cruz CA 95060

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Santa Cruz California Family History Center

Societies
Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz Public Library Downtown.

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records

Birth

 * Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency Public Health Department Birth Certificates

Online Records
 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1812 - 1988 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1905 - 1995 - at FamilySearch — index

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

Divorce

 * 1966 - 1984 - at FamilySearch — index

Death

 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - 1939 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1940 - 1997 - at FamilySearch — index


 * Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency Public Health Department Death Certificates


 * Santa Cruz County, California Obituary and Death Notice Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Scotts Valley, Capitola, Pajaro, Royal Oaks, Bonny Doon, Aptos and Freedom areas.


 * Santa Cruz County Recorder

701 Ocean Street, Room 230 Santa Cruz CA 95060 831/454-2800

For records generated since 2009 

Santa Cruz County Office of Vital Records 1430 Freedom Boulevard, Suite 101 Santa Cruz CA 95076 831/763-8430

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
Santa Cruz County, Genealogical Society Of P.O. Box 72 Santa Cruz 95063 Phone:861-427-7707 ext 5794 Website

Santa Cruz Historical Society P.O. Box 246 Santa Cruz 9506


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

Websites

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