Imperial County, California Genealogy

Guide to Imperial County, California ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records. California Online Genealogy Records

County Courthouse
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1907 County Recorder has birth, marriage and death records from 1907

Parent County
6 August 1907: Imperial County was created from San Diego County. County seat: El Centro

Description
The county was named from Imperial Valley. The Imperial Valley got it's name from the Imperial Land Company, a subsidiary of the California Development Company, which at the turn of the 20th century had reclaimed the southern portion of the Colorado desert for agriculture. The County Seat is El Centro and was founded 1907. It is located in the Southeast 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.

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

 * La Paz County, Arizona
 * Riverside
 * San Diego
 * Yuma County, Arizona

Biography

 * Imperial County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)

Church History and Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1907-1956 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Gazetteers

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

History

 * County History (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Imperial County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Land and Property
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1851-1907 (*); Imperial County, California Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * Index to Federal Land Patents - Imperial County (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps

 * 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

World War I

 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II

 * Index to World War II Army Enlistees, Imperial County, California (USGenWeb Archives)
 * WW II Honor List of Dead and Missing, Imperial County, California (Genealogy Trails)

Korean War

 * Korean War Casualties, Imperial County, California (Genealogy Trails)

Vietnam War

 * Vietnam War Casualties, Imperial County, California (Genealogy Trails)

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

 * Index to Imperial County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Obituary Index, Imperial County, California (Genealogy Trails)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1833 – 1991 California Probate Estate Files 1833-1991 at FamilySearch — images

FamilySearch Centers

 * El Centro California Family History Center
 * Escondido California Family History Center
 * Poway California Family History Center
 * San Diego California East Family History Center
 * Vista California Family History Center
 * Yuma Arizona Family History Center


 * Escondido Public Library - Pioneer Room - an affiliate library

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records

Birth

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


 * 1905 - 1910 Imperial County Birth Index (Genealogy Trails)
 * Imperial 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
 * 1850 - 1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1854 - 1885 Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Imperial County Marriage Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Divorce

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

Death

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

Voting Registers

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

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
Pioneers Museum and Cultural Center of the Imperial Valley 373 East Aten Road Imperial, Ca. 92251 website


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

Websites

 * Imperial County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Imperial County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Imperial County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Imperial County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * FamilySearch Catalog