California, Alameda County, Land Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is in the Collection?
This collection contains images of deed records and indexes that are located at the Clerk-Recorder Offices in Oakland. Land records are primarily used to learn where an individual lived and when he or she lived there. They often reveal other family information, such as the name of a spouse, heir, other relatives, or neighbors. They may also include information about previous residences, occupations, military service, citizenship, and so forth. Most of the states in the United States are public domain states, which means the federal government controls the land. In state-land states, however, the state government appropriates all land within its borders.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The records generally include:
 * Name of buyer
 * Name of seller
 * Name of spouse, heirs, other relatives, or neighbors
 * Place of residence at time of purchase
 * Occupation
 * Transaction dates
 * Amounts of monies exchanged, paid or assessed

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search, it is helpful to know at least some of the following:
 * The name of you ancestor
 * The approximate date and place of the land transaction

View the Images
You will be able to search this collection once it is published.


 * 1) Select County
 * 2) Select Record Type, Volume, and Date Range

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images.

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

What Do I Do Next?
If these are indexes, the original records may contain additional information than was not indexed, or the information might have been indexed incorrectly. You may want to search for the original record at the Clerk-Recorder of Alameda County.

I Found Who I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * In case you need to find this record again later, copy the citation below in the Citing This Collection section.
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional California Land and Property records that might have more information.
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find county or California Vital Records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in the United States Census, 1850 (FamilySearch Historical Records) or the United States Census, 1900 (FamilySearch Historical Records). Search the state censuses as well.
 * Use the information found in the record to find California, County Probate Books (FamilySearch Historical Records).
 * Use the information found in the record to find [].
 * Search for death or burial information in BillionGraves Index.
 * If applicable, search for immigration and naturalization records as well.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.

I Can’t Find Who I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching a nearby locality.
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Check the infobox above for additional FamilySearch websites and related websites that may assist you in finding similar records.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation:


 * Record (or Index) Citation:


 * Image Citation:

Top of Page