Santa Clara County, California Genealogy

Guide to Santa Clara 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 for Saint Clare of Assisi, Italy. The county seat San Jose and the county was created 1850. The County is located in the west central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Santa Clara County Courthouse 191 N First St. San Jose, CA 95113 Phone: 408-882-2100 Santa Clara County Website

County Recorder has birth and death records from 1873. Recorder has birth and death records from 1873, marriage records from 1850, land records from 1846 and military records from 1920. County Clerk has divorce, probate and naturalization 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

 * Index to Santa Clara County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Santa Clara County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Index to Santa Clara County Published Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)

Cemeteries

 * 1838-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Census Records

 * 1870 Index to Santa Clara County Census Records by Township (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Gilroy, Los Gatos, Naglee (San Jose), Palo Alto, San Jose and Willow Glen (San Jose).
 * 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

Directories

 * 1936 San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, City Directory, 1936 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1937 San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, City Directory, 1937 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1938 San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, City Directory, 1938 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1940 San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, City Directory, 1940 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1957 San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, City Directory, 1957 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1960 San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, City Directory, 1960 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Local Histories

 * Index to Santa Clara County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * California Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 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 & images

Military Records
 Civil War


 * 1883 Santa Clara County, California - List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1884, 1886 Civil War Veterans Rosters, G.A.R. Post Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Wisconsin Civil War Soldiers Buried in San Jose, California (Genealogy Trails)

Regiments. Civil War service men in Santa Clara County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in this county:
 * - 1st Battalion, California Native Cavalry (Union), Company A
 * - 1st Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company D
 * - 1st Regiment, California Cavalry (Union), New Company E
 * - 8th Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company C

World War I
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

 World War II
 * Index of World War II Army Enlistees, Santa Clara County, California (USGenWeb Archives)

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 ($)
 * California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
 * California, U.S., Newspapers.com Stories and Events Index at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Obituaries

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

Voting Records

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1782-1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

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

Vital Records
The Office of the Clerk-Recorder has birth records after 1873, marriage records after 1851, and death records after 1873.

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($)

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
 * Santa Clara County Marriage Notices by year (Genealogy Trails)

Death

 * 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 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

 * Fremont California FamilySearch Center
 * Hayward California FamilySearch Center
 * Livermore California FamilySearch Center
 * Los Altos California FamilySearch Center
 * Menlo Park California FamilySearch Center
 * Pleasanton California FamilySearch Center
 * San Jose California FamilySearch Center
 * Santa Clara California FamilySearch Center
 * Santa Cruz California FamilySearch Center

Societies

 * Gilroy Historical Society PO Box 2190 Gilroy, CA 95021 Website
 * Los Altos Hills Historical Society 27200 Elena Road Los Altos, CA 94022 Website
 * Morgan Hill Historical Society PO Box 1258 Morgan Hill, CA 95037 Website
 * Palo Alto Historical Association PO Box 193 Palo Alto, CA 94302 Website
 * Saratoga Historical Foundation PO Box 172 Saratoga, CA 95070 Website
 * Stanford Historical Society PO Box 2328 Stanford, CA 94309-2328 Website
 * Santa Clara County Historical And Genealogical Society 2635 Homestead Road Santa Clara 95051 Website
 * California Pioneers of Santa Clara County PO Box 8208 San Jose, CA 95155 Facebook
 * Cupertino Historical Society and Museum 10185 N. Stelling Road Cupertino, CA 95014 Website

Websites

 * Santa Clara County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Santa Clara County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Santa Clara County 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.