Mariposa County, California Genealogy

Guide to Mariposa 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 divorce, probate and court records County Recorder has birth, marriage, death and burial records

Parent County
18 February 1850: Mariposa was created as an original county. County seat: Mariposa

Description
The county was named from Mariposa Creek, which was so named by Spanish explorers in 1806, when they discovered great clusters of butterflies ("mariposas" in Spanish) in the foothills of the Sierras. The county seat Mariposa and the county was created 1850. The County is located in the central 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

 * Madera
 * Merced
 * Stanislaus
 * Tuolumne

Biography

 * Mariposa County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Index to Mariposa County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)

Census

 * 1850 Federal Census of Mariposa County (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1850 Mortality Schedule, Mariposa County (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1930 1930 United States Census, Hornitos Towns, Mariposa Co., California (Genealogy Trails)

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

Gazetteers

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

Land and Property

 * Index to Federal Land Patents, Mariposa 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

Military History and Records

 * 1883 Mariposa County, List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)

World War I

 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Mariposa County, World War I Army Enlistees (USGenWeb Archives)

World War II

 * Mariposa County, World War II Army Enlistees (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Mariposa County, World War II Honor Roll (USGenWeb Archives)

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

 * Mariposa County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Mariposa County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1833 – 1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images

Family History Centers

 * Auberry California Family History Center
 * Madera California Family History Center
 * Mariposa California Family History Center
 * Merced California Family History Center
 * Modesto California Family History Center
 * Oakhurst California Family History Center
 * Turlock California Family History Center


 * Madera County Library - an affiliate library

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records


 * Index to Mariposa Vital Records and Vital Records Resources (CAGenWeb Project)

Birth

 * 1800 - 1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1812 - 1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1905 - 1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)


 * Mariposa 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($)
 * Mariposa 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
 * 1800 - 1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1905 - 1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1919 - 1921 Notices of vital events (births, marriages, and deaths), 1919-1921, abstracted from the Mariposa Gazette by William Disbro.
 * 1940 - 1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)


 * Mariposa County Death Records (Genealogy Trails)

Voting Registers

 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
 * 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index, ($)
 * 1892 Great Register for Mariposa County, California, Year 1892 (Genealogy Trails)

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
Mariposa Museum and History Center 5119 Jessie Street Mariposa, California 95338 Phone:209-966-2924 Website

Northern Mariposa County History Center 10301 Highway 49 Coulterville, CA 95311 Phone: 209-878-3015 Website


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

Websites

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