Tulare County, California Genealogy

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

Description
Tulare County derives its name from Tulare Lake. The root of the name Tulare is found in the Mexican word tullin, designating cattail or similar reeds. The county seat Visalia and the county was created 1852. The county is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Tulare County Courthouse 221 S. Mooney Blvd Visalia, CA 93291 Phone: 559-730-5000 Tulare County Website County Recorder has birth and marriage records from 1852, death records from 1873, mil rec from 1919. Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate, court and naturalization records. County Assessor has land 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

 * A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare and Kern, California. Compiled by Myron Angle. Chicago, Illinois : Lewis Pub. Co., [1892?]. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
 * History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California : with Biographical Sketches. By Eugene L. Menefee and Fred A. Dodge. Los Angeles, California : Historical Record Co., 1913. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
 * Tulare County Biographical Index (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Tulare County Biographies (USGenWeb Archvies)
 * Index to Biographical Resources, Tulare County (CAGenWeb Project)

Cemeteries

 * 1575-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Census Records

 * Tulare County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Porterville
 * Visalia

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

Directories

 * 1950 Polk's Tulare County, California, Directory, 1950 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1958 Polk's Tulare County, California, Directory, 1958 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

 * A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare and Kern, California. Compiled by Myron Angle. Chicago, Illinois : Lewis Pub. Co., [1892?]. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
 * History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California : with Biographical Sketches. By Eugene L. Menefee and Fred A. Dodge. Los Angeles, California : Historical Record Co., 1913. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
 * History of Kern County, California : with Illustrations. San Francisco, California : Wallace W. Elliott, 1883. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library. Includes Tulare County, beginning p. 186.
 * Tulare County History Books Excerpts (Genealogy Trails)

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

 * 1798-1937 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1856 The Indian War on the Tule River (Genealogy Trails)

 Civil War
 * 1883 Tulare County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1886 Civil War Veterans Rosters, G.A.R. Posts in Tulare County (USGenWeb Archives)

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

 World War II
 * Index to Tulare County, World War II Army Enlistees (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Tulare County, Honor List of World War II Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * Index to Tulare County Naturalization Records (CAGenWeb Project)

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 Tulare County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Tulare County Individual Obituaries and Obituary Collections (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Index to Tulare County Obituary Sources (CAGenWeb Project)

Voting Records
California county clerks were to keep voting registers every other year from 1866 and well into the 20th century. These large books, called Great Registers, listed the men who registered to vote in that county. Besides name and age, the record may show place of birth, address, occupation, naturalization date and sometimes even a physical description.

These records are at the California State Library (1866-1944), and microfilmed copies are available through FamilySearch Centers (1866-1910). Ancestry ($) has a searchable database of Los Angeles Great Registers from 1873-1896.


 * 1869, 1890, and 1898 Voter Registers, 1869, 1890, and 1898 at RootsWeb
 * 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

 * Index to Tulare County Vital Records (CAGenWeb Project)

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($)
 * Tulare County Birth Notices by year (Genealogy Trails)

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
 * Tulare 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

 * Fresno California FamilySearch Center
 * Fresno California West FamilySearch Center
 * Fresno California North FamilySearch Center
 * Porterville California FamilySearch Center
 * Visalia California FamilySearch Center
 * Fresno County Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Tulare Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies

 * Sequoia Genealogical Society c/o Tulare City Library, Genealogy Room 113 North "F" Street Tulare, CA 93274 Phone: 559-685-4518 Website
 * Tulare County Historical Society 27000 South Mooney Boulevard Visalia, CA 93277 Phone: 559-733-6616 Website

Websites

 * Tulare County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Tulare County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Tulare 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.

Research Guides

 * Tulare Research Guide at California State Library