San Benito County, California Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth marriage, death, burial, land and naturalization records from 1894 Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records

Parent County
12 February 1874: San Benito County was created from parts of Monterey County. County seat: Holllister

Description
The county was named after the San Benito Valley. Father Juan Crespi, in his expedition in 1772, named a small river in honor of San Benedicto (Saint Benedict), the patron saint of the married, and it is from the contraction of this name that the county took its name. The county seat Hollister and the county was created 1874. The County is located in the west 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

 * Fresno
 * Merced
 * Monterey
 * Santa Clara
 * Santa Cruz

Biography

 * Indexed San Benito County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * San Benito County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Published Histories and Biographical Works of San Benito County (CAGenWeb Project)

Cemeteries

 * 1911-1948 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

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

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

Civil War

 * 1883 - San Benito County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1886 - San Benito County Civil War Veterans, Jesse L. Reno Post No. 58, G. A. R. 1886 (USGenWeb Archives)

World War I

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

World War II

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

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1831-1985 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1852-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and 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

Obituaries

 * San Benito County Transcribed Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to San Benito County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Probate Records
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

 * Coalinga California Family History Center
 * Fresno California East Family History Center
 * Fresno California Family History Center
 * Fresno California West Family History Center
 * Hollister California Family History Center
 * Los Banos California Family History Center
 * Madera California Family History Center


 * Fresno County Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Madera County Library - an affiliate library

Societies
San Benito County Historical Society Website

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records

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($)


 * San Benito 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($)
 * 1854 - 1885 Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * San Benito 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
 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
 * 1905 - 1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1940 - 1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Voting Registers

 * 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index, ($)

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
San Benito County Historical Society P.O. Box 357 Hollister 95023 Phone: 831-637-9709

San Benito County Historical Society 498 Fifth Street Hollister, California 95023 Phone: 831-635-0335 Website

San Juan Bautista Historical Society PO Box 1 San Juan Bautista, CA 95045


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

Websites

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