Yolo County, California Genealogy

Guide to Yolo 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 from a Native American name variously believed to be a corruption of a tribal name Yo-loy meaning "a place abounding in rushes" or of the name of the chief, Yodo, or of the village of Yodoi. The county seat Woodland and the county was created 1850. The County is located in the north central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Yolo County Courthouse 1000 Main Street Woodland, CA 95695 Phone: 530-666-8130 Yolo County Website County Clerk has birth, marriage, death and land records, divorce, probate and court records from 1850.

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

 * Yolo County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Yolo County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Searchable Index to Yolo County Biographical Sketches (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Index to Yolo County Biographies List (CAGenWeb Project)

Church Records

 * 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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1850-1900 (*); Yolo County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1850-1901 (*); Yolo County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1859-1927 (*); Yolo County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1861-1922 (*); Yolo County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1883-1927 (*); Yolo County Superior Court at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1895-1911 (*); Yolo County County Clerk at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * Index to Yolo County Federal Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Local Histories

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

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

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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1831-1985 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

 * Yolo County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Surname Index to Yolo County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Yolo County Obituary Sources - Scroll down to "Yolo County Queries, Obituaries, etc." (CAGenWeb Project)

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

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($)
 * Early Yolo 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($)
 * Early Yolo County Marriages by year (Genealogy Trails)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho
 * Early Yolo 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($)
 * Yolo County, California Obituary and Death Notice Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the Davis, Woodland, West Sacramento, Winter, Dunnigan, Zamora, and Clarksburg areas.

Divorce

 * 1966-1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Archives
Friends of Yolo County Archives 226 Buckeye Street Woodland, CA 95695-2600 Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * El Dorado California FamilySearch Center
 * Elk Grove California FamilySearch Center
 * Fairfield California FamilySearch Center
 * Jackson California FamilySearch Center
 * Napa California FamilySearch Center
 * California FamilySearch Center Sacramento California FamilySearch Center
 * Sonoma California FamilySearch Center
 * Vacaville California FamilySearch Center
 * Woodland California FamilySearch Center
 * Napa Valley Genealogical & Biographical Society - an affiliate library

Societies
Yolo County Historical Society P.O. Box 1447 Woodland, CA 95776 Phone:530-661-2212 Website Davis Historical Society c/o Dennis Dingemans, 645 "C" Street Davis, CA 95616 Website West Sacramento Historical Society P.O.Box 1202 324 Third Street W. Sacramento, CA 95691 Phone: 916-374-1849 Website

Websites

 * Yolo County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Yolo County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Yolo 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

 * Yolo Research Guide at California State Library