San Bernardino County, California Genealogy

Guide to San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino. The county seat San Bernardino and the county was created 1853. The County is located in the southeast area of the state. San Bernardino County is presently the largest county in terms of geographic area within the United States. San Bernardino itself was founded by settlers sent by Brigham Young in the 1850s, but they left when the matter known as the 'Utah War' erupted back in Utah.

County Courthouse
San Bernardino County Courthouse 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210 Phone: 909-708-8678 San Bernardino County Courthouse

County Clerk has marriage license from 1887, divorce and probate records from 1856, court records from 1853 and land records from 1854. County Recorder has birth and death records from 1853 and marriage records from 1857

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:

History Timeline

 * Los Angeles County and San Diego County were original counties created in 1850 when California became a state. In 1851, Los Angeles County expanded to the eastern border of California to include part of what was San Diego, County. In 1853, San Bernardino County was created from the eastern area of Los Angeles County. In 1878, additional land from Los Angeles County was added to San Bernardino County.

Biographies

 * Index to San Bernardino County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to San Bernardino County Biographies (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
 * Colton
 * Bloomington
 * Fontana
 * Highland
 * Needles
 * Ontario
 * Redlands
 * Rialto
 * San Bernardino
 * San Bernardino 1
 * San Bernardino 2
 * Victorville
 * Yucaipa

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

Directories

 * 1949 San Bernadino, California, City Directory, 1949 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Index to San Bernardino County Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)
 * maps of world
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from San Bernardino County for emigrant settlers included:
 * 1770s  Camino Real de California 1770s linking Spanish Mission churches in California and Baja California
 * 1829 Old Spanish Trail 1829 Los Angeles, California to Santa Fe, New Mexico
 * 1846-1869 California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * 1847 Mormon Trail to Southern California 1847 from Salt Lake City, Utah to Los Angeles, California
 * 1857-1861 Butterfield Overland Mail 1857-1861 from San Francisco via Los Angeles to Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri
 * 1859-1869 Central Overland Trail 1859-1869 from Salt Lake City, Utah to Carson City, Nevada (and usually on to northern California)
 * 1869 Union Pacific Railroad 1869 Ogden, Utah to Omaha, Nebraska
 * 1869 Central Pacific Railroad 1869 Ogden, Utah to Sacramento, California
 * 1881 Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway 1881 Los Angeles, California to Chicago, Illinois
 * 1883 Southern Pacific Railroad 1883 Los Angeles, California to New Orleans, Louisiana
 * 1885  Atlantic and Pacific Railroad 1885 Los Angeles, California to Albuquerque, New Mexico (and the Santa Fe Railway)
 * 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Military Records
 Civil War
 * 1883 San Bernardino County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to San Bernardino County Civil War Veterans and Pensions (USGenWeb Archives)

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

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

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
 * California, U.S., Newspapers.com Stories and Events Index at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * San Bernardino County Sun
 * Serving: Adelanto, Apple Valley, Banning, Barstow, Beaumont, Big Bear, Colton, Crestline, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Hesperia, Highland, Loma Linda, Mentone, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino, Victorville, Yucaipa

Obituaries

 * Index to Transcribed San Bernardino County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Surname Index to San Bernardino 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

 * San Bernardino County Vital Records.Com

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($)
 * San Bernardino 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
 * San Bernardino County Marriage Notices (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

Archives
Archives 1808 Commercenter West, Ste. D, San Bernardino, CA 92415 (855) 732-2575 (909) 890-1713

FamilySearch Centers

 * Barstow California FamilySearch Center
 * Big Bear California FamilySearch Center
 * Bullhead City Arizona FamilySearch Center
 * Chino California FamilySearch Center
 * Fontana California FamilySearch Center
 * Highland California FamilySearch Center
 * Needles California FamilySearch Center
 * Rancho Cucamonga California FamilySearch Center
 * Redlands California FamilySearch Center
 * Rialto California FamilySearch Center
 * Ridgecrest California FamilySearch Center
 * Twentynine Palms California FamilySearch Center
 * Upland California FamilySearch Center
 * Victorville California FamilySearch Center
 * Yucca Valley California FamilySearch Center

Museums
Big Bear Lake History Museum 630 Bartlett Road, CA (909) 585-8100

Societies
Big Bear Valley Historical Society P.O. Box 513 Big Bear City, CA 92314 Phone: 909-585-8100 The Highland Area Historical Society P.O. Box 353 Highland, CA 92346-0353 Website Mohave Historical Society P.O. Box 21 Victorville, CA 92393 Website Morongo Basin Historical Society 632 Landers Lane, Yucca Valley, CA 92284 Phone: (760) 365-2000 Website Redlands Area Historical Society P.O. Box 1024 Redlands, CA 92373 Website San Bernadino County Historical Society Website San Bernadino Historical and Pioneer Society 796 North D Street San Bernardino, CA 92401 (909) 885-2204 Mailing Address P.O. Box 875 San Bernardino, CA 92402 Email:[mailto:sbhistoricalsociety@mac.com] Website San Bernardino Valley Genealogical Society Feldheym Library California Room 555 W 6th St P.O. Box 26020 San Bernardino 92406 909-381-8201 Website San Bernardino Valley Genealogical Society P. O. Box 2128 San Bernardino, CA 92406 29 Palms Historical Society and Museum 6760 National Park Drive P.O. Box 1926 29 Palms, California 92277 Phone: (760) 367-2366 Website

Websites

 * San Bernardino County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * San Bernardino County, USGenWeb Archives
 * San Bernardino County, California Genealogy Trails
 * San Bernardino 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.