San Bernardino County, California Genealogy

Guide to San Bernardino 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
San Bernardino County Courthouse 22 W Hospitality Lane San Bernardino, CA 92415 Phone: 909.387.8306

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

Historical Facts
San Bernardino County is presently the largest county in terms of geographic area within the United States. The county seat is the city of San Bernardino which is also the county's largest in terms of population, and that city lies in the southwest corner of the county.

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.

San Bernardino Historical Society

Parent County
26 April 1853: San Bernardino County was created from Los Angeles County which had annexed part of San Diego County in 1851. County seat: San Bernardino

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.

Boundary Changes
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.

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

 * Inyo
 * Kern
 * Los Angeles
 * Orange
 * Riverside

Biography

 * Index to San Bernardino County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to San Bernardino County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records

 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Colton
 * Bloomington
 * Fontana
 * Highland
 * Needles
 * Ontario
 * Redlands
 * Rialto
 * San Bernardino
 * San Bernardino 1
 * San Bernardino 2
 * Victorville
 * Yucaipa
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
http://www.sb-court.org/

Gazetteers

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

Land and Property

 * Index to San Bernardino County Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)
 * www.mapsofworld.com/usa/county-maps/california/san-bernardino-county-map.html
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

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

Online Records
 * 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

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 and 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
 * San Bernardino County Sunhttp://www.sbsun.com/home 4030 N. Georgia Blvd. San Bernardino, CA 92407 Phone: (909) 889-9666 All Departments: Hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.


 * 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)

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

County Courthouse
San Bernardino County Recorder-Clerk - Archives

Family History Centers
Introduction to Family History Centers


 * Barstow California Family History Center
 * Big Bear California Family History Center
 * Chino California Family History Center
 * Fontana California Family History Center
 * Highland California Family History Center
 * Needles California Family History Center
 * Rancho Cucamonga California Family History Center
 * Redlands California Family History Center
 * Rialto California Family History Center
 * Ridgecrest California Family History Center
 * Twentynine Palms California Family History Center
 * Upland California Family History Center
 * Victorville California Family History Center
 * Yucca Valley California Family History Center

Societies
San Bernadino County Historical Society Website

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records


 * San Bernardino County Vital Records.Com

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 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
 * 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 Bernardino 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
 * 1940 - 1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Voting Registers

 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
 * 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index, ($)

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
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 26020 San Bernardino 92406

The Highland Area Historical Society P.O. Box 353 Highland, CA 92346-0353 Website

29 Palms Historical Society and Museum 6760 National Park Drive P.O. Box 1926 29 Palms, California 92277 Phone: (760) 367-2366 Website

Morongo Basin Historical Society 632 Landers Lane, Yucca Valley, CA 92284 Phone: (760) 365-2000 Website

Mohave Historical Society P.O. Box 21 Victorville, CA 92393 Website

Redlands Area Historical Society P.O. Box 1024 Redlands, CA 92373 Website

San Bernardino Valley Genealogical Society P. O. Box 2128 San Bernardino, CA 92406

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

Big Bear Valley Historical Society P.O. Box 513 Big Bear City, CA 92314 Phone: 909-585-8100


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

Websites

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