Inyo County, California Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1904 marriage and land records from 1866 and mining records from 1872

Parent Counties
22 March 1866: Inyo County was created 22 March 1866 from Mono and Tulare Counties. County seat: Independence

Description
The county was named from the Native American name for the mountains in its area. The meaning of the word inyo is "dwelling place of the great spirit." wikipedia. The County Seat is Independence and was founded 1866. It is located in the east-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
Inyo Co. Courthouse was destroyed by an earthquake March 26, 1872. On June 30, 1886 a fire broke out in a vacant building in Independence and destroyed thirty-eight buildings. Although the county records and most of the furniture were saved, the courthouse was one of the buildings destroyed.

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

 * Clark County, Nevada
 * Esmeralda County, Nevada
 * Fresno
 * Kern
 * Mono
 * Nye County, Nevada
 * San Bernardino
 * Tulare

Biography

 * Index to Inyo County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Index to Inyo County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Inyo County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)

Census

 * 1870 Inyo County Census Files (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1880 Inyo County 1880 Mortality Schedule (Genealogy Trails)

Church History and Records

 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * Churches in Inyo County, California (Genealogy Trails)

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

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Bishop
 * FamilySearch Places

Gazetteers

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

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

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

Military History and Records

 * 1883 Inyo County List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)

World War I

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

World War II

 * Inyo County WWII Army Enlistments, Surnames A-G (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Inyo County WWII Army Enlistments, Surnames H-M (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Inyo County WWII Army Enlistments, Surnames N-V (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Inyo County WWII Army Enlistments, Surnames W-Z (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Honor List of Dead and Missing WWII, Inyo County, California (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

Obituaries

 * Inyo County Vital Records and Obituaries (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Inyo County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)

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

Archives, Libraries and Museums

 * Inyo County Libraries (Genealogy Trails)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Auberry California Family History Center
 * Beatty Nevada Family History Center
 * Bishop California Family History Center
 * Fresno California Family History Center
 * Fresno California East Family History Center
 * Kern Valley California Family History Center
 * Pahrump Nevada Family History Center
 * Porterville California Family History Center
 * Ridgecrest California Family History Center
 * Sanger California Family History Center
 * Visalia California Family History Center


 * Tulare Public Library - an affiliate library

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records
 * Inyo County Vital Records and Obituaries (CAGenWeb Project)

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($)


 * 1905 - 1810 Inyo County Birth Index (Genealogy Trails)
 * Inyo 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($)
 * 1854 - 1885 Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Inyo 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
Bishop Museum &amp; Historical Society P.O. Box 363 Bishop, CA 93514, Phone: (760) 873-5950 Website

Friends of the Eastern California Museum P.O. Box 206 155 Grant Street Independence, CA 93526 Phone:760-878-364 or 760-878-0259-8 Website

Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert P.O. Box 2001 230 W Ridgecrest Blvd. Ridgecrest, CA 93555 Phone: 760-675-8465 Website

Searles Valley Historical Society P.O. Box 630 Trona, CA 93592 Website


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

Websites

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