California Compiled Genealogies

Most archives, historical societies, and genealogical societies have special collections and indexes of genealogical value. You must usually search these in person. A published collection for early California is Marie E. Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, Two Volumes. (New Orleans, Louisiana: Polyanthos, 1976; FHL book 979.4 F2n).

Some notable manuscript collections of compiled genealogies for California are:

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Collection. This collection consists of transcripts of Bible records, cemetery records, church records, marriages, deaths, obituaries, and wills. It was microfilmed in 1971 at the DAR Library, Washington, D.C., and is available on 42 films at the Family History Library (FHL films 844409-50, 844435-449, and others). The volumes are generally arranged by county and many have individual indexes.

The Spanish-American Mission Collection. This is a collection of family group records showing the ancestry of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Southwest. It is on microfilm at the Family History Library (FHL Spanish America films 940001-6).

Society of Mayflower Descendants (California) Collection. This is a large collection of alphabetized family group records for California families. It was microfilmed in 1974 at the Society's headquarters in San Francisco and is at the Family History Library (FHL films 963193-230 and 965671-85).