Santa Barbara County, California Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Santa Barbara County Courthouse 1101 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Phone 805.568.2550

Superior Court has divorce, probate, court and naturalization records Recorder has birth, marriage, death and land records from 1850

Historical Facts
Santa Barbara area Native Americans were first contacted by several early explorers in the 1500s and 1600s but the first moves toward settlement by Europeans were Spanish in 1769. The Santa Barbara mission was founded in 1786 by Franciscan padres who were also the first record keepers.

Parent County
18 February 1850: Santa Barbara was created as an original county when California first became a state.

Description
The county was named from Mission Santa Barbara was founded on December 4, 1786 in what is now Santa Barbara. The county derives its name from the mission. The county seat Santa Barbara and the county was created 1856. The County is located in the west central area of the state.

Boundary Changes
1 January 1873: Ventura County was set off.

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.

Places/Localities
The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have websites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names. Information about the cemeteries can be found in these pages if known.

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:

Biography

 * Santa Barbara County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Santa Barbara County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Index to Santa Barbara County, California Biographies and Histories (CAGenWeb)

Census

 * 1850 Federal Census, Santa Barbara, California (CAGenWeb Project)

Church History and Records

 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * Santa Barbara County Churches & Synagogues (CAGenWeb Project)

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


 * Santa Maria

List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * FamilySearch Places

Gazetteers

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

Genealogy
The Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society has free online databases and indexes to search at sbgen.org and maintains the Sahyun library open for research at 316 Castillo St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Online subscriptions to Ancestry.com, Fold3, and GenealogyBank.com available to members only, or $5 per day. WiFi available.

Many local records have been preserved by society volunteers, check the database

Hours are: Tues., Thurs., Fri. - 10-4, Sun. 1-4.

Land and Property
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1844-1917 (*); Santa Barbara County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1861-1923 (*); Santa Barbara County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * Index to Federal Land Records, Santa Barbara County (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

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

Civil War

 * - 1st Battalion, California Native Cavalry (Union), Company A
 * - 1st Battalion, California Native Cavalry (Union), Company C


 * Index to Civil War Veterans Rosters, G.A.R. Posts, Santa Barbara County (USGenWeb Archives)

World War I

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

World War II

 * Index to Santa Barbara County Army Enlistees, World War II (USGenWeb Archives)
 * World War II Draft Registration Cards, Santa Barbara County (CAGenWeb Project)
 * WWII Honor List of Dead and Missing, Santa Barbara County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Alphabetical Listing of Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Detailed Records of Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II (CAGenWeb Project)

Vietnam War

 * Vietnam War Casualties Listed on the Virtual Wall - listed by city. (CAGenWeb Project)

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1831-1985 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and 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

Obituaries

 * Santa Barbara County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Santa Barbara County 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

Family History Centers

 * Lompoc California Family History Center
 * Ojai California Family History Center
 * Oxnard California Family History Center
 * San Luis Obispo California Family History Center
 * Santa Barbara California Family History Center
 * Santa Maria California Family History Center
 * Solvang California Family History Center


 * Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Southern California Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

Societies

 * Santa Barbara Genealogical Society
 * Santa Barbara Chapter; Sons of the American Revolution

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records

Santa Barbara Mission archives contain early births, baptisms, marriages and deaths.

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 Birth Index, Santa Barbara County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Early Santa Barbara 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($)
 * 1854 - 1885 Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Early Santa Barbara 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

 * http://www.slocgs.org/gr.reg/
 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
 * 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index, ($)


 * Santa Barbara County Death Index by year (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Index to Pre-1905 Deaths, Santa Barbara County (CAGenWeb Project)

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
Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society 316 Castillo Street P.O. Box 1303 Goleta 93116-1303 Website

Santa Maria Valley Genealogical Society PO Box 1215 Santa Maria, CA 93456 Website

Vandenburg Genealogical Society PO Box 81 Lompoc, CA 93438-0081


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

Websites

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