Marin County, California Genealogy

Guide to Marin 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
County Recorder has birth and death records from 1863, marriage records from 1856, land records from 1852; County Clerk has divorce and court records from 1900 and probate records from 1880

Parent County
18 February 1850: Marin County was created as an original county. County seat: San Rafael

Description
The county was named for "Marin", great chief of the tribe Licatiut". The county seat San Rafael and the county was created February 18, 1850. The County is located in the west 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
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

 * San Francisco
 * Sonoma

Biography

 * Marin County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Surname Index, Marin County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Index to Marin County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)

Census

 * 1850, 1870 - Index to Marin County Census Transcriptions (USGenWeb Archives)

Church History and 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
 * San Rafael
 * FamilySearch Places

Gazetteers

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

History

 * Marin County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * A Brief History of Marin County (CAGenWeb Project)

Land and Property

 * Original Mexican Land Grants from Mexico in Marin between 1834 and 1846 CAGenWeb Project)

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

Civil War

 * 1883 - Marin County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1886 - Gen. McDowell Post No. 90, G. A. R. 1886 Civil War - Rosters (USGenWeb Archives)

World War I

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

World War II

 * Index to Marin County World War II Army Enlistees (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1946 - Marin County World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1852-1989 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

 * Index to Marin County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Marin County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Marin County, California Obituary and Death Notice Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, Corte Madera, and Tiburon areas.

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

 * Oakland California FamilySearch Library
 * Napa California Family History Center
 * San Rafael California Family History Center
 * Sonoma California Family History Center
 * Vallejo California Family History Center


 * California Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library

Societies

 * Marin County Genealogical Society

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records

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($)


 * Some Marin County Birth Notices, 1874-1954 (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($)
 * Some Marin County Marriage Notices, 1863-1951 (Genealogy Trails)

Divorce

 * 1966 - 1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * Marin County Divorce Index (Genealogy Trails)

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($)


 * Marin County, California Obituary and Death Notice Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, Corte Madera, and Tiburon areas.

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
Marin County Genealogical Society Marin Family History Center at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (415) 479-2200 220 North San Pedro Rd San Rafael, CA 94903 Website

Marin County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 1511 Novato 94948 Facebook


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

Websites

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