San Luis Obispo County, California Genealogy

Guide to San Luis Obispo County, California ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Courthouse
San Luis Obispo County Courthouse 1144 Monterey St Suite C San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 Phone 805.781.5080

County Clerk Recorder has birth records from 1873, marriage and death records from 1850 and land records from 1842 County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records

Parent County
18 February 1850: San Luis Obispo was created as an original county. County seat: San Luis Obispo

Description
The county was named from Saint Louis of Toulouse. The county seat San Luis Obispo and the county was created 1850. The County is located in the southwest 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.

Neighboring Counties

 * Kern
 * Kings
 * Monterey
 * Santa Barbara
 * Ventura

Biography

 * San Luis Obispo County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to San Luis Obispo County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * San Luis Obispo County Biography Links
 * Drury Woodson James (Genealogy Trails)

Cemeteries
The following web sites may have additional information on San Luis Obispo  County cemeteries.


 * Interment.net California cemetery records by County.


 * 1850 - 1960 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Census

 * 1850, 1860 - San Luis Obispo County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

History

 * Index to San Luis Obispo County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Land and Property

 * Index to San Luis Obispo County Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)

Military History and Records

 * San Luis Obispo County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)

Civil War

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


 * Civil War Veterans Roster, Fred. Steele Post No. 70, G. A. R. 1886 (USGenWeb Archives)

World War II

 * Index to San Luis Obispo County World War II Army Enlistments (USGenWeb Archives)
 * San Luis Obispo County World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (USGenWeb Archives)

Obituaries

 * San Luis Obispo County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to San Luis Obispo County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Indexes to San Luis Obispo County Obituaries

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1833 – 1991 at FamilySearch — images

Archives, Libraries and Museums
San Luis Obispo Genealogical Library San Luis Obispo Public Library 995 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, California Phone: 805-785-0383 Librarian - Martha Graham

Arroyo Grande Genealogical Library Arroyo Grande Public Library South County Refional Center 800 W. Branch Street Arroyo Grande, California Librarian - Carolyn Baker

Mailing address for the libraries: SLOCGS P.O. Box 4 Atascadero, CA 93423-0004 (Mailed enquiries must include an SASE. We cannot respond to queries that do not include a stamped return envelope.)

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Atascadero California Family History Center
 * San Luis Obispo California Family History Center

Societies
San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society meets at: Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Hall 520 Dana Street San Luis Obispo, CA

Vital Records

 * Links to San Luis Obispo County Vital Records Information (CAGenWeb Project)

Birth

 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1812 - 1988 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1905 - 1995 - at FamilySearch — index
 * San Luis Obispo County Birth Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

 * 1800 - 2007 - California, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1850 - 1945 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1850 - 1952 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1854 - 1885 - Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Divorce

 * 1966 - 1984 - at FamilySearch — index

Death

 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - 1939 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1940 - 1997 - at FamilySearch — index

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
San Luis Obispo County Historical Society 696 Monterey Street San Luis Obispo 93401

San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 4 Atascadero 93423-0004


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

Websites

 * San Luis Obispo County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * California Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * San Luis Obispo County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * FamilySearch Catalog
 * San Luis Obispo County, California Genealogy Trails
 * San Luis Obispo County CA Genealogy (LDS Genealogy)