Modoc County, California Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named from the Modoc people who lived in what is now northern California, near Lost River and Tule Lake. The county seat Alturas and the county was created February 17, 1874. The County is located in the northeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Modoc County Courthouse 205 S East Street Alturas, CA 96101-0131 Phone: 530-233-6516 Modoc County Website County Clerk has divorce, probate, court and voter regisitration records from 1874. County Recorder has birth, marriage and death records.

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:

Biographies

 * Modoc County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Modoc County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)

Census Records

 * Modoc County Census Records (CAGenWeb Project)

Church Records

 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Modoc County Land and Tax Records (CAGenWeb Project)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Modoc County for emigrant settlers included:
 * California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * Applegate Trail since 1846 (avoided the Forty Mile Desert) by leaving the Humboldt River in Nevada early at present-day Rye Reservoir, Nevada and passing through the Black Rock Desert to Fandango Pass past Goose Lake on to the Lost River and eventually the Willamette Valley in Oregon
 * The Lassen Cutoff 1848 was established by gold rushers from Oregon going to California. It branched off the Applegate Trail at Davis Creek, went through Devil's Garden to the Pit River passing east of Mt. Lassen, and turning west to Lassen Rancho, California, and from there to Sacramento. In some years as much as 1/3 of emigrants mistakenly took the Applegate Trail-Lassen Cutoff, a much longer and more difficult trail than the Truckee or Carson routes.
 * 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Military Records
 Civil War
 * 1883 Modoc County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * Modoc County Civil War Veterans (USGenWeb Archives)

World War I
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Index to Modoc County World War I Draft Registrations (USGenWeb Archives)

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

 Korean War
 * Modoc County Korean War Casualties (Genealogy Trails)

 Vietnam War
 * Modoc County Vietnam War Casualties (Genealogy Trails)

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
 * California, U.S., Newspapers.com Stories and Events Index at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Obituaries

 * Modoc County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Modoc County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Voting Records
California county clerks were to keep voting registers every other year from 1866 and well into the 20th century. These large books, called Great Registers, listed the men who registered to vote in that county. Besides name and age, the record may show place of birth, address, occupation, naturalization date and sometimes even a physical description.

These records are at the California State Library (1866-1944), and microfilmed copies are available through FamilySearch Centers (1866-1910). Ancestry ($) has a searchable database of Modoc Great Registers from 1875-1898.

The Modoc records for 1874 are available on the RootsWeb site, by clicking here.
 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1782-1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Birth

 * 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Modoc County Birth Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

 * 1800-2007 California, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho
 * Modoc County Marriage Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Death

 * 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Divorce

 * 1966-1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

FamilySearch Centers

 * Alturas California FamilySearch Center
 * Cedarville California FamilySearch Center
 * Fall River California FamilySearch Center

Museums
Modoc County Historical Society Museum 600 South Main Street Alturas, California 96101 Phone: (530) 233-2944 Website

Societies
Modoc County Historical Society Museum 600 South Main Street Alturas, California 96101 Phone: (530) 233-2944 Website

Websites

 * Modoc County CAGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Linkpendium
 * Modoc County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Modoc County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

 * Modoc Research Guide at California State Library