Tulare County, California Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
County Recorder has birth and marriage records from 1852 death records from 1873 &amp; mil rec from 1919; Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate, court and naturalization records County Assessor has land records

Parent County
20 April 1852: Tulare County was created from Mariposa County. County seat: Visalia

Description
The county was named from this lake that the county derives its name. The root of the name Tulare is found in the Mexican word tullin, designating cattail or similar reeds. Tularemia is named after Tulare County. The county seat Visalia and the county was created 1852. The County is located in the 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

 * Fresno
 * Inyo
 * Kern
 * Kings

Biography

 * Tulare County Biographical Index (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Tulare County Biographies (USGenWeb Archvies)
 * Index to Biographical Resources, Tulare County (CAGenWeb Project)

Cemeteries

 * 1875-1900 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Census

 * Tulare County Census Records (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
 * Porterville
 * Visalia
 * FamilySearch Places

Directories

 * 1950 Polk's Tulare County, California, Directory, 1950 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * 1958 Polk's Tulare County, California, Directory, 1958 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)

Gazetteers

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

History

 * Tulare County History Books Excerpts (Genealogy Trails)

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

 * 1798 - 1937 at FamilySearch - [[United States Muster Rolls of the Marine Corps - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * How to Use this Collection]]; index and images
 * 1856 The Indian War on the Tule River (Genealogy Trails)

Civil War

 * 1883 Tulare County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1886 Civil War Veterans Rosters, G.A.R. Posts in Tulare County (USGenWeb Archives)

World War I

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

World War II

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

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Index to Tulare County Naturalization Records (CAGenWeb Project)

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 Tulare County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Tulare County Individual Obituaries and Obituary Collections (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Index to Tulare County Obituary Sources (CAGenWeb Project)

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

 * Corcoran California Family History Center
 * Delano California Family History Center
 * Fresno California Family History Center
 * Fresno California West Family History Center
 * Fresno California North Family History Center
 * Hanford California Family History Center
 * Porterville California Family History Center
 * Sanger California Family History Center
 * Selma California Family History Center
 * Visalia California Family History Center


 * Fresno County Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Tulare Public Library - an affiliate library

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records
 * Index to Tulare County Vital Records (CAGenWeb Project)

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($)


 * Tulare County Birth Notices by year (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($)
 * 1854 - 1885 Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Tulare County Marriage Notices by year (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
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 Family History Centers (1866-1910). Ancestry ($) has a searchable database of Los Angeles Great Registers from 1873-1896.

The Tulare records for 1869, 1890, and 1898 are available on the RootsWeb site, by clicking here.
 * 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
Sequoia Genealogical Society c/o Tulare City Library, Genealogy Room 113 North "F" Street Tulare, CA 93274; Phone:559-685-4518 Website

Tulare County Historical Society 27000 South Mooney Boulevard Visalia, CA 93277 Phone:559-733-6616 Website


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

Websites

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