California, Oakland, Alameda County, Newspaper Record Collection - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of a card file index created from local newspapers and includes obituaries, wedding announcements, anniversaries, and birth announcements. The obituaries are mixed with biographical news stories. Some obituaries are included from the Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register of persons who were natives of Oakland or the Bay Area and died in southern California. The card files for 1985-2002, 2003-2006 and 1986-2011 are located at the Oakland Family History Center.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:


 * Name of deceased
 * Birth date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Names of parents
 * Name of spouse
 * Names of children


 * Name of cemetery
 * Place of residence
 * Name of newspaper
 * Date of obituary publication
 * Other types of news events

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of any event
 * The names of other relatives

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Date Range and Name Range to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information found in the record to locate the death record
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to determine an approximate birth date to find vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in censuses

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of California.
 * California Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1905 | 1905-Present

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.