Kings County, California Genealogy

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

Description
Kings County was named for Kings River. The county is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Kings County Courthouse 1640 Kings County Drive Hanford, CA 93230 Phone: 559-582-1010 Kings County Website

County Clerk has birth marriage, death, divorce, probate, court land and naturalization records from 1893

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

 * History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California : with Biographical Sketches. By Eugene L. Menefee and Fred A. Dodge. Los Angeles, California : Historical Record Co., 1913. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
 * Kings County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Kings County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Kings County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)

Census Records

 * 1870, 1910 Index to Kings County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Avenal
 * Hanford

 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
 * Index to Kings County Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Local Histories

 * The History of Kings County. By Robert R. Brown. Hanford, California : A.H. Cawston, c1940. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California : with Biographical Sketches. By Eugene L. Menefee and Fred A. Dodge. Los Angeles, California : Historical Record Co., 1913. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
 * The Story of Kings County, California. By James L. Brown. Berkeley, California : Lederer, Street & Zeus, 1941. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * California Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 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 & images

Military Records
 Civil War
 * 1886 Civil War Veterans, McPherson Post No. 51, G. A. R. 1886 (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1886 Civil War Veterans, Union Post No. 99, G. A. R. 1886 (USGenWeb Archives)

World War I
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

 World War II
 * Index to Kings County WWII Army Enlistees (USGenWeb Archives)

 Korean War
 * Kings County Vietnam War Casualties (Genealogy Trails)

 Vietnam War
 * Kings County Deceased Vietnam War Veterans (CAGenWeb Project)

Newspapers

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

Obituaries

 * Kings County Obituary Index (Genealogy Trails)
 * Kings County Obituary Indexes (CAGenWeb Project)
 * Index to Kings County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Voting Records

 * 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 ($)
 * 1833-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; 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

Vital Records

 * Birth and Death Indexes Searches - free. (CAGenWeb Project)

Birth

 * 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1905-1910 Kings County Birth Index (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

 * 1800-2007 California, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1850-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1850-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1902-1915 Kings County Marriage Notices (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho

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

 * Corcoran California FamilySearch Center
 * Hanford California FamilySearch Center
 * Fresno County Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Tulare Public Library - an affiliate library

Websites

 * Kings County CAGenWeb and Ca Genweb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Kings County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Kings 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

 * Kings Research Guide at California State Library