Kings County, California Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Kings County Courthouse 1400 W Lacey Blvd Hanford, CA 93230 Phone 559.582.3211

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

Parent County
22 March 1893: Kings County was created from Tulare County. County seat: Hanford

Description
The county was named for Kings River after which the county was named. The County Seat is Hanford and was founded March 22, 1893. It 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
 * Kern
 * Monterey
 * San Luis Obispo
 * Tulare

Biography

 * Kings County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Kings County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Kings County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)

Census

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

Church History and Records

 * 1864-1985 - at FamilySearch — index

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Avenal
 * Hanford
 * FamilySearch Places

Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Land and Property

 * Index to Kings County Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Migration

 * 1906-1935 - at FamilySearch — index

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 — index and 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

Obituaries

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

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 — images

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Corcoran California Family History Center
 * Hanford California Family History Center

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records
 * Birth and Death Indexes Searches - free. (CAGenWeb Project)

Birth

 * 1812 - 1988 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1905 - 1995 - at FamilySearch — 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 — index
 * 1850 - 1952 - at FamilySearch — index and images ; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1854 - 1885 - Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1902 - 1915 - Kings County Marriage Notices (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1960 - 1985 - at FamilySearch — index and images; Also at: MyHeritage($)

Divorce

 * 1966 - 1984 - at FamilySearch — index

Death

 * 1776 - 2000 - at FamilySearch — index, some images
 * 1905 - 1939 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1940 - 1997 - at FamilySearch — index; Also at: MyHeritage($)

Voting Registers

 * 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

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

Websites

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