Tuolumne County, California Genealogy

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

Description
Tuolumne County's name is of Native American origin and has been given different meanings, such as Many Stone Houses, The Land of Mountain Lions and, Straight Up Steep, the latter an interpretation of William Fuller, a native Chief. Mariano Vallejo, in his report to the first California State Legislature, said that the word is "a corruption of the Indian word talmalamne which signifies 'cluster of stone wigwams.'" The name may mean "people who dwell in stone houses," i.e., in caves. The county is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Tuolumne County Courthouse 12855 Justice Center Drive Sonora, CA 95370-4679 Phone: 209-533-5555 Tuolumne County Website County Clerk Recorder has birth records from 1858, marriage records from 1850, death records from 1859, burial records from 1916, divorce, probate, court and land from 1850 and old newspapers 1862-1948.

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

 * A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Merced, Stanislaus, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa, California. New Haven, Connecticut : Research Publications, 1968. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
 * Index to Tuolumne County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Tuolumne County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Index to Tuolumne County Published Biographies (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
 * 1850-1886 (*); Tuolumne County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * Index to Tuolumne County Federal Land Records at USGenWeb Archives

Local Histories

 * 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
Early migration routes to and from Tuolumne County for emigrant settlers included:
 * California Trail 1844 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * Carson (River) Trail 1848 (aka Mormon Emigrant Trail) crossed the Forty Mile Desert past the west side of the Carson Sink to pick up the Carson River near Fallon, Nevada up to Hope Valley and Red Lake. The Devil's Ladder then climbed 700 feet (210 m) in half a mile so ropes, chains, and pulleys were required to lift the wagons. Carson Pass was followed by the relatively easy West Pass (Kirkwood, California) and then on to Pollock Pines, Placerville, and Sutter's Fort, California
 * Big Tree Road (Ebbetts Pass) 1851 from western Nevada to Markleeville, Murphys, Sonora, and Stockton, California
 * Sonora Road 1852-1854 from the Carson Trail south to the Walker River along the base of the Sierra Nevada until it ascends to Sonora Pass and then down to Strawberry and Sonora, California
 * 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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

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

 * Index to Tuolumne County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Tuolumne 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

Birth

 * 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Early Tuolumne County Birth Notices by year (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

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

Death

 * 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 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

Archives
Carlo M. De Ferrari Archive 490 Greenley Road Sonora, CA 95370 Phone: 209-536-1163 Email: [mailto:amattos@co.tuolumne.ca.us amattos@co.tuolumne.ca.us] Website Columbia State Park Archives Corner of Main & Fulton Columbia, CA 95310 Phone: 209-536-2646 Email: [mailto:columbialibraryarchives@gmail.com columbialibraryarchives@gmail.com]

FamilySearch Centers

 * Groveland California FamilySearch Center
 * Sonora California FamilySearch Center

Libraries
Tuolumne County Library 480 Greenley Rd Sonora, CA 95370 Phone: 209-533-5507 Website

Societies
Tuolumne County Genealogical Society 158 West Bradford Street Sonora, CA 95370 209-532-1317 Website Facebook Tuolumne County Historical Society P.O. Box 695 158 Bradford Street Sonora, Ca 95370 Phone: 209-532-4227 Website

Websites

 * Tuolumne County CAGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Tuolumne County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Tuolumne 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

 * Tuolumne Research Guide at California State Library