Monterey County, California Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
County Recorder has birth and death records and marriage records from 1893. Clerk Superior Court has probate and land rececords County Court has divorce and court records.

Parent County
18 February 1850: Monterey County was created as an original county. County seat: Salinas

Description
The county was named from Monterey Bay. The county seat Monterey Bay and the county was created February 18, 1850. The County is located in the west 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
 * Kings
 * San Benito
 * San Luis Obispo
 * Santa Clara
 * Santa Cruz

Biography

 * Index to Monterey County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Index to Monterey County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)

Cemeteries
The following web sites may have additional information on Monterey  County cemeteries.


 * Interment.net California cemetery records by County.


 * 1850 - 1960 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Census

 * 1850 - 1910 - Index to Monterey County Census Records (CAGenWeb Project)
 * 1852 California State census, schedule I inhabitants of Monterey County, California : Escobar 1852 Monterey County database, by Lorraine Escobar at FamilySearch - (book)

Church History and Records

 * 1864-1985 - at FamilySearch — index

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


 * Monterey
 * Pacific Grove
 * Salinas

Court Records
Superior Court of California – County of Monterey  Case Lookup – Index  https://portal.monterey.courts.ca.gov/  ''Probate/Guardianship. Conservatorship Case Fillings '' http://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/Probate/

'''http://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/Documents/Administration/Access-to-Administrative-and-Court-Records.pdf Requesting Court Case File and Adjudicative Records (divorce, criminal, complaints, judgments, traffic tickets, case information) Mostly available at the clerk’s office at the court location where record was originally filed. Requests to inspect and copy case file and other adjudicative records prepared for or filed or used in a court proceeding may be made at the courthouse where they are filed. There is a copying fee of $0.50 per page, which must be paid in advance. Please direct requests for access to administrative records maintained by the Monterey County Superior Court to: PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE Superior Court of California County of Monterey 240 Church Street Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: (831) 775-5400 x3020 Fax: (831) 775-5499 [mailto:Mediainfo@monterey.courts.ca.gov Mediainfo@monterey.courts.ca.gov]'''

Court records held by Monterey County Historical Society:

History
Historical information found at:


 * WorldCat


 * Monterey County Historical Society


 * City of Monterey Museums

Land and Property
Taylor, Alexander Smith. 1900. Index to the Mexican Archives of the County of Monterey from volume sixth to volume sixteenth inclusive


 * Land records held by the Monterey County Historical Society:


 * Index to Monterey County General Land Office Records (USGenWeb Archives]

Maps

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)

Migration

 * 1906-1935 - at FamilySearch — index

Civil War

 * - 1st Battalion, California Native Cavalry (Union), Company A
 * - 1st Battalion, California Native Cavalry (Union), Company B


 * 1883 - List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883, Monterey County (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1886 - Gen. Jas. B. Steedman Post No. 56, G. A. R. 1886 Roster (USGenWeb Archives)

World War II

 * Monterey County World War II Army Enlistees (CAGenWeb Project)

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1852-1989 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
(note: some of these dates may be off due to incomplete holdings lists and variations in titles of the newspapers)

BIG SUR Big Sur Gazette (1978-1981)

CARMEL and CARMEL VALLEY Carmel Californian (1936-1937) Carmel Cottager (1934) Carmel Cymbal (1926-1941) Carmel Cymbal and Masten’s Gazette (1941-1942) Carmel, Pebble Beach, Carmel Valley Spectator (1949) Carmel Pine Cone (1915-present) Carmel Pine Cone and Carmel Valley Outlook (1981-1993) Carmel Pine Cone Cymbal (1942-1962) Carmel Spectator (1949-1955) Carmel Sun (1992-1994) Carmel Valley News (1951-1955) Carmel Valley Sun (1983-1990) Carmel Valley Outlook (1979-1981) Carmel Valley Weekly Sun (1990-1993) Carmel Village Daily (1933) Masten’s Gazette (1941) Paisano (1948) Peninsula Spectator (1959) Spectator (1949-1950)

CASTROVILLE and MOSS LANDING Castroville News (1936-1942) Castroville Times (1950-1952) Castroville Times Journal (1950) Castroville Times and Moss Landing Harbor News (1952-1975) North County News (1975-1982)

FORT ORD Fort Ord Panorama (1980-1982)

GONZALES Gonzales Tribune (1956-1991)

GREENFIELD Greenfield News (1952-1991)

KING CITY King City Rustler (1901-1997) Rustler and King City Herald (1961-1964) Semi Weekly Rustler (1936-1937)

MARINA Marina Tribune (1981-1982) Marina Weekly Tribune (1979)

MONTEREY Army News (1904) At Ease (1990) Monterey American (1913-1916) Monterey Argus (1887-1888) Monterey Bay Labor News 1955-1985 Monterey Bay News (1947-1950) Monterey Bay and Pacific Grove/Pebble Beach Tribune (1985) Monterey Bay Tribune (1985-1987) Monterey County Herald (1992-present) Monterey County Journal (1864) Monterey County Post (1929-1933) Monterey Daily Cypress 1889-1922) Monterey Democrat (1868-1889) Monterey Enterprise (?) Monterey Evening Herald (1909-1910) Monterey Gazette (1863-1868) Monterey Herald (1986-1992) Monterey Labor News (1937) Monterey New Era (1890-1909) Monterey News Daily and Monterey Trader (1940) Monterey Peninsula Herald (1929-1992) Monterey Sentinel (1855-1856) Monterey Trader (1933-1951) Monterey Union (1862) Montereyan (1951-1955) Peninsula Advocate (1910-1911) Peninsula Daily Herald (1927-1929) Peninsula Daily Herald and Monterey Daily Cypress and Monterey American (1923-1927) Peninsula Merchants’ Semi-Monthly Bulletin (1915-1916)

PACIFIC GROVE Pacific Grove Beacon (1994-1995) Pacific Grove Daily Review (1892-1926) Pacific Grove Monarch (1987-1992) Pacific Grove News (1916) Pacific Grove/Pebble Beach Tribune (1976-1984) Pacific Grove Progress (1916) Pacific Grove Review (1888-1912) Pacific Grove Tide (1936-1943) Pacific Grove Tribune (1943-1951, 1984-1985) Pacific Grove Weekly Tribune (1978-1979) Peninsula Pelican (1925) Peninsular Review and Pacific Grove Daily Review (1926-1932)

SALINAS Monterey County Labor News (1942-1954) Monterey County Post (1929-1933) North Monterey County Fortnighter (1983-1989) Owl (1894) Salinas Californian (1942-present) Salinas Daily Index (1894-1928) Salinas Daily Journal (1889-1897) Salinas Daily Post and Monterey County Post (1933-1942) Salinas Democrat (1889-1896) Salinas Index (1895-1904) Salinas Index Journal (1928-1942) Salinas Index Weekly (1873-1925) Salinas Labor News (1937-1942) Salinas Morning Post (1936-1942) Salinas Standard (1869-1872) Salinas Valley Rustler (1906-1923) Salinas Valley Settler (1889) Salinas Village Crier (1942) Salinas Weekly Index (1883-1895) Salinas Weekly Journal (1867-1915

SEASIDE Free Weekly Sentinel (1987) Right-On Post (1970) Seaside News Sentinel (1950-1970) Seaside Post (1969-1970) Seaside Post News Sentinel (1970-1988) Seaside Post Sentinel (1970) Seaside Sentinel (1988-1996) Seaside Weekly Sentinel (1987-1988)

SPRECKELS Spreckles Courier (1909-1914)

WATSONVILLE Watsonville Rustler (1888-1897)

References:  1. “Californian.” In the California Weekly, vol. 1, August 27, 1909, p629. 2. “Californian.” In the Grizzly Bear, vol. 2, Feb. 1908 p23 3. Denny, Melcena Burns. “California’s First newspaper Printed without a Letter ‘W’ on Flimsy Cigarette Paper.” In Montana, the Magazine of Western History, vol. 15, no. 4, October 1965 p29-41. 4. Dethlefs, Helen. “First California Newspaper Founded 100 Years Ago, August 15, 1846.” In California Publisher, August 1946, p11. 5. “First newspaper in California.” In The Pony Express, September 1946 p2. 6. Harding, Geroge L. “The Origin of California’s First printing Press.” In Book Club of California, Quarterly news-letter 2:5-8, June 1934. 7. “The Salinas Californian; Newspaper’s Growth Tied to a Dream.” In California Publisher, Vol. 1, Nos 2 &amp; 3, Nov-Dec 1971, p34-35. 8. “Newspaper Holdings of the California State Library” compiled by Marianne Leach

Obituaries

 * Index to Monterey County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Monterey County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Monterey County Obituaries (CAGenWeb Project)

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1833 – 1991 at FamilySearch — images

County Courthouse
Monterey Courthouse, 1200 Aguajito Rd, Monterey, CA 93940; (831) 647-5800 History - Monterey County Courthouse Completed 1878 http://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/General_Information/History.aspx The military and social capital of Alta California during Spanish and Mexican rule, the town of Monterey naturally became the county seat when the 27 original counties were formed in, 1850. But when it was learned that the railroad was to go through the valley and not along the coast, the government center was moved to Salinas. After the house used as a courthouse burned, this much larger brick Victorian building was commissioned. The courthouse remained in use while the current one was being constructed around it, and then was demolished. Today a courtyard, lily pond, and commemorative sculpture occupy the site.

Marina Courthouse, 3180 Del Monte Blvd, Marina, CA 93933; (831) 883-5300

King City Courthouse, 250 Franciscan Way, King City, CA 93930; (831) 386-5200

Salinas Courthouse, 240 Church St, Salinas, CA 93901; (831) 775-5400

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Monterey California Family History Center

Monterey County Genealogy Society

Monterey County Historical Society The MCHS is a major archive for Monterey County records.

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records

Birth

 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1812 - 1988 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1905 - 1995 - at FamilySearch — index

Marriage

 * 1800 - 2007 - California, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1850 - 1945 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1850 - 1952 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1854 - 1885 - Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Divorce

 * 1966 - 1984 - at FamilySearch — index

Death

 * 1800 - 1994 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - 1939 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1940 - 1997 - at FamilySearch — index

Voters Registers
The following is a list of original voter registration records recently transferred from Monterey County Elections Department to the Monterey County Historical Society archival facility in Salinas. To access records, see: http://www.mchsmuseum.com/

Great Register of Voters: Ledger Books: 1866-1870 1 book 1870 1 book 1881-1883,1886,1888,1890 1 book 1892 (Vol. 1, Vol. 2) 2 books 1896 (Vol. 1, Vol. 2) 2 books 1898 (Vol. 3) 2 books 1900 (Vol. 1,Vol. 2) 2 books 1902 (Vol. 1, Vol. 2) 2 books 1904 (Vol. 1, Vol.2) 2 books 1906-1907 (Vol. 1, Vol. 2) 2 books 1908-1909 (A-L, M-Z) 2 books 1910-1911 (A-L, M-Z) 2 books 1912-1913 (A-L, M-Z) 4 books 1914-1915 (A-L, M-Z) 2 books

Scattered records: Voter affidavits*: 1922-23 (Affidavits, Pleyto precinct) 1930-31 (Affidavits, Blanco precinct)

Indexes (no voter affidavits): 1938, August primary (Greenfield precincts No.1 and No. 2)

Description of collection: The ledger books1 titled Great Register of Voters are the original handwritten manuscripts kept by the County Clerk’s (Registrar of Voters) office of the County of Monterey beginning in 1866.2 The entries are made in alphabetical sections (with alpha sub-sections) and show chronological appearance of voters as they were sworn and registered to vote. The entries include place of nativity (birthplace); age of voter; place of residence (post office or precinct); date and place of naturalization, if applicable; whether citizen by virtue of Treaty of Hildago or citizen by virtue of father’s naturalization (and in later years a woman’s citizenship status by marriage); occupation; date of appearance to be sworn; and date of registration. Later registration data includes a physical description of the voter and party affiliation. The Registrar of Voters also appended notes to the entries to indicate reasons for cancellation whether due to removal to another county or state, transfer to another county due to change of boundary lines (i.e. to San Benito County in 1874), death, incarceration or “Section 1106” (failure to vote). These notations usually contained dates if known. Copies of the list of voters not thus cancelled, were made every two years and sometimes more frequently if a special election occurred (polling lists). These copies of uncancelled voters were sent to the state and other repositories on a routine basis. Microfilm of these typeset lists is available at the California State Library in Sacramento, California, and other repositories.3

These original handwritten Great Register ledger books have not been microfilmed or transcribed. There was a partial transcription done of the 1890 Great Register as part of a census substitute project4 but the transcription does not include cancellation information.

Note: The Great Register books contain information for years other than marked on the book spines. For example, the 1866-1870 Great Register contains several entries made after 1870 when cancellations were noted and the 1890 Great Register shows voter registration dates which occurred years earlier.

1 Some years are missing. 2 Beginning in the year 1866, California state law required a list of voters to be kept. 3 Monterey County (California) County Clerk. Great Register of Voters 1867, 1869, 1872, 1875-1876, 1879-1880, 1884, 1886, 1888, 1890, 1892, 1894, 1896, 1898. (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1975). 4 Bettyann Lockwood Hedegard, ed., 1890 great register of Monterey County, California. (Salinas, CA: Monterey County Genealogy Society, c1993).
 * Voter affidavits are registration forms signed by the voters and contain birth date, birth place, residence address, occupation, party affiliation and sometimes cancellation information.
 * List of records

Courtesy of Junel Davidsen

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
Carmel Heritage Society Lincoln and Sixth P.O. Box 701 Carmel, CA 93921 Phone: 831.624.4447 [mailto:info@carmelheritage.org Email]

The Carmel Valley History Center 77 W. Carmel Valley Rd Carmel Valley, CA 93924 P.O. Box 1612 Phone: 831.659-5715 [mailto:cvhs3@live.com Email]

Castroville Historical Society 11560 Merritt Street Castroville, CA 95012

Monterey County Genealogy Society Inc P. O. Box 8144 Salinas, CA 93912-8144 Website

Monterey County Historical Society, Inc Boronda Adobe History Center 333 Boronda Road Salinas, CA 93907 Mailing Address:P.O. Box 3576 Salinas, CA 93912 Phone: 831.757.8085

Soledad Historical Society P.O. Box 593 Soledad, CA 93960 Phone: 831.678.8668 Contact Person:Margaret Jacobsen

Monterey Park Historical Society P.O. Box 272 Monterey Park 91754

Monterey History And Art Association P.O. Box 805 Monterey 93942


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

Websites

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