California Archives: California State Archives

If you have California ancestors, you will want to check out the California State Archive for records that may pertain to your family. A list of their family history resources can be found here. Some of their materials are available on microfilm and can be borrowed through inter-library loan.

What records do they have?  Well their collection includes:

• Probate 
• County, District, Judicial and Superior Court
• Bond, Letters and Wills
• Naturalization
• Deeds
• Homestead
• Birth
• Death
• Marriage
• and Miscellaneous records from various county offices including records pertaining to occupations, the military, mental health facilities and prisons.

For those with ancestors who were amongst the earliest settlers of California, the archives collections includes Mexican and Spanish land grants.

The California State Archive collection can be searched through the Minerva online catalog or the Online Archive of California.