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Monterey County, California
Genealogy, History & Facts
County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links
Monterey County, California Facts
When was Monterey County, CA Created?
Monterey County was established on February 18, 1850.
What is the County Seat of Monterey County, CA?
The County Seat is located in Salinas also, the county government website is http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/
What counties are adjacent to Monterey County, CA?
Bordering Counties are San Luis Obispo County, Kings County, Fresno County, San Benito County, Santa Cruz County .
Monterey County, CA Vital Records
Where can find Monterey County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Monterey County vital records can be found at the California Office of Vital Records has copies of birth and death records from July 1905, marriage records that occurred from 1949-1986 and 1998-1999, divorce records that occurred between 1962 and June, 1984. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in California for current fees and application process.
You can search online for Monterey County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for California Birth Certificate, Marriage or Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.
Vital Records can also be found in the Local Registrar of Births and Death, 1270 Natividad Road, Room 227.01, Salinas, CA 93906-3198; Office (831) 755-4504
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- Social Security Death Index
- USGenweb Archives California Marriage Project
- California Birth Index 1905 to 1995 from the California Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics
- California Birth Index, 1905-1995
- California Marriage Records 1960 to 1985 from the California Department of Health
- California, County Marriages, 1850-1952
- California Marriages, 1850-1877
- California, Marriage Index, 1960-1985
- California Divorce Index, 1966-1984
- Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011
- California Death Index 1940 to 1997
- California Death Index, 1940-1997
- California, World War I Death Announcements, 1918-1921
- California Biographical Collection: Responses to Vital Record Inquiries, 1822-1964
Monterey County, CA Census Records
What Monterey County, CA census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Monterey County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Monterey Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Monterey Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Monterey Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890.
Another California census is the California State Census in 1852. One can find free online and printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also California Census Records Research Guide.
Monterey County, CA Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the Monterey County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Monterey County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in California courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless California residents.
The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Monterey County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also California Corthouse Records Research Guide.
- Monterey County Courthouse (Completed 1878, all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 240 Church St, Salinas, CA 93901
- Phone: (408) 755-5041
- Monterey County Recorder-Clerk
- Address: 168 West Alisal Street, First Floor, Salinas, CA 93901
- Phone: (831) 755-5041
- Birth / Death Records: 1824 / 1887
- Marriage Records: 1887
- Land Records: 1850
- Monterey County Clerk of Superior Court
- Probate Records: 1850
- Court Records: 1850
- Early California Wills
- BLM Land Records
Monterey County, CA Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Monterey County, CA?
A list of Monterey County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Californiia Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Monterey County Genealogy Society, P. O. Box 8144, Salinas, CA 93912-8144
- Monterey County Historical Society, P.O. Box 3576, Salinas, CA 93912; Phone: (831) 757-8085
- Pacific Grove Heritage Society, P.O. Box 1007, Pacific Grove, CA 93950; Phone: (831) 372-2898
- Seaside Historical Commission, 1600 LaSalle Street, Seaside, CA 93955; Phone: (831) 394-4442
- John Steinbeck Library, 350 Lincoln Avenue, Salinas, CA 93901; (831) 758-7311
- Monterey Public Library, 625 Pacific Street Monterey CA 93940; By Phone: 831.646.3933
- California State Archives, Office of Secretary of State, 1020 O Street, Room 130, Sacramento, CA 95814
- California State Library, 914 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814
- California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco 94105
- California Genealogical Society And Library, 2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland 94612-3017
Where can I connect with other Monterey County, CA Researchers through message boards and forums?
- California Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
- California State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Monterey County, California Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Monterey County, California Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Monterey County, CA?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Monterey County. A majority of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a payment. This is basically a listing which has been gathered or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site above another.
Monterey Co. CA Books, Newspapers & Publications
- California Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- California historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from California (1813 – 1978) (genealogybank.com)
- Monterey County, California Books (amazon.com)
- Search California Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
- Monterey County California Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
Monterey Co. CA Cemeteries & Church Records
- Monterey Co., California Graves (findagrave.com)
- Monterey County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Monterey Co., California Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Monterey Co., California Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Monterey County, California Church Books (amazon.com)
Monterey Co. CA Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- California Pioneer Project – The California Pioneer List (CPL) is a list of settlers to California who migrated to or were born in California prior to 1880 (included in the 1880 California Census) and obtained from those sent (e-mailed) directly from individuals doing genealogical research.
Monterey Co. CA General and History Websites
- See Also State History for California
- Old Monterey : California’s adobe capital (search.ancestry.com)
- Monterey County : its general features, resources, attractions, and inducements to investors and home seekers. (search.ancestry.com)
- Monterey, all of it between two covers, 1542-1930 (search.ancestry.com)
- Early Explorations (mchsmuseum.com)
- Spanish Colonization (mchsmuseum.com)
- The founding of Monterey
- Monterey’s first years: The Presidio of Monterey
- A Brief Overview of Monterey Bay Area Missions
- Scientific and other expeditions to Monterey
- La Pérouse, 1786
- Malaspina and Bustamante, 1791
- Galiano and Valdés, 1792
- Vancouver, 1792
- Rezanof,
- Spanish concessions
- Hipólito (Hypolite) Bouchard and the pirate raid of 1818
- Spanish governors of Alta California
- Mexican Era (mchsmuseum.com)
- American Era Settlement (mchsmuseum.com)
- Overview of Post-Hispanic Monterey County History
- The First Newspaper in California (1846)
- The Influence of the Gold Rush
- The California Cattle Boom, 1849-1862
- Salinas, A Short History
- Pioneers of the Salinas Area (in progress)
- Black Pioneers of the Salinas Area
- Central Coast Railroads–An Overview
- Railroads Put Salinas on the Map
- Colony settlements
- Overview of Monterey County Agriculture
- Ethnic Participation during the American Period, 1846-1930
- American Era Growth and Development (mchsmuseum.com)
- Resources of Monterey County, California (search.ancestry.com)
- Monterey County, California Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Monterey County, California Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Monterey Co. CA Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Monterey County, California (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – California – Counties – Monterey (cyndislist.com)
- Monterey County California (genealogytrails.com)
- Monterey Co. CAGenweb (cagenweb.com)
- Monterey County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Monterey Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Monterey Co. CA Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of California Links and Information
- 1895 Monterey County Map (livgenmi.com)
Monterey Co. CA Military Records
- California Military Records Research Guide
- California Military Records (fold3.com) gives you easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the California individuals that served. Great for Monterey County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.