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San Diego 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
San Diego County, California Facts
When was San Diego County, CA Created?
San Diego County was established on February 18, 1850.
What is the County Seat of San Diego County, CA?
The County Seat is located in San Diego also, the county government website is sdpublic.sdcounty.ca.gov/
What counties are adjacent to San Diego County, CA?
Bordering Counties are Imperial County, Orange County, Riverside County .
San Diego County, CA Vital Records
Where can find San Diego County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
San Diego 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 San Diego 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 Deaths, HHSA Office of Public Health, 3851 Rosecrans Street, Suite 802, San Diego, CA 92110; (619) 692-5733
- California, San Diego Divorce Records 1979 to 1999
- 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
San Diego County, CA Census Records
What San Diego County, CA census records are available?
There are many types of census records for San Diego 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.
San Diego Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. San Diego Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. San Diego 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.
San Diego County, CA Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the San Diego County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of San Diego 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 San Diego 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.
- San Diego County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 220 W Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101
- Phone: (619) 441-5500
- San Diego County Recorder-Clerk
- Address: 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 260, San Diego, CA 92101; Mail to: P.O. Box 12150, San Diego, CA 92112-4750
- Phone: (619) 237-0502
- Birth / Death Records: 1860 / 1851
- Marriage Records: 1850
- Land Records: 1850
- San Diego County Clerk of Superior Court
- Probate Records: 1848
- Court Records: 1855
- Early California Wills
- BLM Land Records
San Diego County, CA Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for San Diego County, CA?
A list of San Diego County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Californiia Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Chula Vista Genealogical Society (CVGS), P. O. Box 3024, Chula Vista, CA 91909
- Escondido Genealogical Society (EGS), P.O. Box 2190, Escondido, CA 92033-2190
- Escondido Historical Society, 321 N. Broadway, Escondido CA 92025; Phone: 760 743-8207
- North San Diego County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 581, Carlsbad, CA 92018-0581
- San Diego African-American Genealogy Research Group (SDAAGRG), P.O. Box 741956, San Diego, CA 92174-1956
- San Diego Genealogical Society, 7343 Ronson Road, Suite O, San Diego, CA 92111-1430; (858) 279-7347
- San Diego County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 422, Ramona, CA 92065
- San Diego Historical Society, PO Box 81825, San Diego, CA 92138-1825; (619) 232-6203 ext 102
- San Diego Jewish Genealogical Society (SDJGS), P.O. Box 927089, San Diego, CA 92192-7089
- Temecula Valley Genealogical Society (TVGS), 7475 Ynez Road, #291, Temecula, CA 92591
- 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 San Diego County, CA Researchers through message boards and forums?
- California Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
- California State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- San Diego County, California Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- San Diego County, California Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in San Diego County, CA?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to San Diego 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.
San Diego Co. CA Books, Newspapers & Publications
- California Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- San Diego Union-Tribune (California) Obituaries, 1993-94 (search.ancestry.com)
- Historical Newspapers from California (1813 – 1978) (genealogybank.com)
- San Diego County, California Books (amazon.com)
- Search California Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
- San Diego County California Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
San Diego Co. CA Cemeteries & Church Records
- San Diego Co., California Graves (findagrave.com)
- San Diego County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- San Diego Co., California Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- San Diego Co., California Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- San Diego County, California Church Books (amazon.com)
San Diego 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.
San Diego Co. CA General and History Websites
- See Also State History for California
- Amador County History (rootsweb.ancestry.com) An Illustrated History of Southern California, 1890
- City of San Diego and San Diego County : the birthplace of California (search.ancestry.com)
- An Illustrated history of southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, an (search.ancestry.com)
- History of San Diego (search.ancestry.com)
- The city and county of San Diego (search.ancestry.com)
- Picturesque San Diego : with historical and descriptive notes (search.ancestry.com)
- San Diego County, California Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- San Diego County, California Wiki (familysearch.org)
- San Diego Co. CA Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- San Diego County, California (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – California – Counties – San Diego (cyndislist.com)
- San Diego County California (genealogytrails.com)
- San Diego Co. CAGenweb (cagenweb.com)
- San Diego County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- San Diego Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
San Diego Co. CA Immigration & Naturalization
- See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for California
- California, San Diego Naturalization Index, 1868-1958 (familysearch.org)
San Diego Co. CA Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of California Links and Information
- 1895 San Diego County Map (livgenmi.com)
San Diego 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 San Diego County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.
San Diego Co. CA Schools & Directories
- Directory of churches and religious organizations in San Diego County (search.ancestry.com)