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Orange 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
Orange County, California Facts
When was Orange County, CA Created?
Orange County was established on March 11, 1889 from Los Angeles County .
What is the County Seat of Orange County, CA?
The County Seat is located in Santa Ana also, the county government website is egov.ocgov.com
What counties are adjacent to Orange County, CA?
Bordering Counties are Los Angeles County (north & west), San Bernardino County, Riverside County, San Diego County .
Orange County, CA Vital Records
Where can find Orange County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Orange 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 Orange 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, 1200 N. Main St. #100-A, Santa Ana, CA 92701; Phone (714) 480-6710
- 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
Orange County, CA Census Records
What Orange County, CA census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Orange County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Orange 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.
Orange County, CA Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the Orange County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Orange 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 Orange 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.
- Orange County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 700 Civic Center Dr W, Santa Ana, CA 92701
- Phone: (714) 449-8100
- Orange County Recorder-Clerk
- Address: 12 Civic Center Plaza, Room 101, Santa Ana, CA 92701
- Birth / Death Records: 1887 / 1889
- Marriage Records: 1889
- Land Records: 1889
- Orange County Clerk of Superior Court
- Probate Records: 1889
- Court Records: 1889
- Early California Wills
- BLM Land Records
Orange County, CA Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Orange County, CA?
A list of Orange County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Californiia Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Garden Grove Historical Society,P.O. Box 4297, 12174 Euclid Street, Garden Grove, CA. 92840; Phone: (714) 530-8871
- Orange County Genealogical Society, c/o Huntington Beach Central Library, 7111 Talbert Avenue, Huntington Beach, California 92648; (714) 842-4481 x2227
- Orange County Historical Commission, 211 West Santa Ana Blvd , Santa Ana, CA 92701 ; (714)973-6609
- South Orange County Genealogical Society, Family History Center Institute Building, 27976 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA
- Leisure World Genealogical Workshop, 2300 Beverly Manor Road, Seal Beach, CA 90740
- Brea Historical Society, 125 West Elm Street, Brea, California 92821; PHONE: 714-256-2283
- Orange County Archives, 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd. Rm. 101, Santa Ana, CA 92701; (714) 834-2536
- Santa Ana Historical Society, 120 Civic Center Dr., West; Santa Ana, CA 92701; 714 547-9645
- 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 Orange County, CA Researchers through message boards and forums?
- California Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
- California State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Orange County, California Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Orange County, California Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Orange County, CA?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Orange 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.
Orange 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)
- Orange County, California Books (amazon.com)
- Search California Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
- Orange County California Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
Orange Co. CA Cemeteries & Church Records
- Orange Co., California Graves (findagrave.com)
- Orange County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Orange Co., California Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Orange Co., California Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Orange County, California Church Books (amazon.com)
Orange 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.
Orange Co. CA General and History Websites
- See Also State History for California
- Orange County History (rootsweb.ancestry.com) A Memorial and Biographical History of Southern California, 1890
- An Illustrated history of southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, an (search.ancestry.com)
- Robert Louis Stevenson, Silverado, California, 1880s (search.ancestry.com)
- Orange County under Spain, Mexico, and the United States (search.ancestry.com)
- The story of San Clemente : the Spanish village (search.ancestry.com)
- Orange County, California Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Orange County, California Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Orange Co. CA Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Orange County, California (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – California – Counties – Orange (cyndislist.com)
- Orange County California (genealogytrails.com)
- Orange Co. CAGenweb (sites.google.com)
- Orange County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Orange Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Orange Co. CA Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of California Links and Information
- 1895 Orange County Map (livgenmi.com)
Orange 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 Orange County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.