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Santa Clara 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
Santa Clara County, California Facts
When was Santa Clara County, CA Created?
Santa Clara County was established on February 18, 1850.
What is the County Seat of Santa Clara County, CA?
The County Seat is located in San Jose also, the county government website is www.sccgov.org
What counties are adjacent to Santa Clara County, CA?
Bordering Counties are San Benito County, Santa Cruz County (south & southwest), San Mateo County, Alameda County, Stanislaus County, Merced County .
Santa Clara County, CA Vital Records
Where can find Santa Clara County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara 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, 976 Lenzen Ave., Suite 1300, San Jose, CA 95126; Office (408) 885-2010
- 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
Santa Clara County, CA Census Records
What Santa Clara County, CA census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Santa Clara 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.
Santa Clara Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Santa Clara Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Santa Clara 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.
Santa Clara County, CA Courthouse and Government Records
Santa Clara County CourthouseWhat genealogical records can I find in the Santa Clara County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara 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.
- Santa Clara County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 191 N 1st St, San Jose, CA 95113
- Phone: (408)882-2700
- Santa Clara County Recorder-Clerk
- Address: County Government Center, East Wing, First Floor, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose, CA 95110
- Phone: Office (408) 299-2481 (General), Office (408) 299-5669 (Recording)
- Birth / Death Records: 1873
- Marriage Records: 1846
- Land Records: 1850
- Santa Clara County Clerk of Superior Court
- Probate Records: 1850
- Court Records: 1850
- Early California Wills
- BLM Land Records
Santa Clara County, CA Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Santa Clara County, CA?
A list of Santa Clara County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Californiia Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Santa Clara County Historical & Genealogical Society, 2635 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95051-5387
- Los Altos History Museum, 51 South San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022; (650) 948-9427
- Milpitas Historical Society, 160 N Main St, Milpitas, CA 95035; (408) 320-9587
- Palo Alto Historical Society,P.O. Box 193, Palo Alto, CA 94302; (650) 326-3355
- Santa Clara County Archives, 1875 Senter Rd, San Jose, CA 95112; PHONE NUMBER: (408) 755-7895
- Sunnyvale Historical Society, PO Box 2187, 570 East Remington Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94087; (408) 749-0220
- 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 Santa Clara County, CA Researchers through message boards and forums?
- California Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
- California State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Santa Clara County, California Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Santa Clara County, California Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Santa Clara County, CA?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Santa Clara 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.
Santa Clara 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)
- Santa Clara County, California Books (amazon.com)
- Search California Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
- Santa Clara County California Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
Santa Clara Co. CA Cemeteries & Church Records
- Santa Clara Co., California Graves (findagrave.com)
- Santa Clara County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Santa Clara Co., California Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Santa Clara Co., California Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Santa Clara County, California Church Books (amazon.com)
Santa Clara Co. CA Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- Early Settlers of Santa Clara County (santaclararesearch.net) Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World, Santa Clara County, California, Published 1888
- California Pioneers of Santa Clara County (californiapioneers.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.
Santa Clara Co. CA General and History Websites
- See Also State History for California
- Silicon Valley History Online (siliconvalleyhistory.org)
- History San Jose (historysanjose.org)
- Santa Clara County History (rootsweb.ancestry.com) Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated, 1888
- History of Santa Clara County, California : with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Santa Clara County, California : including its geography, geology, topography, climatography and description (search.ancestry.com)
- Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or, Santa Clara County, California : containing a history of the county of Santa Cla (search.ancestry.com)
- History of San Jose, California : narrative and biographical (search.ancestry.com)
- Santa Clara County, California Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Santa Clara County, California Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Santa Clara Co. CA Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Santa Clara County, California (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – California – Counties – Santa Clara (cyndislist.com)
- Santa Clara County California (genealogytrails.com)
- Santa Clara Co. CAGenweb (cagenweb.com)
- Santa Clara County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Santa Clara Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Santa Clara Co. CA Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of California Links and Information
- 1895 Santa Clara County Map (livgenmi.com)
Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.