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Imperial County, California Genealogy

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Guide to Imperial County, California ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: El Centro
Organized: April 12, 1907
Parent County(s): San Diego
Neighboring Counties
La Paz (AZ) • Riverside • San Diego • Yuma (AZ)
See County Maps
Courthouse
California, Imperial County Courthouse.png
Location Map
California Imperial Map.png

County Information

Description

Imperial County was created 12 Aug 1907[1] and was named for the Imperial Valley, which was named for the Imperial Land Company, a subsidiary of the California Development Company; at the turn of the 20th century the company had reclaimed the southern portion of the Colorado desert for agriculture.[2] Its county seat is El Centro. It is located in the southeastern area of the state.[3]

County Courthouse

Imperial County Courthouse
939 W. Main St.
El Centro, CA 92243
Phone: 760-482-2200
Imperial County Courthouse

County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1907.
County Recorder has birth, marriage and death records from 1907 [4]

Imperial County, California Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[5]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1907 1907 1907 1907 1851 1907 1850
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1905. General compliance by 1920.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[7]

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
American Indian Communities
Census-designated places


History Timeline

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Imperial, California online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See California Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

For online censuses (state and federal) and for more information, see California Census.

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1910 12,591 —
1920 43,453 245.1%
1930 60,903 40.2%
1940 55,740 −8.5%
1950 61,175 9.8%
1960 71,105 16.2%
1970 74,492 4.8%
1980 93,110 25.0%
1990 109,303 17.4%
2000 143,361 31.2%
2010 174,528 21.7%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records

Church records vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. Usually listed on the town level, they may contain ages, dates (baptism, christening, birth, marriage, death), maiden names, and more. See also California Church Records.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

Land and property records provide exact location of land, often reveal family relationships, and give names of witnesses and neighbors. They include deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents. See California Land and Property for online resources, including early land grants.

Online Land Indexes and Records


Local Histories

Local histories are available for Imperial County. Histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see California Local Histories.

Maps and Gazetteers

Riverside CountySan Diego CountyLa Paz CountyYuma CountyBaja CaliforniaCA IMPERIAL.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Military Records

World War I

World War II

Korean War

Vietnam War

Naturalization and Citizenship

Newspapers

Obituaries

Other Records

Voting Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

Probate records include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. They may give the decedent's date of death, names and residences of spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, and others. For online records and more information, see California Probate Records.

Online Probate Indexes and Records


School Records

Social Security Records

Tax Records

California tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see California Taxation.

Vital Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. The state has records since July 1905, although county records may start earlier. See California Vital Records for more information.

Birth

Marriage

Death

Divorce

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Imperial County. For state-wide facilities, see California Archives and Libraries.

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Imperial County. For state-wide library facilities, see California Archives and Libraries.

Museums

Pioneers' Park Museum
373 East Aten Road
Imperial, CA 92251
Website
Facebook

Societies

Listed below are societies in Imperial County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see California Societies.

Websites

  • FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Individual County Chronologies, https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/CA_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm
  2. ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Imperial County, California Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/cal/imperial/#.WQm_lTEzqM8 5/03/2017.
  3. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Imperial County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_County,_California 5/03/2017.
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Imperial County, California. Page 84.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Imperial County, California. Page 84-88 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 81-83.
  6. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  7. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Imperial County, California," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_County%2C_California, accessed 14 September 2019.
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