Lake County, California Genealogy
Guide to Lake County, California ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
County Information
Description
Lake County was created 20 May 1861[1] and was named for Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest non-extinct natural lake wholly within California. Its county seat is Lakeport. It is located in the northwestern area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Lake County Courthouse
255 N Forbes St
Lakeport, CA 95453
Phone: 707-263-2374
Lake County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth, marriage, death and land records from 1867, mining and miscellaneous records.
Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records. [3]
Lake 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.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1867 | 1867 | 1867 | 1867 | 1867 | 1867 | 1850 |
Record Loss
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
|
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:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| American Indian Communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California : with Biographical Sketches. By Aurelius O. Carpenter and Percy H. Millberry. Los Angeles, California : Historic Record Company, 1914. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
- History of Napa and Lake Counties, California ... and Biographical Sketches. By Lyman L. Palmer. San Francisco, California : Slocum, Bowen, 1881. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Index to Lake County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
- Lake County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
For online censuses (state and federal) and for more information, see California Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1870 | 2,969 | — |
| 1880 | 6,596 | 122.2% |
| 1890 | 7,101 | 7.7% |
| 1900 | 6,017 | −15.3% |
| 1910 | 5,526 | −8.2% |
| 1920 | 5,402 | −2.2% |
| 1930 | 7,166 | 32.7% |
| 1940 | 8,069 | 12.6% |
| 1950 | 11,481 | 42.3% |
| 1960 | 13,786 | 20.1% |
| 1970 | 19,548 | 41.8% |
| 1980 | 36,366 | 86.0% |
| 1990 | 50,631 | 39.2% |
| 2000 | 58,309 | 15.2% |
| 2010 | 64,665 | 10.9% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1860 Census, Napa County, California, Clear Lake Township (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1870 Index of Lake County Census Records by Location (USGenWeb Archives)
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.
- 1864-1985 California, Church Records, 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records
Directories
- 1867 Pacific Coast Business Directory for Lake County (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1878-1879 McKenney's District Directory - Lake County Portion (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
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
- 1867-1928 Land records(*); Lake County, California, Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1881 Assessment book, 1881(*); Lake County, California, Assessor at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- Index to Federal Land Patents, Lake County (USGenWeb Archives)
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Specific Towns in Lake County
- 1871 Certificates of claimants for town lots in Kelseyville, 1871(*); Lake County, California, County Court at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1871 Certificates of claimants for town lots in Lakeport, 1871(*); Lake County, California, County Court at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Lake County. Histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see California Local Histories.
- Historical and descriptive sketch book of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino. By Campbell Augustus Menefee. Napa, California : Reporter Pub. Co., 1873. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
- History of Lake County. By Henry K. Mauldin. San Francisco, California : East Wind Printers, ©1960. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California : with Biographical Sketches. By Aurelius O. Carpenter and Percy H. Millberry. Los Angeles, California : Historic Record Company, 1914. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
- History of Napa and Lake Counties, California ... and Biographical Sketches. By Lyman L. Palmer. San Francisco, California : Slocum, Bowen, 1881. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Lake County (California) History. By Henry Mauldin. N.p. : H. Mauldin, 1976. FS Catalog film 1749774 (first of 15).
- Lake County, in Memorial And Biographical History Of Northern California (USGenWeb Archives)
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
- 1906-1935 California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Military Records
Civil War
- Lake County Civil War Veterans and Cemeteries (CAGenWeb Project)
- Lake County List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
World War I
- 1914-1918 California, Geographical and Name Index of Californians who served in WWI, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- Lake County WWI Draft Registrations (CAGenWeb Project)
World War II
- Lake County Index of World War II Army Enlistment Records (Genealogy Trails)
- World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel, Lake County, California (Genealogy Trails)
Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1831-1985 California County Naturalizations, 1831-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1852-1989 California, Northern U.S. District Court Naturalization Index, 1852-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Newspapers
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
- California, U.S., Newspapers.com Stories and Events Index at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries
- Lake County Obituaries and Death Notices (CAGenWeb Project)
- Lake County Obituary Index (Genealogy Trails)
Other Records
Voting Records
- 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index ($)
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
- 1782-1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Lake County Probate Index (CAGenWeb Project)
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
California tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see California Taxation.
Online Tax Indexes and Records
- 1872-73 Lake County Delinquent Taxes - Fiscal Year 1872-73 (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1874-75 Lake County Delinquent Taxes - Fiscal Year 1874-75 (CAGenWeb Project)
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. The state has records since July 1905, although county records may start earlier. See California Vital Records for more information.
Birth
- 1800-1994 California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1812-1988 California Births and Christenings, 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1875-1899 Lake County Birth Notices (Genealogy Trails)
- 1905-1995 California Birth Index, 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1905-1910 Lake County Birth Index by Year (Genealogy Trails)
- To 1910 Lake County Births from County Birth Indexes and Newspapers (CAGenWeb Project)
Marriage
- 1800-2007 California, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1850-1945 California Marriages, 1850-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1850-1952 California, County Marriages, 1850-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1960-1985 California Marriage Index, 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
- Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho
- Lake County Marriage Notices (CAGenWeb Project)
Death
- 1776-2000 California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1800-1994 California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1905-1939 California Death Index, 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1940-1997 California Death Index, 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
Divorce
- 1966-1984 California Divorce Index, 1966-1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Lake 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
- Highlands California FamilySearch Center
- Lakeport California FamilySearch Center
- California Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Lake County. For state-wide library facilities, see California Archives and Libraries.
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Lake County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see California Societies.
Lake County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 1323
Lakeport, CA 95453
Website
Lake County Historical Society
P.O. Box 1011
Lakeport, CA 95453
Website
Websites
- Lake County CAGenWeb and CA Genweb
- USGenWeb Archives
- Lake County, California Genealogy Trails
- Lake County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
- 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
- ↑ Individual County Chronologies, https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/CA_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Lake County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_County,_California 5/03/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Lake County, California. Page 85 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Lake 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.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Lake County, California," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_County,_California, accessed 15 September 2019.