Marin County, California Genealogy
Guide to Marin County, California ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Marin County was created 18 Feb 1850[1] and was named for "Marin", great chief of the tribe Licatiut. Its county seat is San Rafael. It is located in the west-central area of the state. [2]
County Courthouse
Marin County Courthouse
3501 Civic Center Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903
Phone: 415-444-7000
Marin County Website
County Recorder has birth and death records from 1863, marriage records from 1856, land records from 1852.
County Clerk has divorce and court records from 1900 and probate records from 1880.[3]
Marin 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 |
| 1863 | 1856 | 1863 | 1900 | 1852 | 1880 | 1850 |
Record Loss
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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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 | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- Marin County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
- Surname Index, Marin County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
- Index to Marin 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. | %± |
| 1850 | 323 | — |
| 1860 | 3,334 | 932.2% |
| 1870 | 6,903 | 107.0% |
| 1880 | 11,324 | 64.0% |
| 1890 | 13,072 | 15.4% |
| 1900 | 15,702 | 20.1% |
| 1910 | 25,114 | 59.9% |
| 1920 | 27,342 | 8.9% |
| 1930 | 41,648 | 52.3% |
| 1940 | 52,907 | 27.0% |
| 1950 | 85,619 | 61.8% |
| 1960 | 146,820 | 71.5% |
| 1970 | 206,038 | 40.3% |
| 1980 | 222,568 | 8.0% |
| 1990 | 230,096 | 3.4% |
| 2000 | 247,289 | 7.5% |
| 2010 | 252,409 | 2.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1850, 1870 Index to Marin County Census Transcriptions (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
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- San Rafael
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records
Directories
- 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
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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
- Original Mexican Land Grants from Mexico in Marin between 1834 and 1846 CAGenWeb Project)
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Marin County. Histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see California Local Histories.
- Marin County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
- A Brief History of Marin County (CAGenWeb Project)
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Maps of California (1850-1925)
- 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
- 1883 Marin County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
- 1886 Gen. McDowell Post No. 90, G. A. R. 1886 Civil War - Rosters (USGenWeb Archives)
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
World War II
- Index to Marin County World War II Army Enlistees (USGenWeb Archives)
- 1946 Marin County World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)
Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 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
- Index to Marin County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
- Marin County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
- Marin County, California Obituary and Death Notice Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, Corte Madera, and Tiburon areas.
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 ($)
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
California tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see California Taxation.
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. The state has records since July 1905, although county records may start earlier. See California Vital Records for more information.
- 1800-1994 California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Birth
- 1812-1988 California Births and Christenings, 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1905-1995 California Birth Index, 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1874-1954 Some Marin County Birth Notices, 1874-1954 (Genealogy Trails)
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($)
- Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho
- 1863-1951 Some Marin County Marriage Notices, 1863-1951 (Genealogy Trails)
Death
- 1776-2000 California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1905-1939 California Death Index, 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1940-1997 California Death Index, 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
- Marin County, California Obituary and Death Notice Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, Corte Madera, and Tiburon areas.
Divorce
- 1966-1984 California Divorce Index, 1966-1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- Marin County Divorce Index (Genealogy Trails)
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Marin 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
- Oakland California FamilySearch Center
- San Rafael California FamilySearch Center
- Sonoma California FamilySearch Center
- Vallejo California FamilySearch Center
- California Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Marin County. For state-wide library facilities, see California Archives and Libraries.
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Marin County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see California Societies.
Marin County Genealogical Society
Phone: 415-479-2200
220 North San Pedro Rd
San Rafael, CA 94903
Website
Websites
- Marin County CAGenWeb
- USGenWeb Archives
- Marin County, California Genealogy Trails
- Marin 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
- Marin Research Guide at California State Library
References
- ↑ Individual County Chronologies, https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/CA_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Marin County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marin_County,_California 05/04/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Marin 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), Marin 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, "Marin County, California," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marin_County,_California, accessed 16 September 2019.