California Research Tips and Strategies: Difference between revisions

Birth information: Birth records in California start on the county level in 1905 - although not all counties complied with the law. A helpful substitute record to find birth information is a death record. However, date and place of birth on a death record is considered secondary information, as it was not recorded at the time of the birth event. The birth information should be corroborated with other substitute records to improve accuracy.
Finding Parents: The State of California began recording deaths in 1905. They often will list the parents of the deceased and their birth information. Search California death records
Look in all censuses: Always look for your ancestor in every possible census. There are clues regarding immigration, naturalization, and occupation that can lead to other records. Sometimes parents can be found living with their children later in life. Search U.S. Censuses.

[STATE] Record Finder[edit | edit source]

This brief Record Finder is designed to help you determine the best record to search for the type of information you are looking for. It is most helpful for post-1850 research. For a more complete Record Finder, covering additional research needs, see [[[STATE] Record Finder]].

1. What you are looking for:	2. Try these records first:	3. Other useful records
Birth information	[[How to Find [STATE] Birth Records\|Birth records]] [[How to Find [STATE] Death Records\|Death records]] [[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]] [[[STATE] Church Records\|Church records]]	[[[STATE] Cemeteries\|Cemeteries]] [[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship\|Naturalization and Citizenship]] [[[STATE] Bible Records\|Bible records]] [[[STATE] Military Records\|Military records]]
Marriage information	[[How to Find [STATE] Marriage Records\|Marriage records]] [[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]] [[[STATE] Bible Records\|Bible records]]	[[[STATE] Church Records\|Church records]] [[[STATE] Probate Records\|Probate records]] [[[STATE] Military Records\|Military records]]
Death information	[[How to Find [STATE] Death Records\|Death Records]] [[[STATE] Cemeteries\|Cemeteries]] [[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]]	[[[STATE] Probate Records\|Probate Records]] [[[STATE] Church Records\|Church Records]] [[[STATE] Bible Records\|Bible Records]]
Parents	[[How to Find [STATE] Birth Records\|Birth records]] [[How to Find [STATE] Death Records\|Death records]] [[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]] [[[STATE] Census\|Census]] [[[STATE] Church Records\|Church records]]	[[[STATE] Biography\|Biography]] [[[STATE], United States Genealogy\|Genealogy]]
Maiden name	[[How to Find [STATE] Marriage Records\|Marriage Records]] [[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]] [[[STATE] Probate Records\|Probate records]]	[[[STATE] Church Records\|Church Records]] [[[STATE] Military Records\|Military Records]]
Immigration date	[[[STATE] Emigration and Immigration\|Emigration and Immigration]] [[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship\|Naturalization and Citizenship]] [[[STATE] Census\|Census]]	[[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]] [[[STATE] Biography\|Biography]] [[[STATE] History\|History]]
Naturalization	[[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship\|Naturalization and Citizenship]] [[[STATE] Census\|Census]] [[[STATE] Court Records\|Court Records]]	[[[STATE] Voting Records\|Voting Records]] [[[STATE] Biography\|Biography]] [[[STATE] Periodicals\|Periodicals]]
Physical description	[[[STATE] Military Records\|Military Records]] [[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship\|Naturalization and Citizenship]] (after 1906)	[[[STATE] Biography\|Biography]] [[[STATE] History\|History]]

Further [STATE] Research[edit | edit source]

Remember, for a more complete Record Finder, covering additional research needs, see [[[STATE] Record Finder]].
For online record collections, go to [[[STATE] Online Genealogy Records|[STATE] Online Genealogy Records.]]
For more research on [STATE], including research at the county level, visit the [[[STATE], United States Genealogy|[STATE]]] page on the Research Wiki.
Search all of the California record collections at FamilySearch.

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 | link5=[[California Research Tips and Strategies|Research Tips and Strategies]]
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-{|style="float:right; margin-right:030px; background-color:#acd9f9" " width="25%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" border="1"
-|
-<center><font size = "4"><br>'''Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page'''</font></center><br>
-<center>''The California Research Tips and Strategies page consists of links to specific research strategies for California. It also contains general tips and other resources for finding your ancestors in this locality.''</center><br>
-|}<br><br>
 === California Research Strategies  ===
@@ Line 29: / Line 24: @@
 *'''Look in all censuses:''' Always look for your ancestor in every possible census. There are clues regarding immigration, naturalization, and occupation that can lead to other records. Sometimes parents can be found living with their children later in life. [[United States Census Online|Search U.S. Censuses]].
-=== California Record Finder  ===
+=== [STATE] Record Finder  ===
-This Record Finder is designed to help you determine the best record to search for the type of information you are looking for. It is most helpful for post-1850 research.
+This brief Record Finder is designed to help you determine the best record to search for the type of information you are looking for. It is most helpful for post-1850 research. '''For a more complete Record Finder, covering additional research needs, see [[[STATE] Record Finder]].'''
-{| width="65%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1"
+{| width="70%" border="1"
 |-
-| style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| '''1. What you are looking for:'''
+| style="padding:10px"| '''1. What you are looking for:'''
-| style="vertical-align:top; width:40%;"| '''2. Try these records first:'''
+| style="padding:10px"| '''2. Try these records first:'''
-| style="vertical-align:top; width:40%;"| '''3. Other useful records'''
+| style="padding:10px"|'''3. Other useful records'''
 |-
-| Birth information
+| style="padding:10px"|
-| [[How to Find California Birth Records|Birth records]], [[How to Find California Death Records|Death records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[California Church Records|Church records]]
+Birth information
-| [[California Cemeteries|Cemeteries]], [[California Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]], [[California Bible Records|Bible records]], [[California Military Records|Military records]] (pension)
+| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Birth Records|Birth records]]
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Death Records|Death records]]
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+*[[[STATE] Church Records|Church records]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Cemeteries|Cemeteries]]
+*[[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]
+*[[[STATE] Bible Records|Bible records]]
+*[[[STATE] Military Records|Military records]]
 |-
-| Marriage information
+| style="padding:10px"|Marriage information
-| [[How to Find California Marriage Records|Marriage records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[California Bible Records|Bible records]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
-| [[California Church Records|Church records]], [[California Probate Records|Probate records]], [[California Military Records|Military records]]
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Marriage Records|Marriage records]]
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+*[[[STATE] Bible Records|Bible records]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Church Records|Church records]]
+*[[[STATE] Probate Records|Probate records]]
+*[[[STATE] Military Records|Military records]]
 |-
-| Death information
+| style="padding:10px"|Death information
-| [[How to Find California Death Records|Death Records]], [[California Cemeteries|Cemeteries]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
-| [[California Probate Records|Probate Records]], [[California Church Records|Church Records]], [[California Bible Records|Bible Records]]
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Death Records|Death Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Cemeteries|Cemeteries]]
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Probate Records|Probate Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Church Records|Church Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Bible Records|Bible Records]]
 |-
-| Parents
+| style="padding:10px"|Parents
-| [[How to Find California Birth Records|Birth records]],&nbsp;[[How to Find California Death Records|Death records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[California Census|Census]], [[California Church Records|Church records]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
-| [[California Biography|Biography]], [[California, United States Genealogy|Genealogy]]
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Birth Records|Birth records]]
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Death Records|Death records]]
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+*[[[STATE] Census|Census]]
+*[[[STATE] Church Records|Church records]]
+| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
+*[[[STATE] Biography|Biography]]
+*[[[STATE], United States Genealogy|Genealogy]]
 |-
-| Maiden name
+| style="padding:10px"|
-| [[How to Find California Marriage Records|Marriage Records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[California Probate Records|Probate records]]
+Maiden name
-| [[California Church Records|Church Records]], [[California Military Records|Military Records]] (pension)
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Marriage Records|Marriage Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+*[[[STATE] Probate Records|Probate records]]
+| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
+*[[[STATE] Church Records|Church Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Military Records|Military Records]]
 |-
-| Immigration date
+| style="padding:10px"|
-| [[California Emigration and Immigration|Emigration and Immigration]], [[California Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]], [[California Census|Census]]
+Immigration date
-| [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[California Biography|Biography]], [[California History|History]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Emigration and Immigration|Emigration and Immigration]]
+*[[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]
+*[[[STATE] Census|Census]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+*[[[STATE] Biography|Biography]]
+*[[[STATE] History|History]]
 |-
-| Naturalization
+| style="padding:10px"|
-| [[California Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]], [[California Census|Census]], [[California Court Records|Court Records]]
+Naturalization
-| [[California Voting Registers|Voting Registers]], [[California Biography|Biography]], [[California Periodicals|Periodicals]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]
+*[[[STATE] Census|Census]]
+*[[[STATE] Court Records|Court Records]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Voting Records|Voting Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Biography|Biography]]
+*[[[STATE] Periodicals|Periodicals]]
 |-
-| Physical description
+| style="padding:10px"|
-| [[California Military Records|Military Records]], [[California Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]] (after 1906)
+Physical description
-| [[California Biography|Biography]], [[California History|History]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Military Records|Military Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]] (after 1906)
+| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
+*[[[STATE] Biography|Biography]]
+*[[[STATE] History|History]]
 |}
-=== Further California Research  ===
+=== Further [STATE] Research  ===
+*'''Remember, for a more complete Record Finder, covering additional research needs, see [[[STATE] Record Finder]].'''
-For more research on California, including research at the county level, visit the [[California, United States Genealogy|California]] page on the Research Wiki.
+*For online record collections, go to [[[STATE] Online Genealogy Records|'''[STATE] Online Genealogy Records.''']]
+*For more research on [STATE], including research at the county level, visit the [[[STATE], United States Genealogy|'''[STATE]''']] page on the Research Wiki.
-Search all of the [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/location/11?region=United%20States%20of%20America California record collections] at FamilySearch.<br>
+*Search all of the [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/location/11?region=United%20States%20of%20America California record collections] at FamilySearch.<br>
 [[Category:California, United States]][[Category:United States Research Strategies]]
 [[Category:Research Tips and Strategies]]

1. What you are looking for:	2. Try these records first:	3. Other useful records
Birth information	[[How to Find [STATE] Birth Records\|Birth records]] [[How to Find [STATE] Death Records\|Death records]] [[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]] [[[STATE] Church Records\|Church records]]	[[[STATE] Cemeteries\|Cemeteries]] [[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship\|Naturalization and Citizenship]] [[[STATE] Bible Records\|Bible records]] [[[STATE] Military Records\|Military records]]
Marriage information	[[How to Find [STATE] Marriage Records\|Marriage records]] [[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]] [[[STATE] Bible Records\|Bible records]]	[[[STATE] Church Records\|Church records]] [[[STATE] Probate Records\|Probate records]] [[[STATE] Military Records\|Military records]]
Death information	[[How to Find [STATE] Death Records\|Death Records]] [[[STATE] Cemeteries\|Cemeteries]] [[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]]	[[[STATE] Probate Records\|Probate Records]] [[[STATE] Church Records\|Church Records]] [[[STATE] Bible Records\|Bible Records]]
Parents	[[How to Find [STATE] Birth Records\|Birth records]] [[How to Find [STATE] Death Records\|Death records]] [[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]] [[[STATE] Census\|Census]] [[[STATE] Church Records\|Church records]]	[[[STATE] Biography\|Biography]] [[[STATE], United States Genealogy\|Genealogy]]
Maiden name	[[How to Find [STATE] Marriage Records\|Marriage Records]] [[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]] [[[STATE] Probate Records\|Probate records]]	[[[STATE] Church Records\|Church Records]] [[[STATE] Military Records\|Military Records]]
Immigration date	[[[STATE] Emigration and Immigration\|Emigration and Immigration]] [[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship\|Naturalization and Citizenship]] [[[STATE] Census\|Census]]	[[[STATE] Obituaries\|Obituaries]] [[[STATE] Biography\|Biography]] [[[STATE] History\|History]]
Naturalization	[[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship\|Naturalization and Citizenship]] [[[STATE] Census\|Census]] [[[STATE] Court Records\|Court Records]]	[[[STATE] Voting Records\|Voting Records]] [[[STATE] Biography\|Biography]] [[[STATE] Periodicals\|Periodicals]]
Physical description	[[[STATE] Military Records\|Military Records]] [[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship\|Naturalization and Citizenship]] (after 1906)	[[[STATE] Biography\|Biography]] [[[STATE] History\|History]]