
California's death records offer valuable insights for genealogists exploring the state’s diverse and dynamic history. Official statewide death registration began in 1905, though some counties maintained earlier records dating back to the mid-1800s during the Gold Rush era. These records often reflect California’s multicultural population, including Native Americans, early Mexican settlers, and waves of immigrants drawn to the state’s opportunities.
Vital records, including death certificates, cemetery records, and obituaries, provide details such as family names, dates, and causes of death, helping to piece together family histories. Supplementary sources, like church registers, military records, and coroners’ reports, enrich genealogical research. California’s historical shifts, from the Gold Rush to urbanization, make these records crucial for tracing lineage and understanding the state’s diverse heritage.
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Birth, Marriage & Death
Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries
- California Deaths, 1940 - 1997 19,493,739 records
- California, Archdiocese of San Francisco Catholic Burials 475,349 records
- California, Los Angeles County Coroner Reports 145,741 records
- California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1835-1931 114,319 records
- California, San Joaquin, County Public Library Obituary Index, 1850-1991 98,473 records
- California, Sacramento Burials 57,171 records
- California, Alameda County Obituaries and Death Notices 42,116 records
- Death Valley in '49 (1894) 514 records
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