Madera County, California Genealogy
Guide to Madera County, California ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
Madera County, California | |
Map | |
![]() Location in the state of California, United States Genealogy | |
![]() Location of California in the U.S. | |
Facts | |
Founded | March 11, 1893 |
---|---|
County Seat | Madera |
Courthouse | |
Address | Madera County Courthouse 209 W Yosemite Ave Madera, CA 93637 Phone: 559.675.7700 |
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 County Courthouse
- 3 Historical Facts
- 4 Places/Localities
- 5 Resources
- 5.1 Bible Records
- 5.2 Biography
- 5.3 Cemeteries
- 5.4 Census
- 5.5 Church History and Records
- 5.6 Court Records
- 5.7 Crime and Criminals
- 5.8 Directories
- 5.9 Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups
- 5.10 Gazetteers
- 5.11 Genealogy
- 5.12 History
- 5.13 Land and Property
- 5.14 Maps
- 5.15 Migration
- 5.16 Military History and Records
- 5.17 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 5.18 Newspapers
- 5.19 Obituaries
- 5.20 Periodicals
- 5.21 Probate Records
- 5.22 Repositories
- 5.23 Societies
- 5.24 Taxation
- 5.25 Vital Records
- 5.26 Voting Registers
- 5.27 Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
- 5.28 Websites
- 5.29 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Madera County, California Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1893 | 1893 | 1893 | 1893 | 1893 | 1893 | 1850 |
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, divorce, probate
court and land records from 1893 and some voting records[2]
Historical Facts[edit | edit source]
Parent County[edit | edit source]
11 March 1893: Madera County was created from Fresno County. County seat: Madera [3]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named from the town of Madera, named when the California Lumber Company built a log flume to carry lumber to the railroad there in 1876. The county seat Madera and the county was created 1893. The County is located in the central area of the state.[4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating California county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation California County Boundary Maps" (1850-1925) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Records Loss[edit | edit source]
1906: Courthouse burned and many records were damaged.
Places/Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[5]
Cities | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
Native American communities | ||
Census-designated places | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biography[edit | edit source]
- Index to Madera County Biographies - Scroll down to "Biographies" (CAGenWeb Project)
- Madera County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web site may have additional information on Madera County cemeteries.
- Interment.net California cemetery records by County.
Census[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1900 | 6,364 | — |
1910 | 8,368 | 31.5% |
1920 | 12,203 | 45.8% |
1930 | 17,164 | 40.7% |
1940 | 23,314 | 35.8% |
1950 | 36,964 | 58.5% |
1960 | 40,468 | 9.5% |
1970 | 41,519 | 2.6% |
1980 | 63,116 | 52.0% |
1990 | 88,090 | 39.6% |
2000 | 123,109 | 39.8% |
2010 | 150,865 | 22.5% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
For tips on accessing Madera County, California Genealogy census records online, see: California Census.
- Madera County Census Records - Scroll down to "Census Records."
Church History and Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about California denominations, view the California Church Records wiki page.
- 1864-1985 - California, Church Records, 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — index
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Crime and Criminals[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Germans[edit | edit source]
Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Madera County, California Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the Wiki page section California Local Histories.
- Madera County History (CAGenWeb Project)
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See California Land and Property for additional information about early California land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
- Madera County Index to Federal Land Patents (USGenWeb Archives)
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of California (1850-1925)
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
- 1906-1935 - California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — index
Military History and Records[edit | edit source]
- Madera County War Memorial (CAGenWeb Project)
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1914-1918 - California, Geographical and Name Index of Californians who served in WWI, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — index and images
World War II[edit | edit source]
- Madera County Surname Index to World War II Army Inductees (USGenWeb Archives)
- Madera County World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing (Genealogy Trails)
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- Madera County Naturalizations - Declarations of Intent (CAGenWeb Project)
- Madera County Naturalizations - Petitions for Citizenship (CAGenWeb Project)
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Madera County, California Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Madera County, California Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog. Do NOT use the word County. (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Index to Madera County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
- Madera County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
The county clerk is usually the custodian of probate records. The records include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
You can obtain copies of the original probate records (such as wills and estate files) by writing to the county clerk at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for California - Madera - Probate records.
Online Probate Records
- 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1833 – 1991 California Probate Estate Files 1833-1991 at FamilySearch — images
Repositories[edit | edit source]
Archives, Libraries and Museums[edit | edit source]
- Madera County Libraries (Genealogy Trails)
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History 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 family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Introduction to Family History Centers
- Madera California Family History Center
- Oakhurst California Family History Center
Societies[edit | edit source]
Taxation[edit | edit source]
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 the wiki page California Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
See also How to order California Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. See the CDC Where to Write website for information on acquiring copies of these records. The State office has records since July 1905. For earlier records, contact the County Recorder.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1800 - 1994 - California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1812 - 1988 - California Births and Christenings, 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — index
- 1878 - 1905 - Madera County Births (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1905 - 1995 - California Birth Index, 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — index
- 1905 - 1915 - Madera County Births (CAGenWeb Project)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1800 - 2007 - California, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1850 - 1945 - California Marriages, 1850-1945 at FamilySearch — index
- 1850 - 1952 - California, County Marriages, 1850-1952 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1854 - 1885 - Western States Marriage Index
- 1855 - 1897 - [http://www.cagenweb.com/madera/FresnoMarriages1855.htm Fresno County Index to Marriage Licenses, Vol. 1, 1855-1897
(Madera extracted)] (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1893 - 1905 - Madera Marriages (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1960 - 1985 - California Marriage Index, 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — index and images
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1966 - 1984 - California Divorce Index, 1966-1984 at FamilySearch — index
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1776 - 2000 - California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — index, some images
- 1800 - 1994 - California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1850 - 1850 Mariposa County, California Mortality Schedule (Includes Madera County) (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1892 - 1905 - Madera County, CA Record of Deaths (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1905 - 1939 - California Death Index, 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — index
- 1912 - 1913 - Jay Chapel Funerals - Small Cemeteries (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1940 - 1997 - California Death Index, 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — index
Voting Registers[edit | edit source]
- 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
- 1871, 1872, 1880, 1894, 1900, 1898, 1920 - Great Registers of Voters for Madera County - Scroll down to "Great Registers of Voters." (CAGenWeb Project)
Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Madera County Historical Society
P.O. Box 478
210 West Yosemite Avenue
Madera, CA; (559) 673-0291
Madera Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 495
Madera 93639
Phone: 559-673-0291
Coarsegold Historical Society
P.O. Box 117
Coarsegold, CA 93614
Phone (559) 642-4448
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Madera County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Madera County CAGenWeb
- Linkpendium
- USGenWeb Archives
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Madera County, California Genealogy Trails
- Madera County, CA Genealogy
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Madera County, California. Page 84-88 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL 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), Madera County, California. Page 85 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Madera County, California Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/cal/madera/#.WQtU0DEzqM8 05/04/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Madera County, California," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madera_County,_California#Communities, accessed 16 September 2019.