Guide to the Vital Statistics of San Joaquin County (Calif.)
GovRec8
San Joaquin County Historical Society & Museum
Title: Vital Statistics of San Joaquin County (Calif.)
Identifier/Call Number: GovRec8
Contributing Institution:
San Joaquin County Historical Society & Museum
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
26.0 Linear feet
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1851-1924
Date (inclusive): 1850-1950
Abstract: This collection of 39 bound government volumes with 14 boxes holds some of the earliest life records of the pioneers and settlers
of San Joaquin County, California. It spans the years of 1850-1950 and includes birth, death, marriage, and divorce registers
and marriage certificates.
Language of materials: Materials are in English
Access
Collection is open for research by appointment
Conditions of use
No copyright or access restrictions
Preferred citation
[Item number], Vital Statistics of San Joaquin County, California, GovRec8, San Joaquin County Historical Society and Museum,
Lodi, California
Historical background
Vital statistics are used by government entities to aid in the recognition of public health trends and to identify needs in
the population. They also allow for the issuance of official government certificates for identification and statistical use.
The California State Legislature in 1850 tasked County Recorders with maintaining records of all marriage contracts and certificates,
and later added the birth and death registers of county residents.
An 1872 statute designated County Recorders as local registrars of births and deaths under the State Board of Health. The
local registrar sent original birth and death certificates to the State Registrar and shared a quarterly abstract of his records
with the Secretary of the State Board. In 1905, the Legislature established the Bureau of Vital Statistics. The County Recorder
continued to act as registrar; he maintained indexes of births and deaths and continued to send original birth certificates
to the State Registrar. The County Recorder maintains this role today with records dating back to 1851.
Scope and content
This collection of thirty-nine bound government volumes with fourteen boxes spans the years 1850-1950 and includes birth,
death, marriage, and divorce registers and marriage licenses. It is divided into five series: Series 1, Birth Records, 1856-1906;
Series 2, Death Records, 1858-1907; Series 3, Marriage Records, 1850-1944, including three subseries: Series 3a, Indexes to
Marriages Men, Series 3b, Indexes to Marriages Women, and Series 3c, Records Book “M” Marriages; Series 4, Marriage Licenses,
1851-1950; Series 5, Divorces, 1859.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San Joaquin County (Calif.)
San Joaquin County (Calif.)--Statistics, Vital
Series 1: Birth Records
Scope and Content
Six hand-written bound volumes of birth registers dating 1856-1906. The registers usually contain the date of birth of the
child and its name, sex, and race (“color”); the parents’ names, nativity, race, and residence; and when the birth was recorded
and by whom. Some records contain the condition of the child at birth (i.e. alive or deceased).
Register of Births 1, 1856-1871
Register of Births 1, 1859-1905
Register of Births 1, Duplicate, 1873-1905
Register of Births 1, 1883-1893
Register of Births 2, 1894-1903
Register of Births 1, 1905-1906
Series 2: Death Records
Scope and Content
Seven bound volumes (some fragile and held within two flat boxes), containing death records dating 1858-1907. The death records
typically might contain a sampling of information besides the name of deceased and date of death, including sex, age, color,
mental status, occupation, nativity, cause of death, place of internment, date of the death record, and remarks.
Register of Deaths 1, 1858-1860
Register of Deaths Volume 3, 1873-1895 (partial)
Register of Deaths, 1895-1905
Death Certificates, 1903-1904
Death Certificates, 1903-1905
Register of Deaths, 1905-1907
Series 3: Marriage Records
Scope and Content
Twenty-five bound volumes and one flat box spanning 1850-1941, divided into three subseries: Subseries 3a, Index to Marriages
Men, 1851-1924; Subseries 3b, Index to Marriages Women, 1851-1924; Subseries 3c, Records Book “M” Marriages, 1850-1901, with
Index to Marriages, 1933-1941.
Subseries 3a: Index to Marriages Men, 1851-1924
Index to Marriages Men 1, 1851-1872
Index to Marriages Men 1, 1854-1862
Index to Marriages Men 3, 1872-1884
Index to Marriages Men 4, 1885-1900
Index to Marriages Men 5, 1885-1899
Index to Marriages Men 5, 1899-1907
Index to Marriages Men 4, 1903-1905
Index to Marriages Men 6, 1908-1913
Index to Marriages Men 7, 1914-1920
Index to Marriages Men 8, 1920-1924
Subseries 3b: Index to Marriages Women, 1851-1924
Index to Marriages Women, 1851-1872
Index to Marriages Women, 1872-1884
Index to Book “M” Women, 1885-1899
Index to Marriages Women, 1899-1907
Index to Marriages Women 6, 1908-1913
Index to Marriages Women 7, 1914-1919
Index to Marriages Women 8, 1920-1924
Subseries 3c: Records Book "M" Marriages, 1850-1901, 1933-1941
Records Book “M” Marriages, Volume 1, 1850-1857
Records Book “M” Marriages, Volume 2, 1857-1869
Records Book “M” Marriages, Volume 3, 1869-1880
Records Book “M” Marriages, Volume 4, 1878-1884
Records Book “M” Marriages, Volume 5, 1884-1890
Records Book “M” Marriages, Volume 6, 1890-1896
Records Book “M” Marriages, Volume 7, 1896-1900
Records Book “M” Marriages, Volume 8, 1900-1901
Index to Marriages, 1933-1941
Series 4: Marriage Licenses
Scope and Content
Three bankers boxes, one legal-size document box, and six flat boxes spanning 1851-1950. These contain copies of marriage
certificates.
Marriage Licenses, 1851-1866, oversize
Marriage Licenses, 1868-1873, oversize
Marriage Licenses, 1863-1886
Marriage Licenses, 1887-1891, oversize
Marriage Licenses, 1892-1895, oversize
Marriage Licenses, 1896-1897
Marriage Licenses, 1898-1909
Marriage Licenses, 1910-1919, oversize
Marriage Licenses, 1920-1929, oversize
Marriage Licenses, 1930-1950
Series 5: Divorces
Scope and Content
One bound volume in flat box, containing headings for date, names of husband and wife, name of applicant, grounds for divorce,
court where petition was heard, date of record of divorce, and remarks.
