Source Information

California State Library
Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Biographical Index Cards, 1781-1990 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors.
Original data: Biographical Card Index. Sacramento, California: California State Library.

About California, U.S., Biographical Index Cards, 1781-1990

This database is a collection of index cards containing biographical details on authors, artists, state officials, and other prominent people in California.

What’s in the Records

The records in this database come from the Biographical Card Index housed at the California State Library. According to the library, the cards in the file contain details “about or contributed by California artists, authors, actors, musicians, state officials, World War I soldiers, and other notables." There are several versions of cards in the file; the most detailed list (as applicable)
  • name
  • birthplace
  • birth date
  • father’s name
  • mother’s name
  • spouse’s name
  • place of marriage
  • date of marriage
  • place of death
  • date of death
  • residence
  • years in California

In addition, you may find

  • profession
  • education
  • honors received
  • clubs and societies
  • party affiliation and/or offices held
  • publications or works

Cards can have more than one side with information. If you find a card for your ancestor, make sure to check the images before and after it to make sure you find all the details available.