Doing Research

In Sonoma County

Death, Burial & Grave Records

For Sonoma County

Death Records

A list of Sonoma County cemeteries, past and present, can be found on the Cemeteries List page. 

To Search for a Record:

~ California Death Index, 1905-1939 at FamilySearch includes digitized images of the death indexes; free with registration  . . . Link

~ California Death Index, 1940-1997 at FamilySearch free with registration . . . Link

~ California Death Index, 1905-1997 at Archives.com/requires payment . . . Link

~ Index and Abstract to Wills 1850-1900 [PDF] . . . Link

~ Pre-1905 California Death Index Project . . . Link

~ U.S., Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 . . . Link

Resources produced by Sonoma County Genealogical Society (Books to purchase, Indexes are Free): 

~ Index and Abstracts of Wills, Sonoma County, California: 1850-1900 (Book) . . . Book . . . Index . . . 

~ Index to Vital Data in Newspapers of Sonoma County, California Volumes 1-13: 1855-1875. . . Book . . . Index coming soon.

Volume 1: 1855-1875 - by Sonoma County Genealogical Society, Inc. Many gaps exist in Sonoma County records. Although Sonoma county was formed in 1850, some records, such as marriage records, due back to 1847, whereas births and deaths were not recorded until 1871. This volume contains more than 17,000 entries in a table format. Entries include: surname, given name, type of entry (birth, death, marriage, probate, miscellaneous - entries such as divorce records; and entries gleaned from articles appearing in supplements to the newspaper), name of newspaper, date of article, page number, column number, and comments. Also contains a list of Sonoma County cemeteries, a map of the county, and a list of Sonoma place names. 2001, 8½x11, paper, map, 391 pp.

~ Sonoma County, California, Death Records, 1873-1905: 2nd Edition . . . Book . . . Index

~ CD: Sonoma County [CA] Records . . . Purchase CD . . . Index of CD. (coming soon)

Which includes: Sonoma County, California, Cemetery Records, 1846-1921: Third Edition; Sonoma County, California, Death Records, 1873-1905: 2nd Edition; Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, 1853-1997; Sonoma County California Reconstructed 1890 Census; Sonoma County California’s Coroner’s Inquests, 1852-1898; Homestead Declarations: Amended Index, Sonoma County, California, Second Edition. 

California Vital Records Indexes at Ancestry (these require payment):

~ California Death Index, 1905-1939 . . . Link

~ California Death Records Index, 1940-1997. . . Link

~ California, County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849-1980 . . . Link

To Obtain a Record:

~ Sonoma County Recorder-Clerk (1858 on) . . . Link Or Link

~ To Order Death Records . . . Link

Burial Records

To Obtain a Record:

Santa Rosa City Page on Burial Information . . . Link

Grave Records

A list of Sonoma County cemeteries, past and present, can be found on the Cemeteries List page. 

To Search for a Record:

~ AHGP California Cemetery Transcription & Photo Project . . . Link

~ Billion Graves for Sonoma County, California . . . Link

~ Cemeteries Photographed by - Allen Wheatley (California) . . . Link

~ Index to Sonoma County Cemetery Records 1846-1921. . . Link

~ Sebastopol, Evergreen Lawn Cemetery Burial Records, 1800-2010, FamilySearch (datebase). . . Link

~ Sebastopol Memorial Lawn Log Book [e-Book] . . . Link

~ Sonoma County Cemetery Records on Interment.net . . . . Link

~ The Tombstone Transcription Project, Sonoma County . . . Link

Resources produced by Sonoma County Genealogical Society (Books to purchase, Indexes are Free):

~ Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, 1853-1997 (Book) . . . 

~ Sonoma County, California, Cemetery Records, 1846-1921: Third Edition (book) . . . Book  . . . Index