Lancaster Genealogy Records Research

Lancaster genealogy records trace family histories through vital records maintained by Los Angeles County and local historical collections in the Antelope Valley. Birth certificates, death records, and marriage licenses for Lancaster residents are processed by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office. Lancaster incorporated in 1977 after decades as an unincorporated Antelope Valley community. The city's history includes railroad development, agriculture, aerospace industry growth, and suburban expansion. Local library collections, historical society resources, and county archives provide materials for researching families who settled in the high desert region of northern Los Angeles County.

Lancaster Vital Records Through Los Angeles County

All vital records for Lancaster are maintained by Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office at 12400 Imperial Highway in Norwalk processes all birth, death, and marriage certificate requests for events in Lancaster and the Antelope Valley.

Order vital records through the Los Angeles County Recorder online at apps.lavote.net/BDM, by mail, or in person. Birth certificates cost thirty one dollars. Death certificates run twenty six dollars. Marriage certificates cost nineteen dollars. Processing takes one to two weeks for mail requests and provides same day service for walk-in applications when records are on file.

Request informational copies for genealogy research. Informational copies require no notarized forms and work perfectly for family history documentation. They cost the same as certified copies but process faster because you skip notarization requirements. Only close relatives need certified copies for legal purposes under California Health and Safety Code Section 103526.

Lancaster incorporated in 1977, so earlier vital records appear under general Los Angeles County sources rather than city-specific designations. The Antelope Valley region was sparsely populated before railroad arrival in the 1870s. Early families appear in county records under township or precinct designations.

Lancaster Library Local History Collections

The Lancaster Library maintains local history materials documenting Antelope Valley development and Lancaster growth. Collections include city directories, historical photographs, maps, newspapers on microfilm, and vertical files about Lancaster families, businesses, and community organizations. The library provides access to materials for genealogy researchers.

City directories for Lancaster begin in the late 1970s after incorporation. Earlier residents appear in general Los Angeles County directories or under Antelope Valley community listings. The library helps locate ancestors in pre-Lancaster records. Newspapers include the Antelope Valley Press and earlier publications documenting local news, obituaries, and family announcements.

Obituaries provide death information, surviving family members, burial locations, and biographical details. Marriage announcements and birth notices document family events. News coverage of schools, churches, businesses, and civic organizations places ancestors in community context. Library staff can assist with newspaper research and photocopying for genealogy files.

Lancaster developed as a railroad town starting in 1876 when the Southern Pacific Railroad reached the Antelope Valley. Early settlers engaged in ranching, farming, and railroad-related businesses. Land records, water district files, and agricultural census schedules help trace farming families. Railroad employment records document families who worked for Southern Pacific and later railroads.

Antelope Valley Historical Society

The Antelope Valley Indian Museum and other regional historical resources preserve records about the area's development. Collections include Native American artifacts, early settler documents, ranch records, and materials documenting agricultural and aerospace industry history. These resources supplement vital records for comprehensive family history research.

Early Antelope Valley land records trace property ownership from Spanish and Mexican land grant periods through American settlement. Homestead records document families who claimed public land under federal homestead laws. Deed transfers and property tax rolls show when families arrived and where they lived. Water rights records are particularly important for understanding early valley settlement patterns.

Edwards Air Force Base opened in the 1930s and grew dramatically during and after World War II. Aerospace industry jobs attracted families to Lancaster and the Antelope Valley. Military records, base employment files, and contractor personnel records help trace families connected to Edwards AFB. Many Lancaster residents have military service or aerospace industry backgrounds.

Church records supplement civil vital records for Lancaster families. Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, and other congregations kept baptism, marriage, and burial records. These church registers often include more detail than government certificates. Contact individual churches or local historical societies for guidance on accessing religious records from different time periods.

Lancaster Cemetery and Burial Records

Lancaster Cemetery and other Antelope Valley burial grounds hold interment records for local families. Cemetery files include burial dates, plot locations, and family information. Some older cemeteries in the valley have pioneer burial sections with graves dating to the 1800s. Cemetery records help confirm death dates and identify family relationships.

Joshua Memorial Park, Lancaster Cemetery, and other local burial grounds serve the community. Cemetery office records are maintained separately from county vital records. Contact cemeteries directly for burial information. Some families chose burial in other Los Angeles County cemeteries or maintained connections to burial grounds in their states of origin.

Antelope Valley experienced population booms during different periods. The 1880s through 1900s brought agricultural settlers. The 1940s through 1960s brought aerospace workers. The 1980s through 2000s brought suburban growth. Understanding these migration waves helps identify appropriate records for different family arrival periods.

Lancaster Genealogy Research Tips

Start Lancaster genealogy research by identifying when your family arrived in the Antelope Valley. Families who settled before 1900 appear in early agricultural and ranching records. Families who arrived during the mid-1900s often have aerospace industry or military connections. Recent arrivals from the 1980s forward came during suburban expansion from Los Angeles.

Trace families backward to their previous locations using city directory sequences, voter registration changes, and school enrollment records. Many Lancaster families moved from other parts of Los Angeles County or migrated from other states. Church membership transfers and forwarding addresses provide clues about previous residences.

Military records supplement civilian vital records for veterans. Edwards Air Force Base brought military families to the area. Draft registration cards, service records, and Veterans Administration files provide birth dates, birthplaces, and family information. The National Archives holds military personnel files for discharged service members.

The Antelope Valley's remote location meant some early families had limited interaction with government record systems. If official vital records are missing, check church registers, cemetery records, Bible records, and newspaper sources. Early settlers sometimes delayed registering births and deaths until years after events occurred.

Antelope Valley and Los Angeles County Cities

Lancaster's location in northern Los Angeles County means connections to both Antelope Valley communities and the broader Los Angeles region. Researchers should check multiple areas where families maintained ties.

Nearby cities include Palmdale (Antelope Valley), Santa Clarita, and other Los Angeles County communities. All use the Los Angeles County Recorder for vital records but maintain separate local history collections. Some families divided time between Lancaster and other Los Angeles areas, particularly during the aerospace industry's peak years.