Alameda County, California
History and Genealogy  

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Website updated with new data March 18, 2008

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Alameda County was formed on March 25, 1853 from portions of Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties. The word 'Alameda' means "a place where poplar trees grow", a name in which originally was given to Alameda Creek, (El Arroya de la Alameda).
     The county seat at the time of formation was located at Alvarado; it was moved to San Leandro in 1856 where the county courthouse was destroyed by the devastating 1868 earthquake on the Hayward Fault. The county seat was then re-established in the town of Brooklyn from 1872-1875. Brooklyn is now part of Oakland, which has been the county seat since 1873.
     In the 19th and early 20th centuries what is now considered intensively urban region, with major cities, was developed as a trolley car suburb of San Francisco. From Historical native American tribal lands to Spanish Land Grants, then to farms, ranches, orchards, suburbs and eventually cities, is shared with Contra Costa County.

Neighboring counties

Santa Clara County, CA - south
San Mateo County, CA - west
San Francisco County, CA - west
Contra Costa County, CA - north
San Joaquin County, CA - east
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