California death records between 1940 and 1997 include person's name, gender, date of birth, place of birth, date of death, place of death, father's surname, mother's maiden name and social security number (when available).<br><br>Death certificates represent one of the key primary sources for family information, typically being issued within days of a death and having many details about a persons' life. Frequently, they contain age, birthplace, parents' names and birthplaces and the cause of death.
