California

Santa Barbara

448,229
2020 population
1850
first census record
18
census records

About Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California, first appears in the United States federal census in 1850, when it recorded a population of 1,185. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 448,229.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 21 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Channel Islands Pre-Contact Violence, Point Conception Area Violence (CA-SBA-1), Channel Islands Chumash Warfare, and 52 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020448,229
2010423,895
2000399,347
1990369,608
1980298,694
1970264,324
1960168,962
195098,220
194070,555
193065,167
192041,097
191027,738
190018,934
189015,754
18809,513
18707,784
18603,543
18501,185
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Santa Barbara

Military engagements that took place in Santa Barbara, California.

Channel Islands Pre-Contact Violence
1000
Point Conception Area Violence (CA-SBA-1)
1100
Channel Islands Chumash Warfare
1100
Chumash Channel Islands Warfare
1150
Santa Barbara Chumash Mainland Raids
1200
Chumash Channel Islands Warfare
1200
Chumash Channel Islands Conflict – Santa Cruz Island
1200
Canalino Culture Coastal Raid Site – Goleta
1250
Santa Cruz Island Conflicts
1300
Chumash Channel Islands Massacre – Santa Rosa Island
1300
Chumash Tomol Warfare – Santa Cruz Island
1300
Santa Barbara Channel Violence – Chumash
1350
Chumash Mainland Warfare
1400
Chumash Revolt at Mission La Purisima
1824
Battle of Santa Barbara (California)
1846
Santa Barbara Mission Area Skirmish
1846
Battle of Santa Barbara Landing
1846
Japanese Submarine Shelling of Ellwood
1942
Japanese Submarine Shelling of Ellwood Oil Field
1942
Japanese Submarine Attack — Ellwood California
1942
Japanese Shelling of Fort Reyes (Ellwood)
1942

Historic places in Santa Barbara

National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Barbara, California.

La Purísima Mission
Lompoc
Acacia Lodge
Santa Barbara
Mission Santa Ines
Solvang
Faith Mission
Santa Barbara
Mission de la Purisima Concepcion de Maria Santisima Site
Lompoc
Point Conception Light Station
Santa Barbara
Janssens-Orella-Birk Building
Santa Barbara
Virginia Hotel
Santa Barbara
Herschell, Allan, 3-Abreast Carousel
Santa Barbara
Andalucia Building
Santa Barbara
Stow House
Goleta
El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra
Santa Barbara
US Post Office-Santa Barbara Main
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Presidio
Santa Barbara
Southern Pacific Train Depot
Santa Barbara
Goleta Depot
Goleta
Santa Barbara Mission
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara County Courthouse
Santa Barbara
Space Launch Complex 10
Lompoc
Steedman Estate
Montecito
Sexton, Joseph and Lucy Foster, House
Santa Barbara
Val Verde
Santa Barbara
Los Alamos Ranch House
Los Alamos
Hope, Thomas, House
Santa Barbara
Browse all Californiahistoric sites ›

Other counties in California

Explore census history and historic records for more California counties.

ButteCalaverasColusaContra CostaDel NorteEl DoradoFresnoGlennHumboldtImperialInyoKernKingsKlamathLakeLassenLos AngelesMaderaMarinMariposa
Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Santa Barbara County, California

This page charts the census history of Santa Barbara County, California. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Santa Barbara County, California report
Or see a real report first

Explore California records

Californiahistory ›NRHP historic sites ›Notable people from California›

Frequently asked about Santa Barbara

When does Santa Barbara first appear in the US census?
Santa Barbara, California first appears in the federal census in 1850, with a recorded population of 1,185.
What is the population of Santa Barbara?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Santa Barbara had a recorded population of 448,229.
Were any battles fought in Santa Barbara?
21 documented military engagements took place in Santa Barbara, including Channel Islands Pre-Contact Violence, Point Conception Area Violence (CA-SBA-1), Channel Islands Chumash Warfare.
How many historic places are in Santa Barbara?
52 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Santa Barbara, California.
Aubrey Research

Research the history of any US location

Aubrey searches federal archives, archaeological records, historic registers, and primary sources to build a full historical report for any address or place in the United States.

Research your locationView a free sample report