Ownership Submission
FORM 5
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
Form 3 Holdings Reported
Form 4 Transactions Reported
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0362
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 1.0

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
GILMORE DENNIS J
 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
FIRST AMERICAN CORP [(FAF)] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)

5601 EAST LA PALMA AVENUE		 3. Statement for Issuer's Fiscal Year Ended (Month/Day/Year)
12/31/2004
(Street)


ANAHEIM, CA 92807		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Reporting
(check applicable line)

_X_ Form Filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form Filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned at end of Issuer's Fiscal Year
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock             8,518.668 D  
Common Stock             1,323.016 I By 401(k) Plan Trust (2)
Common Stock             142.618 I By ESOP Trust (3)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 2270 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned at End of Issuer's Fiscal Year
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
(A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 5.694           04/24/1997(4) 04/24/2006 Common Stock
3,560
  3,560
D
 
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 23.583           04/23/1999(5) 04/23/2008 Common Stock
22,500
  22,500
D
 
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 10.75           02/24/2001(6) 02/24/2010 Common Stock
20,000
  20,000
D
 
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 27           12/14/2001(7) 12/14/2010 Common Stock
20,000
  20,000
D
 
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 18.08           12/13/2002(8) 12/13/2011 Common Stock
20,000
  20,000
D
 
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 16.5           07/23/2003(9) 07/23/2012 Common Stock
10,000
  10,000
D
 
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 22.85           02/27/2004(10) 02/27/2013 Common Stock
50,000
  50,000
D
 
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 30.56           02/26/2005(11) 02/26/2014 Common Stock
50,000
  50,000
D
 

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
GILMORE DENNIS J
5601 EAST LA PALMA AVENUE
ANAHEIM, CA 92807		       Executive Vice President  

Signatures

By: Kathleen M. Collins attorney in fact for 02/09/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(2) Amount shown consists of shares contributed by issuer as company match, shares purchased for my account and shares acquired through automatic reinvestment of dividends paid as reported in most recent account statement in transactions exempt under rules 16a-3(f)(1)(i)(B) and 16b-3(c).
(3) Amount shown consists of shares allocated to my account in previous years and shares acquired through automatic reinvestment of dividends paid on such previously allocated shares, as reported in most recent account statement.
(4) The option vests in five equal annual increments commencing 4/24/97, the first anniversary of the grant.
(5) The option vests in five equal annual increments commencing 4/23/99, the first anniversary of the grant.
(6) The option vests in five equal annual increments commencing 2/24/01, the first anniversary of the grant.
(7) The option vests in five equal annual increments commencing 12/14/01, the first anniversary of the grant.
(8) The option vests in five equal annual increments commencing 12/13/02, the first anniversary of the grant.
(9) The option vests in five equal annual increments commencing 7/23/03, the first anniversary of the grant.
(10) The option vests in five equal annual increments commencing 2/27/04, the first anniversary of the grant.
(11) The option vests in five equal annual increments commencing 2/26/05, the first anniversary of the grant.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space provided is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.