South Carolina Genealogy

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Overview of South Carolina records


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Birth Records (192)
Cemetery Records (11,458)
Census Records (1,927)
Church Records (1,128)
City Directories (499)
Court Records (129)
Death Records (604)
Histories and Genealogies (406)
Immigration Records (167)
Land Records (199)
 Map Records (570)
Marriage Records (338)
Military Records (695)
Minority Records (119)
Miscellaneous Records (115)
Newspapers and Obituaries (2,167)
Probate Records (333)
School Records (996)
Tax Records (54)

By County

Abbeville County (367)
Aiken County (539)
Allendale County (173)
Anderson County (772)
Bamberg County (185)
Barnwell County (291)
Beaufort County (443)
Berkeley County (425)
Calhoun County (182)
Charleston County (1,565)
Cherokee County (310)
Chester County (375)
Chesterfield County (484)
Clarendon County (318)
Colleton County (437)
Darlington County (431)
Dillon County (276)
Dorchester County (274)
Edgefield County (369)
Fairfield County (476)
Florence County (527)
Georgetown County (444)
Greenville County (876)
 Greenwood County (304)
Hampton County (296)
Horry County (539)
Jasper County (166)
Kershaw County (492)
Lancaster County (317)
Laurens County (547)
Lee County (182)
Lexington County (735)
Marion County (312)
Marlboro County (392)
McCormick County (278)
Newberry County (723)
Oconee County (382)
Orangeburg County (634)
Pickens County (509)
Richland County (1,036)
Saluda County (209)
Spartanburg County (863)
Sumter County (447)
Union County (381)
Williamsburg County (438)
York County (510)

By City

Abbeville (in Abbeville County) (105)
Adams Run (in Charleston County) (49)
Aiken (in Aiken County) (93)
Alcolu (in Clarendon County) (26)
Allendale (in Allendale County) (46)
Alvin (in Berkeley County) (18)
Anderson (in Anderson County) (234)
Andrews (in Williamsburg County) (66)
Angelus (in Chesterfield County) (17)
Appleton (in Allendale County) (15)
Awendaw (in Charleston County) (35)
Aynor (in Horry County) (32)
Bamberg (in Bamberg County) (48)
Barnwell (in Barnwell County) (68)
Batesburg (in Lexington County) (64)
Bath (in Aiken County) (23)
Beaufort (in Beaufort County) (145)
Beech Island (in Aiken County) (33)
Belton (in Anderson County) (78)
Bennetts Point (in Colleton County) (18)
Bennettsville (in Marlboro County) (128)
Bethera (in Berkeley County) (15)
Bethune (in Kershaw County) (36)
Bishopville (in Lee County) (72)
Blacksburg (in Cherokee County) (54)
Blackstock (in Chester County) (29)
Blackville (in Barnwell County) (52)
Blair (in Fairfield County) (25)
Blenheim (in Marlboro County) (26)
Bluffton (in Beaufort County) (38)
Blythewood (in Richland County) (53)
Boiling Springs (in Spartanburg County) (28)
Bonneau (in Berkeley County) (26)
Bowman (in Orangeburg County) (38)
Bradley (in Greenwood County) (18)
Branchville (in Orangeburg County) (40)
Brittons Neck (in Marion County) (30)
Brunson (in Hampton County) (35)
Bucksport (in Horry County) (21)
Buffalo (in Union County) (29)
Bullock Creek (in York County) (20)
Burton (in Beaufort County) (24)
Bush River (in Newberry County) (17)
Byrd (in Dorchester County) (18)
Cades (in Williamsburg County) (38)
Calhoun (in Calhoun County) (15)
Calhoun Falls (in Abbeville County) (35)
Callison (in Greenwood County) (20)
Camden (in Kershaw County) (211)
Cameron (in Calhoun County) (23)
Campobello (in Spartanburg County) (28)
Canadys (in Colleton County) (18)
Carlisle (in Union County) (28)
Carolina (in Dillon County) (15)
Cash (in Chesterfield County) (17)
Cassatt (in Kershaw County) (32)
Catawba (in York County) (19)
Cayce (in Lexington County) (29)
Cedar Creek (in Richland County) (25)
Cedar Swamp (in Williamsburg County) (29)
Centerville (in Fairfield County) (18)
Central (in Pickens County) (50)
Chapin (in Lexington County) (63)
Chappells (in Newberry County) (28)
Charleston (in Charleston County) (1,014)
Cheraw (in Chesterfield County) (101)
Chesnee (in Spartanburg County) (56)
Chester (in Chester County) (85)
Chesterfield (in Chesterfield County) (36)
Clarks Hill (in McCormick County) (25)
Clemson (in Pickens County) (45)
Cleveland (in Greenville County) (27)
Clinton (in Laurens County) (111)
Clio (in Marlboro County) (39)
Clover (in York County) (52)
Columbia (in Richland County) (643)
Conway (in Horry County) (116)
Cooley Springs (in Spartanburg County) (17)
Cope (in Orangeburg County) (36)
Cordesville (in Berkeley County) (24)
Cordova (in Orangeburg County) (21)
Cottageville (in Colleton County) (34)
Coward (in Florence County) (28)
Cowpens (in Spartanburg County) (33)
Creston (in Calhoun County) (16)
Crocketville (in Hampton County) (16)
Cross (in Berkeley County) (37)
Cross Anchor (in Spartanburg County) (26)
Cross Hill (in Laurens County) (41)
Cross Keys (in Union County) (29)
Cummings (in Hampton County) (15)
Dacusville (in Pickens County) (30)
Dalzell (in Sumter County) (40)
Darlington (in Darlington County) (75)
Davis Station (in Clarendon County) (16)
Denmark (in Bamberg County) (30)
Dillon (in Dillon County) (28)
Donalds (in Abbeville County) (28)
Dorchester (in Dorchester County) (17)
Dovesville (in Darlington County) (17)
Due West (in Abbeville County) (40)
Duncan (in Spartanburg County) (25)
Early Branch (in Hampton County) (23)
Easley (in Pickens County) (107)
Eastover (in Richland County) (56)
Edgefield (in Edgefield County) (69)
Edgemoor (in Chester County) (28)
Edisto Island (in Charleston County) (62)
Effingham (in Florence County) (30)
Ehrhardt (in Bamberg County) (28)
Elgin (in Kershaw County) (42)
Elko (in Barnwell County) (25)
Elloree (in Orangeburg County) (31)
Enoree (in Spartanburg County) (32)
Epworth (in Greenwood County) (18)
Estill (in Hampton County) (30)
Eutawville (in Orangeburg County) (38)
Fair Play (in Oconee County) (23)
Fairfax (in Allendale County) (21)
Fairforest (in Spartanburg County) (17)
Florence (in Florence County) (124)
Floydale (in Dillon County) (18)
Fork (in Dillon County) (21)
Fort Lawn (in Chester County) (21)
Fort Mill (in York County) (59)
Fort Motte (in Calhoun County) (33)
Fountain Inn (in Greenville County) (64)
Frogmore (in Beaufort County) (22)
Gadsden (in Richland County) (25)
Gaffney (in Cherokee County) (113)
Galivants Ferry (in Horry County) (29)
Garnett (in Hampton County) (19)
Gaston (in Lexington County) (29)
Georgetown (in Georgetown County) (173)
Gilbert (in Lexington County) (48)
Givhans (in Dorchester County) (19)
Glenn Springs (in Spartanburg County) (18)
Goose Creek (in Berkeley County) (34)
Govan (in Bamberg County) (15)
Gowensville (in Greenville County) (29)
Graniteville (in Aiken County) (34)
Gray Court (in Laurens County) (63)
Grays (in Jasper County) (22)
Great Falls (in Chester County) (27)
Greeleyville (in Williamsburg County) (49)
Green Pond (in Colleton County) (35)
Green Sea (in Horry County) (31)
Greenville (in Greenville County) (284)
Greenwood (in Greenwood County) (75)
Greer (in Greenville County) (99)
Gresham (in Marion County) (25)
Grover (in Dorchester County) (17)
Hamer (in Dillon County) (30)
Hampton (in Hampton County) (33)
Hanahan (in Berkeley County) (16)
Hannah (in Florence County) (16)
Hardeeville (in Jasper County) (22)
Harleyville (in Dorchester County) (23)
Hartsville (in Darlington County) (83)
Heath Springs (in Lancaster County) (32)
Hemingway (in Williamsburg County) (46)
Hendersonville (in Colleton County) (18)
Hickory Grove (in York County) (28)
Hickory Tavern (in Laurens County) (23)
Hilda (in Barnwell County) (23)
Hilton Head (in Beaufort County) (25)
Hilton Head Island (in Beaufort County) (41)
Hodges (in Greenwood County) (26)
Holly Hill (in Orangeburg County) (40)
Hollywood (in Charleston County) (43)
Honea Path (in Anderson County) (51)
Hopkins (in Richland County) (44)
Horrel Hill (in Richland County) (29)
Huger (in Berkeley County) (22)
Indian Land (in Lancaster County) (22)
Inman (in Spartanburg County) (51)
Irmo (in Lexington County) (47)
Islandton (in Colleton County) (30)
Iva (in Anderson County) (51)
Jackson (in Aiken County) (28)
Jacksonboro (in Colleton County) (21)
James Island (in Charleston County) (66)
Jamestown (in Berkeley County) (24)
Jedburg (in Dorchester County) (17)
Jefferson (in Chesterfield County) (44)
Jenkinsville (in Fairfield County) (30)
Joanna (in Laurens County) (21)
Johns Island (in Charleston County) (71)
Johnsonville (in Florence County) (30)
Johnston (in Edgefield County) (44)
Jonesville (in Union County) (38)
Kelton (in Union County) (25)
Kershaw (in Lancaster County) (38)
Kinards (in Newberry County) (33)
Kingstree (in Williamsburg County) (91)
Kirksey (in Greenwood County) (16)
Lake City (in Florence County) (62)
Lake View (in Dillon County) (36)
Lamar (in Darlington County) (37)
Lancaster (in Lancaster County) (83)
Landrum (in Spartanburg County) (37)
Lane (in Williamsburg County) (29)
Latta (in Dillon County) (47)
Laurens (in Laurens County) (80)
 Lebanon (in Fairfield County) (21)
Lebanon in Berkeley County (in Berkeley County) (16)
Leeds (in Chester County) (20)
Leesville (in Lexington County) (71)
Lester (in Marlboro County) (19)
Lexington (in Lexington County) (102)
Liberty (in Pickens County) (55)
Little Mountain (in Newberry County) (38)
Little River (in Horry County) (42)
Little Rock (in Dillon County) (20)
Lockhart (in Union County) (26)
Lodge (in Colleton County) (20)
Lone Star (in Calhoun County) (16)
Longs (in Horry County) (29)
Loris (in Horry County) (59)
Lowndesville (in Abbeville County) (36)
Lugoff (in Kershaw County) (46)
Lydia (in Darlington County) (18)
Lyman (in Spartanburg County) (17)
Lynchburg (in Lee County) (25)
Macedonia (in Berkeley County) (18)
Madison (in Oconee County) (21)
Manning (in Clarendon County) (83)
Marietta (in Greenville County) (39)
Marion (in Marion County) (60)
Martin (in Allendale County) (19)
Mauldin (in Greenville County) (32)
Mayesville (in Sumter County) (29)
Mayo (in Spartanburg County) (19)
McBee (in Chesterfield County) (26)
McClellanville (in Charleston County) (55)
McColl (in Marlboro County) (38)
McConnells (in York County) (21)
McCormick (in McCormick County) (103)
Meeting Street (in Edgefield County) (20)
Millett (in Allendale County) (15)
Moncks Corner (in Berkeley County) (85)
Monetta (in Aiken County) (26)
Montmorenci (in Aiken County) (20)
Moore (in Spartanburg County) (24)
Mount Carmel (in McCormick County) (31)
Mount Croghan (in Chesterfield County) (22)
Mount Pisgah (in Kershaw County) (18)
Mount Pleasant (in Charleston County) (76)
Mountain Rest (in Oconee County) (20)
Mountville (in Laurens County) (25)
Mullins (in Marion County) (52)
Murrells Inlet (in Georgetown County) (29)
Myrtle Beach (in Horry County) (39)
Neeses (in Orangeburg County) (40)
Nesmith (in Williamsburg County) (39)
New Ellenton (in Aiken County) (22)
New Prospect (in Spartanburg County) (19)
New Zion (in Clarendon County) (20)
Newberry (in Newberry County) (151)
Nichols (in Marion County) (30)
Ninety Six (in Greenwood County) (49)
North (in Orangeburg County) (43)
North Augusta (in Aiken County) (49)
North Charleston (in Charleston County) (58)
North Myrtle Beach (in Horry County) (30)
North Santee (in Georgetown County) (22)
Norway (in Orangeburg County) (21)
Oak Grove (in Dillon County) (18)
Oakland Crossroads (in Dillon County) (15)
Oakway (in Oconee County) (21)
Olanta (in Florence County) (25)
Olar (in Bamberg County) (18)
Orangeburg (in Orangeburg County) (136)
Pacolet (in Spartanburg County) (36)
Pageland (in Chesterfield County) (57)
Pamplico (in Florence County) (32)
Parksville (in McCormick County) (26)
Patrick (in Chesterfield County) (30)
Pauline (in Spartanburg County) (29)
Pawleys Island (in Georgetown County) (39)
Paxville (in Clarendon County) (16)
Peak (in Newberry County) (25)
Pelion (in Lexington County) (30)
Pelzer (in Anderson County) (45)
Pendleton (in Anderson County) (78)
Pickens (in Pickens County) (91)
Piedmont (in Anderson County) (59)
Pineland (in Jasper County) (20)
Pineville (in Berkeley County) (26)
Pinewood (in Sumter County) (31)
Pinopolis (in Berkeley County) (18)
Plantersville (in Georgetown County) (28)
Pleasant Hill in Georgetown County (in Georgetown County) (20)
Plum Branch (in McCormick County) (33)
Pomaria (in Newberry County) (60)
Pontiac (in Richland County) (23)
Port Royal (in Beaufort County) (37)
Powdersville (in Anderson County) (29)
Princeton (in Laurens County) (22)
Prosperity (in Newberry County) (74)
Pumpkintown (in Pickens County) (25)
Ravenel (in Charleston County) (41)
Reevesville (in Dorchester County) (31)
Reidville (in Spartanburg County) (21)
Rembert (in Sumter County) (32)
Richburg (in Chester County) (27)
Ridge Spring (in Saluda County) (18)
Ridgeland (in Jasper County) (43)
Ridgeville (in Dorchester County) (29)
Ridgeway (in Fairfield County) (48)
Robertville (in Jasper County) (15)
Rock Hill (in York County) (125)
Roebuck (in Spartanburg County) (30)
Round O (in Colleton County) (28)
Rowesville (in Orangeburg County) (18)
Ruby (in Chesterfield County) (39)
Ruffin (in Colleton County) (29)
Salem (in Oconee County) (34)
Salley (in Aiken County) (36)
Salters (in Williamsburg County) (32)
Saluda (in Saluda County) (39)
Sampit (in Georgetown County) (24)
Sandy Run (in Calhoun County) (18)
Sandy Springs (in Anderson County) (29)
Santee (in Orangeburg County) (27)
Santuc (in Union County) (25)
Scranton (in Florence County) (27)
Sedalia (in Union County) (28)
Seivern (in Aiken County) (19)
Sellers (in Marion County) (23)
Seneca (in Oconee County) (71)
Sharon (in York County) (35)
Sheldon (in Beaufort County) (16)
Shiloh (in Sumter County) (22)
Shulerville (in Berkeley County) (15)
Silverstreet (in Newberry County) (35)
Simpsonville (in Greenville County) (64)
Six Mile (in Pickens County) (31)
Smoaks (in Colleton County) (29)
Smyrna (in York County) (26)
Snelling (in Barnwell County) (23)
Society Hill (in Darlington County) (31)
Spartanburg (in Spartanburg County) (196)
Springfield (in Orangeburg County) (26)
Springtown (in Colleton County) (17)
St George (in Dorchester County) (58)
St Matthews (in Calhoun County) (69)
St Stephen (in Berkeley County) (38)
Starr (in Anderson County) (33)
Stateburg (in Sumter County) (34)
Summerton (in Clarendon County) (41)
Summerville (in Dorchester County) (78)
Sumter (in Sumter County) (133)
Sunset (in Pickens County) (39)
Suttons (in Williamsburg County) (25)
Swansea (in Lexington County) (40)
Sycamore (in Allendale County) (17)
Tatum (in Marlboro County) (22)
Taylors (in Greenville County) (47)
Temperance Hill (in Marion County) (22)
Tigerville (in Greenville County) (27)
Tillman (in Jasper County) (15)
Timmonsville (in Florence County) (46)
Townville (in Anderson County) (39)
Travelers Rest (in Greenville County) (78)
Trenton (in Edgefield County) (29)
Trio (in Williamsburg County) (26)
Troy (in Greenwood County) (22)
Turbeville (in Clarendon County) (22)
Ulmer (in Allendale County) (20)
Union (in Union County) (87)
Van Wyck (in Lancaster County) (19)
Vance (in Orangeburg County) (23)
Varnville (in Hampton County) (48)
Waccamaw (in Georgetown County) (20)
Wadmalaw Island (in Charleston County) (41)
Wagener (in Aiken County) (39)
Walhalla (in Oconee County) (53)
Wallace (in Marlboro County) (32)
Walnut Grove (in Spartanburg County) (17)
Walterboro (in Colleton County) (119)
Wampee (in Horry County) (26)
Wando (in Berkeley County) (18)
Ward (in Saluda County) (20)
Ware Place (in Greenville County) (26)
Ware Shoals (in Laurens County) (36)
Warrenville (in Aiken County) (20)
Waterloo (in Laurens County) (32)
Wedgefield (in Sumter County) (26)
Wellford (in Spartanburg County) (27)
West Columbia (in Lexington County) (66)
West Union (in Oconee County) (25)
Westminster (in Oconee County) (76)
Westville (in Kershaw County) (20)
White Oak (in Fairfield County) (22)
White Pond (in Aiken County) (22)
White Rock (in Richland County) (28)
Whitmire (in Newberry County) (33)
Williamston (in Anderson County) (48)
Willington (in McCormick County) (25)
Williston (in Barnwell County) (43)
Windsor (in Aiken County) (23)
Winnsboro (in Fairfield County) (134)
Woodruff (in Spartanburg County) (47)
Yemassee (in Hampton County) (29)
Yonges Island (in Charleston County) (37)
York (in York County) (73)

Overview of South Carolina Genealogy Records

  • History: South Carolina was first settled in 1663 and became a state in 1788. It was part of the Confederate states during the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. Before 1868 South Carolina was divided into districts and in 1868 the districts changed to counties.
  • Birth records: Statewide registration of births in South Carolina began in 1915 with complete records by 1917. A few cities have earlier birth records.  Birth records from 1915 to the present can be obtained from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control .
  • Marriage records: Statewide registration of marriages in South Carolina began in 1915. A few cities have earlier marriage records.  Marriage records are kept by the county probate judges. Marriage records from 1950 to the present can be obtained from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control .
  • Death records: Statewide registration of deaths in South Carolina began in 1915 with complete records by 1918. A few cities have earlier death records.  Death records from 1915 to the present can be obtained from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control .
  • Divorce records: Divorce was illegal in South Carolina until 1949.
  • Census records: The first federal census available for South Carolina is 1790. There are federal censuses publicly available for 1790, 1800 (partial), 1810, 1820 (partial), 1830 (partial), 1840 (partial), 1850 (partial), 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930,  1940, and 1950.
    • County records: Court, land, probate, naturalization, and tax records were kept by the individual counties.
  • Other records: The city pages on this site can help you to locate newspapers, records kept by churches, cemeteries, histories, school, city directories, and other records. Records specific to minority groups can be found in the Minority Records section.
  • All records: Use the links on this site to locate online indexes and images of many of the above records.
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