Hancock County, Georgia Genealogy
Guide to Hancock County, Georgia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 2.29 Voter Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for John Hancock. The County is located in the central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Hancock County Courthouse
12630 Broad Street
Sparta, GA 31087
Phone: 706-444-6644
Hancock County Website
Probate Court has birth and death records from 1927, marriage records from 1805 and probate records.
Clerk Superior Court has divorce and court records from 1919 and land records from 1794.[3]
Hancock County, Georgia Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1927 | 1805 | 1927 | 1919 | 1794 | 1794 | 1820 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
2014 The Hancock County Courthouse, built in 1883, burned on August 11, 2014. Property deeds, birth and marriage certificates and many other vital records dating back to 1795 were destroyed.[5] Many earlier records may be available on microfilm.[6] For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Georgia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Georgia County Boundary Maps" (1758-1932) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[8]
Cities | ||
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Unincorporated communities | ||
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History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web site may have additional information on Hancock County cemeteries.
- Interment.net Georgia cemetery records
Census Records[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
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Census | Pop. | %± |
1800 | 14,456 | — |
1810 | 13,330 | −7.8% |
1820 | 12,734 | −4.5% |
1830 | 11,820 | −7.2% |
1840 | 9,659 | −18.3% |
1850 | 11,578 | 19.9% |
1860 | 12,044 | 4.0% |
1870 | 11,317 | −6.0% |
1880 | 16,989 | 50.1% |
1890 | 17,149 | 0.9% |
1900 | 18,277 | 6.6% |
1910 | 19,189 | 5.0% |
1920 | 18,357 | −4.3% |
1930 | 13,070 | −28.8% |
1940 | 12,764 | −2.3% |
1950 | 11,052 | −13.4% |
1960 | 9,979 | −9.7% |
1970 | 9,019 | −9.6% |
1980 | 9,466 | 5.0% |
1990 | 8,908 | −5.9% |
2000 | 10,076 | 13.1% |
2010 | 9,429 | −6.4% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Georgia denominations, see the Georgia Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
The Uncle Remus Regional Library System website has posted a variety of digitized microfilm court records for Hancock County. Note: ledger indexes may sometimes be found at the end of each microfilm reel.
- Annual returns
- Bonds
- Deeds and mortgages
- Dismission
- Guardianship
- Inventory and appraisment
- Marriages
- Minutes
- Pony homesteads
- Record of wills
- Wills and estates
- Writs
- Years support
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
- [Jackson] Brandenberger, Evelyn Duke. "The Jacksons of Lower Virginia".
- - FHL Book 975.5 B2vg vol. 30 (1986) thru vol. 33 (1989). (See detailed vol and page num listing below).
- - American Ancestors. To search digital images online, select The Virginia Genealogist from the dropdown Database list on the search form. Then enter volume and page number (see listing below). Note: Login account is free but required to see results.
- Vol. 30, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1986):163-169; Vol. 30, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1986):288-295; Vol. 31, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1987):11-18; Vol. 31, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1987):101-111; Vol. 31, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1987):195-204; Vol. 31, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1987):269-278; Vol. 32, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1988):49-57; Vol. 32, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1988):119-130; Vol. 32, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1988):185-192; Vol. 32, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1988):259-263; Vol. 33, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1989):34-44; Vol. 33, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1989):135-143; Vol. 33, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1989):204-207; Vol. 33, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1989):295-304.
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Georgia Land and Property for additional information about early Georgia land grants from the government. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions (generally buying and selling deeds) were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Digitized microfilm of Hancock County deed and mortgage books covering the years 1794 through 1900, and Index books for the years 1794 through 1961 can be found at Deeds and mortgages (Uncle Remus Regional Library System). Note: in some cases, indexes of the individual ledgers can be found at the end of the microfilm roll.
- 1793-1798 Deeds images. Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1784-1785 Land Grants (images). Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1784-1787 Images of Land Court Minutes. Georgia Pioneers ($)
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Hancock County, Georgia Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Georgia Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
- Maps of Georgia (1758-1932)
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
Online Records
- 1861-1865 Georgia Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 Georgia Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
- 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
- 1861-1865 Confederate Enlistment Oaths and Discharges at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault- images and alphabetical index
- 1861-1865 Confederate Muster Rolls at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault- images; filter by commanding officer, service branch and regiment
- 1861-1865 Confederate Pension Application Supplements - images and alphabetical index; filter by county
- 1863 Georgia Militia (names, ages, where born). Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1864 Militia Enrollment Lists, 1864 - images; filter by county
- 1867-1868 Georgia, Reconstruction Registration Oath Books, 1867-1868 at FamilySearch — index
- 1879-1920 Georgia, Confederate Pension Rolls, 1879-1920 at FamilySearch — index
- 1879-1960 Confederate Pension Applications - images and alphabetical index; filter by county
Regiments. Service men in Hancock County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Hancock County:
- - 6th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company A
- - 15th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Companies E and K
- - 49th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company I
- - 59th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company I
- Smith, Elizabeth Wiley, and Sara Smith Carnes. 1974. The history of Hancock County, Georgia. Washington, Ga: Wilkes Pub. Co. (page 132-142) 975.8623 H2se
- Shivers, Forrest. 1990. The land between: a history of Hancock County, Georgia to 1940. Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint Co. (page 153-169) 975.8623 H2s
- Georgia. 1961. Confederate soldiers book, 1893; soldiers and widows pension rolls, 1890 -1943. [S.l.]: Mann Film Laboratories. film 229848, 229849
Spanish-American War
- 1898 Spanish-American War Service Summary Cards - images and alphabetical index; filter by residence, muster location and unit
World War I
- 1914-1918 World War I Casualties Scrapbooks - images and alphabetical index
- 1920-1929 Georgia, World War I, Statement of Service Cards, 1920-1929 at FamilySearch — index and images
World War II
- 1940-1942 Georgia World War II Draft Registration Cards 1940-1942 at findmypast - index ($))
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voting Records
- 1867-1868 Georgia, Reconstruction Registration Oath Books, 1867-1868 at FamilySearch — index
- 1856-1909 - Georgia, County Voter Registrations, 1856-1909 at FamilySearch — index and images
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Colonial courts kept some early probate records. From 1777 to 1798 and since 1852, the court of ordinary or register of probates has kept probate and guardianship records. The inferior court handled probate and guardianship matters from 1798 to 1852.
Many probate records to the 1930s and 1940s are at the Georgia Department of Archives and History and the Family History Library on microfilm.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, marriage, adoption, and birth and death records (not all years).
Online Probate Records
- 1742-1990 Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1742-1992 Georgia Wills and Probate Records 1742-1992 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
- 1804-1814 Wills 1804-1814 (abstracts) at Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1811-1815 Wills, Inventories, Annual Returns, Guardianships, Sales, Book G, 1811-1815 (digital images) at Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1811-1815 Wills, Inventories, Annual Returns, Guardianships, Sales, Book H, 1811-1815 (digital images) at Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1815-1818 Wills, Inventories, Annual Returns, Guardianships, Sales, Book I, 1815-1818 (digital images) at Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1818-1824 Wills, Inventories, Annual Returns, Guardianships, Sales, Book J, 1818-1824 (digital images) at Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1820-1828 Wills, Book L, 1820-1828 (digital images) at Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1823-1828 Wills, Book M, 1823-1828 (digital images) at Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1831-1834 Wills, Estates, Apprs., etc., Bk N, 1831-1834 (digital images) at Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1862-1881 Index to Wills 1862-1881 at Georgia Pioneers ($)
- General Estate Index A-Z at Georgia Pioneers ($)
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Taxes were levied on free white males over 21 and all slaves up to age 60. These persons are referred to as "polls." Tax listings, or digests, of a county generally list the taxable landowners and other polls and the amount of tax. The records for each county are divided by militia district.
- 1787-1900 Georgia, Tax Digests, 1787-1900 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection, index and images
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Georgia State Department of Health , the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred or order electronically online.
For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Georgia.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1863 Hancock County Birth Index 1863. Batch C713011 at FamilySearch[9]
- 1870-1960 Georgia, County Delayed Birth and Death Records, 1870-1960 at FamilySearch — index, and some images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1560-1993 Georgia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index ($)
- 1699-1944 Georgia Marriages 1699-1944 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1754-1960 Georgia Church Marriages, 1754-1960 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1785-1950 Georgia County Marriages 1785-1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1787-1962 Georgia, Church Marriages, 1787-1962 at FamilySearch — index
- 1806-1879 Hancock County Marriage Books 1 thru 3 Index 1806-1879. Batch M713011 at FamilySearch
- 1808-1901 Hancock County Marriage Books online at the Digital Archives of Georgia.
- 1808-1967 Georgia Marriages 1808-1967 at FamilySearch — index
- 1828-1978 Georgia Marriage Records from Select Counties 1828-1978 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
- 1869-1876 Hancock County Marriage Books 4 thru 6 Index 1869-1876. Batch M713012 at FamilySearch
- 1876-1880 Hancock County Marriage Books 7 and 8 Index 1876-1880. Batch M713013 at FamilySearch
- 1880-1882 Hancock County Marriage Books 9 and 10 Index 1880-1882. Batch M713014 at FamilySearch
- 1882-1886 Hancock County Marriage Book 11 Index 1882-1886. Batch M713015 at FamilySearch
- 1886-1891 Hancock County Marriage Book 12 Index 1886-1891. Batch M713016 at FamilySearch
- 1891-1900 Hancock County Marriage Book 13 Index 1891-1900. Batch M713017 at FamilySearch
- 1808-1866 Marriage records images. Georgia Pioneers ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1870-1960 Georgia, County Delayed Birth and Death Records, 1870-1960 at FamilySearch — index, and some images
- 1914-1927 Georgia Deaths 1914-1927 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1919-1998 Georgia Deaths 1919-1998 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1919-1930 Georgia Death Certificates at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - index and images
- 1928-1930 Georgia Non-Indexed Death Certificates at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images
- 1928-1942 Georgia Deaths, 1928-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1933-1998 Georgia Death Index 1933-1998 at FamilySearch — index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Voter Records[edit | edit source]
- 1856-1941 Georgia, County Voter Registrations, 1856-1941 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection, index and images
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Hancock County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Georgia Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Hancock County. For state-wide library facilities, see Georgia Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Hancock County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Georgia Societies.
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Hancock County, GA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Georgia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- USGenWeb Hancock County, Georgia project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
- GAGenWeb Archives
- Hancock County, Georgia Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Georgia Pioneers Georgia Pioneers
- FamilySearch Catalog - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Georgia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hancock County, Georgia" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock_County,_Georgia accessed 31 Oct 2018
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Georgia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Hancock County, Georgia. Page 151-163 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 155-160.
- ↑ Fire Destroys Hancock County Courthouse http://www.13wmaz.com/longform/news/local/hancock/2014/08/11/sparta-courthouse-fire/13884407/
- ↑ Hancock County Courthouse Burned by Dick Eastman http://blog.eogn.com/2014/08/12/hancock-county-georgia-courthouse-burned/
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Georgia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hancock County, Georgia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock_County%2C_Georgia, accessed 20 Febuary 2019.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/5/57/Igigeorgiael.pdf.