Alabama Genealogy

This page of our website provides links to Alabama ancestry and historical narratives about Alabama. These genealogical records include, vital records (birth, marriage and divorce, death), ethnic records (Black, Native American), court records (land, probate and wills, criminal and civil), church records (Bibles, baptisms, marriages, burials and histories), cemeteries, census records, military records directories and yearbooks.

Alabama Black Genealogy

  • Alabama African American Records
    Alabama African American Genealogy online research is much more difficult due to the scant nature of record keeping for African Americans prior to the Civil War. This is the reason for creating a separate section for African Americans much like we have for Native Americans whose research can also be hampered by the available records.
    • WPA Slave Narratives
      Slave narratives are stories of surviving slaves told in their own words and ways. Unique, colorful, and authentic, these slave narratives provide a look at the culture of the South during slavery which heretofore had not been told.
    • Alabama, Freedmen’s Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872
      The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (often called the Freedmen’s Bureau) was created in 1865 at the end of the American Civil War to supervise relief efforts including education, health care, food and clothing, refugee camps, legalization of marriages, employment, labor contracts, and securing back pay, bounty payments and pensions. These records include letters and endorsements sent and received, account books, applications for rations, applications for relief, court records, labor contracts, registers of bounty claimants, registers of complaints, registers of contracts, registers of disbursements, registers of freedmen issued rations, registers of patients, reports, rosters of officers and employees, special and general orders and circulars received, special orders and circulars issued, records relating to claims, court trials, property restoration, and homesteads. This collection corresponds with NARA microfilm publication M1900, Records of the Field Offices for the State of Alabama, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872.
    • Alabama African American Cemeteries
    • Alabama African American Census
    • Alabama African American Census, Mortality Schedules, and Slave Schedules
    • Alabama Slave Owners
      Many wills contained information about slaves.  Reading these wills may provide the reader with a clue on their ancestors.

Alabama Historical Archives

  • Alabama Archives
    • Alabama Department of Archives and History Digital Collections
      • Alabama Photographs and Pictures Collection
        This digital collection contains over 20,000 images from the Alabama Department of Archives and History holdings. It includes a wide range of photographs, prints, and drawings from the early nineteenth century to the present day covering many topics and individuals from all walks of life.
      • Alabama Textual Materials Collection
        This collection contains a selection of textual materials such as letters, diaries, minutes, fliers, clippings, and excerpts from books. State publications, the Alabama Historical Quarterly, the Alabama Official and Statistical Register, and the History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography are in separate collections.
      • Alabama Maps Collection
        This collection contains a sampling of maps from the extensive holdings at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The maps span 300 years, documenting not only Alabama’s geographic past, but also that of the region, nation, and continent.
      • Alabama Folklife Collection
        This collection features a selection of images and audio recordings from the Archive of Alabama Folk Culture (AAFC). The AAFC was established in 2007 in order to house and make available the body of fieldwork gathered by the Alabama Folklife Association
      • Alabama Genealogy and History Publications
        To commemorate Alabama’s bicentennial, the genealogical and historical community has partnered with the Alabama Bicentennial Commission and the Alabama Department of Archives and History to create a portal to publications documenting the story of the state’s people and its past. Much of this collection will consist of the newsletters and journals produced by historical and genealogical organizations, but other relevant resources may be added as well.
      • Alabama Civil War Newspapers
        In honor of the Civil War sesquicentennial, ADAH has begun a project to make all of its newspapers from that era available online. These issues have been digitized from microfilm.
      • History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography
        The History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, written by Thomas McAdory Owen, was published in 1921 by the S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. The company had approached Dr. Owen in 1911 with a proposal that he produce a history and biographical dictionary of the state
      • Alabama Historical Quarterly
        Collection contains the 119 issues of the Alabama Historical Quarterly published by the Alabama Department of Archives and History in 1930 and between 1940 and 1982.
      • Alabama Writer’s Project Collection
        The Works Progress Administration (WPA), the principal relief agency of the second New Deal, was an attempt to provide work rather than welfare during the Great Depression. Under the WPA, buildings, roads, airports and schools were constructed.

Bibles from Alabama Families

Alabama Cemeteries

Alabama Census Records

  • Alabama Census Records
    • Alabama Mortality Census Records
      The 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1885 censuses included inquiries about persons who had died in the twelve months immediately preceding the enumeration. The 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 Alabama mortality census all survived. Mortality schedules list deaths from 1 June through 31 May of 1849–50, 1859–60, 1869–70, 1879–80, and 1884–85. They provide nationwide, state-by-state death registers that predate the recording of vital statistics in most states. While deaths are under-reported, the mortality schedules remain an invaluable source of information.
    • Alabama State Census Records 1820-1866
      This database contains state censuses from Alabama for the years 1820, 1850, 1855, and 1866. Each of these censuses recorded the names of the head of households and the number of other household inhabitants according to gender and age categories. Some years also included race categories and distinguished between individuals who were free and slave.
    • Alabama, State Census, 1855
      Index to the census taken in Alabama in 1855 at FamilySearch.
    • Alabama, State Census, 1866
      Index of the 1866 census from Alabama at FamilySearch. This census lists head of household and has statistical information about the makeup of the household. In some counties, the records indicate whether there were soldiers in the household who were killed, disabled, or died of sickness.
    • 1910 Alabama Census Map

Alabama Church Records

  • Alabama Church Records
    • The Clayhill Church Register 1887-1939
      Clayhill Church is off County Road 5511 in Brundidge, Pike County, Alabama. These images are digital representations of their complete church register covering the years of 1887-1939. This is a valuable source of genealogical information for those who comprised the membership of this church. It’s also a great complement to any transcription of its cemetery as it may include information on the unreadable headstones, and those who have no headstones. Included within this register are birth, baptism, death, burial and membership information. Unfortunately there was no marriage information recorded.
    • Church & Synagogue Records Database
      This collection consists of records from churches and synagogues in Alabama, and includes major denominations such as Baptist, Catholic, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Jewish, Methodist and Presbyterian. Records that can be found in the collection include minute books, registers, and other record books, scrapbooks, bulletins and souvenir programs, church histories, membership letters, cash books, pamphlets, pastor biographies, baptism records, and funeral records. 

Alabama Genealogy County Websites

Alabama County Genealogy

  • Autauga County Alabama Genealogy
    An extensive collection of material relating to Autauga County Alabama genealogy, includes vital records, cemeteries, census, history, and other records.

Alabama Court Records

Alabama Directories

  • 1867 Voter Registration database
    The Alabama 1867 voter registration records were created as a direct result of a Reconstruction Act passed by the United States Congress on March 23, 1867. The act required the commanding officer in each military district to hold, before September 1, 1867, a registration of all male citizens, 21 years and older, in each county who were also qualified to vote and who had taken the loyalty oath. Each registrant visited the local registration office, took the oath, and was listed in the Voter Registration record. Individuals ineligible to register included Confederate veterans and any person who had previously taken an oath as a member of Congress, as an officer of the United States, as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, and who later engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or gave aid or comfort to the enemies thereof, and whose “disability” had not been removed by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress.

Alabama Genealogy Databases

  • Alabama Databases at Ancestry
    Ancestry is the largest provider of genealogy data online. The billions of records they provide have advanced genealogy online beyond imagination just a decade ago. While some of these databases are free, many require a subscription.

Alabama Genealogical and Historical Societies

Alabama History

  • Alabama History
    Albert James Pickett writes about a history he is passionate about. The early history of Alabama. Unlike other Alabama history books you may read however, his view is very unique. He lived at a time when he knew many of the original founders of the state of Alabama, and he interviewed many eye witnessed to the events he writes about.

Alabama Immigration Records

Alabama Land Records

  • U.S., Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1820-1908
    3,907 land management tract books containing official records of the land status and transactions involving surveyed public lands arranged by state and then by township and range. These books indicate who obtained the land, and include a physical description of the tract and where the land is located. The type of transaction is also recorded such as cash entry, credit entry, homesteads, patents (deeds) granted by the Federal Government, and other conveyances of title such as Indian allotments, internal improvement grants (to states), military bounty land warrants, private land claims, railroad grants, school grants, and swamp grants. Additional items of information included in the tract books are as follows: number of acres, date of sale, purchase price, land office, entry number, final Certificate of Purchase number, and notes on relinquishments and conversions.

Alabama Maps

Alabama Military Records

  • Alabama Colonial Forts
    List of colonial forts, trading posts, named camps, redoubts, reservations, general hospitals, national cemeteries, etc., established or erected in the United States from its earliest settlement to 1902.
  • Revolutionary War
  • 1840 Pensioners Database
  • Alabama Civil War Records
    • Alabama Civil War Map
      Map depicting the battles fought within the state of Alabama during the Civil War.
    • Alabama Civil War Census Records, Confederate
    • Alabama Civil War Enlistment Records
    • Alabama Civil War Miscellaneous Records
    • Alabama Civil War Muster Rolls
      This information has been collected from a variety of sources. It provides the names of soldiers who fought for the various companies for the Confederacy during the Civil War. It is a work in progress.
    • Alabama Civil War Pension Records
    • Alabama Civil War Rosters
    • Alabama, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers
      Confederate service records of soldiers who served in organizations from Alabama. The records include a jacket-envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served. The jacket-envelope typically contains card abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in original muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers, Union prison registers and rolls, parole rolls, inspection reports; and the originals of any papers relating solely to the particular soldier. For each military unit the service records are arranged alphabetically by the soldier’s surname. The Military Unit field may also display the surname range (A-G) as found on the microfilm. This collection is a part of RG 109, War Department Collection of Confederate Records and is National Archive Microfilm Publication M311.
    • Alabama, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865
      Union service records of soldiers who served in the First Regiment of Alabama Cavalry.The records include a jacket-envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served. The jacket-envelope typically contains card abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in original muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers,prison registers and rolls, parole rolls, inspection reports; and the originals of any papers relating solely to the particular soldier. For each military unit the service records are arranged alphabetically by the soldier’s surname. The Military Unit field may also display the surname range (A-G) as found on the microfilm. This collection is a part of RG 94, Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s-1917 and is National Archive Microfilm Publication M276.
    • Alabama Confederate Service Cards
      On-line database, also available on self-service microfilm. This series contains information about individual soldiers from Alabama and was compiled from original sources such as muster rolls, pension files, and records at the National Archives. Service cards typically include the name of the soldier, his home county, his age at the date of his enlistment, the date and place of enlistment, and the company and regiment. Cards may also include a list of the engagements the soldier took part in; whether he was killed, captured, or wounded; and date of parole. The source of information is often cited. Arranged alphabetically by surname.
    • Confederate Officers Photograph Album
      This collection contains one hundred and ninety-two cartes-de-visite photographs of officers who served in the Confederate army. The majority of the officers served as either major generals or brigadier generals in the Confederate forces. The collection includes the photographs of many lesser known officers as well as the famous; such as Robert E. Lee, Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard, John Tyler Morgan, Stonewall Jackson, and JEB Stuart.
    • Civil War Pensions Index Cards
      Each card gives the soldier’s name, unit, the application number, the certificate number and the state from which the soldier served. In some cases, the soldier’s rank, terms of service, date of death and place of death are given. The index cards refer to pension applications of veterans who served in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917. The majority of the records pertain to Civil War veterans, but they also include veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, Indian wars, and World War I.
    • Civil War Service Database
      Information in this database was compiled from a multitude of sources at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Beginning in the early 1900s, the Archives staff read through muster rolls, newspapers, governors’ records, veterans’ censuses, and state pension records to create a card file that was arranged alphabetically by servicemen’s names. Each time a source was discovered, a new card was created; thus, an individual might have multiple cards. The records also include entries for slaves. Search for ‘slave’ in the surname field. The information on the cards was transcribed in this searchable database.
    • Alabama Civil War Pension Records
    • Alabama Civil War Rosters
    • Alabama, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers
      Confederate service records of soldiers who served in organizations from Alabama. The records include a jacket-envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served. The jacket-envelope typically contains card abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in original muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers, Union prison registers and rolls, parole rolls, inspection reports; and the originals of any papers relating solely to the particular soldier. For each military unit the service records are arranged alphabetically by the soldier’s surname. The Military Unit field may also display the surname range (A-G) as found on the microfilm. This collection is a part of RG 109, War Department Collection of Confederate Records and is National Archive Microfilm Publication M311.
    • Alabama, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865
      Union service records of soldiers who served in the First Regiment of Alabama Cavalry.The records include a jacket-envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served. The jacket-envelope typically contains card abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in original muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers,prison registers and rolls, parole rolls, inspection reports; and the originals of any papers relating solely to the particular soldier. For each military unit the service records are arranged alphabetically by the soldier’s surname. The Military Unit field may also display the surname range (A-G) as found on the microfilm. This collection is a part of RG 94, Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s-1917 and is National Archive Microfilm Publication M276.
    • Alabama Confederate Service Cards
      On-line database, also available on self-service microfilm. This series contains information about individual soldiers from Alabama and was compiled from original sources such as muster rolls, pension files, and records at the National Archives. Service cards typically include the name of the soldier, his home county, his age at the date of his enlistment, the date and place of enlistment, and the company and regiment. Cards may also include a list of the engagements the soldier took part in; whether he was killed, captured, or wounded; and date of parole. The source of information is often cited. Arranged alphabetically by surname.
    • Confederate Officers Photograph Album
      This collection contains one hundred and ninety-two cartes-de-visite photographs of officers who served in the Confederate army. The majority of the officers served as either major generals or brigadier generals in the Confederate forces. The collection includes the photographs of many lesser known officers as well as the famous; such as Robert E. Lee, Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard, John Tyler Morgan, Stonewall Jackson, and JEB Stuart.
    • Civil War Pensions Index Cards
      Each card gives the soldier’s name, unit, the application number, the certificate number and the state from which the soldier served. In some cases, the soldier’s rank, terms of service, date of death and place of death are given. The index cards refer to pension applications of veterans who served in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917. The majority of the records pertain to Civil War veterans, but they also include veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, Indian wars, and World War I.
  • World War 1 Records
  • World War II
  • Korean War Casualty List
  • Vietnam War Casualty List

Alabama Native American Records

Alabama Newspapers

Alabama Vital Records

  • Alabama Vital Records Information
  • Alabama County Courthouse Addresses
  • Births
    • Alabama Births and Christenings
      Name index to birth, baptism and christening records from the state of Alabama for the years of 1881-1930. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. This set contains 6,841 records. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later.
  • Deaths
    • Alabama Deaths and Burials
      Name index to death and burial records from the state of Alabama for the years of 1881-1952. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. This set contains 110,202 records. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later.
    • Alabama Deaths
      Name index to death certificates from the state of Alabama, 1908-1974.
    • Alabama Mortality Schedules
      Mortality schedules are useful for tracing and documenting genetic symptoms and diseases, and for verifying and documenting African American, Chinese, and Native American ancestry. By using these schedules to document death dates and family members, it is possible to follow up with focused searches in obituaries, mortuary records, cemeteries, and probate records. They can also provide clues to migration points and supplement information in population schedules.
  • Marriages
    • Alabama Marriages
      Name index to marriage records from the state of Alabama for the years of 1816-1957. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. This set contains 1,472,271 records. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later.
    • Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950
      This collection of marriage records for Alabama counties includes a) indexed records with images; b) indexed records without images; and c) images which can be browsed but do not have searchable indexes. The indexed records without images display a message “Image is Unavailable” when you attempt to view the image. The browse records are grouped by film number / digital film number (DGS). Each film is arranged by county, volume and date. Images will only be available for 84% of this collection when it is complete. Digital images and indexes will be added as they become available.
    • Marriage Records of Shelby County, Alabama – 1885-1905
      This is a series of record extracts which Don Thompson published by the Shelby County Historical Society in Columbiana, Alabama. Altogether there were 9 volumes, of which 4 have been placed online at this time.

Alabama Wills

  • Alabama Wills
  • Alabama, Estate Files, 1830-1976
    Index and images of estate files created by the probate courts of various Alabama counties. Probates were generally recorded in the county of residence. This collection covers probate records created 1830-1976, but the content and time period of the records will vary by county. Files from Madison, Monroe and Talladega counties have not been indexed, but are arranged in alphabetical order by the deceased’s name. Additional records may be added to this collection. Check the wiki or browse the collection to determine current coverage.
  • Alabama, Probate Records, 1809-1985
    This collection includes digital images of various probate records created in the county courts in Alabama. It includes wills, administrations, guardianship’s, estate inventories, bonds and other records.
  • Alabama Slave Owners
    Many wills contained information about slaves.  Reading these wills may provide the reader with a clue on their ancestors.

Alabama Yearbooks

Alabama High School Yearbooks

Jefferson County

  • Bessemer Alabama
    • Bessemer Academy Yearbooks
      27 volumes of yearbooks from Bessemer Academy in Bessemer Alabama. These yearbooks cover the years of 1972-2006, and are not all inclusive.
    • Bessemer High School Yearbooks
      12 volumes of yearbooks from Bessemer High School in Bessemer Alabama. These yearbooks cover the years of 1925-1963, and are not all inclusive.
  • Birmingham Alabama
    • Altamont High School Yearbooks
    • Banks High School Yearbooks
      23 volumes of yearbooks from Banks High School in Birmingham Alabama. These yearbooks cover the years of 1959-1989, and are not all inclusive.
    • Berry High School Yearbooks
      10 volumes of yearbooks from Berry High School in Birmingham Alabama. These yearbooks cover the years of 1966-1986, and are not all inclusive.

Alabama Junior High School Yearbooks

Jefferson County

  • Birmingham Alabama

Alabama Private School Yearbooks

Yearbooks where the private school covers more years than a high school.

Jefferson County