South Carolina Genealogy

This page of our website provides links to South Carolina ancestry databases and historical narratives about South Carolina. These genealogical records may 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.

South Carolina Black Genealogy

  • South Carolina African American Genealogy
    • South Carolina African American Cemeteries
    • African American Census 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.
    • South Carolina, 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 M1910, Records of the Field Offices for the State South Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872.

South Carolina Cemeteries

South Carolina Census Records

South Carolina Church Records

History of Orangeburg Presbyterian Church, 1835-1935
This manuscript chronicles the early years of the Orangeburg Presbyterian Church, outlining its formation in 1835 and its growth throughout the 19th century. The author focuses on key events, such as the acquisition of church property and the evolution of its membership, which included both white members and enslaved African Americans. The text also details the various organizations within the church, including the Sunday School, the Woman’s Auxiliary, and the Young People’s League, highlighting their contributions to the church’s spiritual well-being and growth. The author’s aim is to present a concise account of the church’s history, emphasizing its significant milestones and the individuals who shaped its development.

Register of St. Philip’s Parish, Charles Town, SC
This is a collection of birth records from St. Philip’s Parish in South Carolina, beginning in 1711. It documents births in chronological order, providing the names of the parents, the date of birth, and sometimes additional information like the time of birth or whether the child was baptized. The records highlight the demographics of the parish during the 18th century, showcasing the names, family structures, and even the occasional instances of births outside of marriage.

South Carolina Court Records

South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977
This collection includes wills, records of estates and guardianships recorded by the counties of South Carolina. Although the inclusive dates span a larger year range, most of the records fall between the year 1800 through 1930.

South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964
This collection includes wills, records of estates and guardianships recorded by the counties of South Carolina. Most of the records fall between the mid-1800s through 1930.

South Carolina, Charleston U.S. Citizens Passenger Lists, 1919-1948
This collection contains passenger lists of U.S. citizens arriving at Charleston, South Carolina, November 1919-December 1948. The records may contain the ports and dates of departure and arrival, name, age, gender, marital status, date and place of birth, date and court of naturalization (if naturalized), and residence. These records correspond with NARA publication A3647 and were filmed at the NARA facility in College Park, Maryland.

South Carolina, Georgetown, Passenger Lists, 1904-1942
Passenger lists of vessels arriving at Georgetown, South Carolina, and at Apalachicola, Boynton, Boca Grande, Carrabelle, Fernandina, Fort Pierce, Hobe Sound, Lake Worth, Mayport, Millville, and Port Inglis. This collection corresponds to NARA Publication M1842.

South Carolina, Darlington County Records, 1798-1928
Digital images of probate, naturalization, coroner and other court records captured at the Darlington County Historical Commission in Darlington, South Carolina. This collection is being published as images become available.

South Carolina Genealogy

South Carolina History

  • Papers of William Henry Lyttelton 1756-1760
    Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760: This collection contains papers relating to William Henry Lyttelton’s career as governor of South Carolina, including letters from officials in London; correspondence with other southern governors relating to Indian affairs, frontier defense, and boundaries; correspondence with military officers in America; and communications with the South Carolina Commons House and Council. A series of reports by Edmond Atkin, superintendent of Indian affairs in the Southern District, provides valuable information on the Cherokees, Creeks, and Chickasaws. There are 142 items, 1761-1766, concerning Lyttelton’s governorship of Jamaica, including material on the Negro insurrection of 1765 in St. Mary’s Parish.
  • Memorabilia and anecdotal reminiscences of Columbia, S. C., and incidents connected therewith

South Carolina Military Records

  • Military Records
    • Revolutionary War Records
    • Civil War Records
      • South Carolina Civil War Battlefield Map
      • South Carolina Civil War Rosters
        A complete roll of all the members who belonged to Kershaw's Brigade of South Carolina. In the list of officers there will appear some seeming irregularities and inaccuracies, but this is accounted for by the fact that the duplicate rolls were those taken from the companies' muster rolls when first enlisted in the Confederate service, and little or no record kept of promotions. Thus we will see Captains and Lieutenants in these rolls marked as non-commissioned officers. This was occasioned by those officers being promoted during the continuance of the war, and no record kept of such promotions.
      • 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.’
      • South Carolina Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865
        Confederate service records of soldiers who served in organizations from South Carolina. 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 M267. Index courtesy of Fold3.
      • South Carolina, Confederate Home Records, 1909-1958
        Images of application folders of Confederate veterans who were inmates of the South Carolina Confederate Home in Columbia. Originals are located at the South Carolina Depat. of Archives and History.
      • South Carolina, 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 M1910, Records of the Field Offices for the State South Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872.
    • World War 1 Records
    • World War II Records
    • Korean War Casualty List
    • Vietnam War Casualty List

South Carolina Native American Records

South Carolina Vital Records

  • South Carolina Vital Records
    • South Carolina Births and Christenings, 1681-1935
      Name index to birth, baptism and christening records from the state of South Carolina. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. Due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later.
    • South Carolina Marriages 1766 – 1782
      List of Article’s for Marriage Notices in The South Carolina and American General Gazette, From May 1766 to February 28, 1781
    • South Carolina Marriages, 1709-1913
      Name index to marriage records from the state of South Carolina. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. Due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later.
    • South Carolina Deaths, 1915-1965
      Name index and images of South Carolina death records. Original records created by South Carolina Department of Health. Records are arranged by year and alphabetically by locality. Records from 1915-1943 were acquired from South Carolina Department of Archives and History.