Access Dalton Genealogy Records

Dalton genealogy records are held at the Whitfield County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk at 205 N. Selvidge Street. Marriage records, probate files, and land deeds date back to 1852 when Whitfield County was created from Murray County.

Whitfield County Probate Court Records

The Whitfield County Probate Court is the main source for Dalton genealogy records. Marriage licenses go back to 1852. The court also keeps wills, estate files, guardianship records, and letters of administration. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over all estate and marriage records in Whitfield County.

Dalton is the county seat. All probate records for Whitfield County are stored here. You can visit the courthouse in person to search records. Staff can help you find what you need. The court takes mail requests too. Include the full name of the person, any dates you have, and the type of record you need. A search fee applies, and copy fees are charged per page.

Regular copies cost about $1 per page. Certified copies cost more. Call ahead to check the current fees before you send a payment by mail. Money orders are usually the safest option for mail requests.

Superior Court Clerk and Land Records

The Whitfield County Superior Court Clerk holds land deeds, plat maps, divorce records, and civil and criminal case files from 1852 onward. These records are valuable for Dalton genealogy because they show property transfers, legal disputes, and family ties that other records might miss.

Land records matter a lot in northwest Georgia genealogy. Deed books show when your ancestors bought or sold property near Dalton. They often list family members and neighbors. Plat maps can show you exactly where the land sat in relation to roads and creeks in the area.

Divorce records from the Superior Court are another useful source. They often name children, list assets, and give ages or birth dates. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Whitfield County are open to the public. You do not need a special reason to look at them. Just visit the clerk's office during business hours.

Vital Records for Dalton Genealogy

Georgia did not start keeping vital records at the state level until 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. For Dalton, this means birth and death records before 1919 may not exist at the state level. Church records, cemetery records, and family Bibles are your best bet for earlier dates.

The Georgia Department of Public Health handles vital records. Birth certificates cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for extras. Death certificates are the same price. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are only available to close family members and legal guardians.

Death certificates have fewer restrictions and are often easier to get for genealogy. They list the person's name, date and place of death, parents' names, and burial site. This information opens up new lines of research.

Marriage records from 1952 to 1996 were also filed at the state level. But the Whitfield County Probate Court in Dalton is the best source for marriage records going all the way back to 1852.

Whitfield County GAGenWeb Genealogy

The Whitfield County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run genealogy resource with cemetery transcriptions, census data, and records shared by researchers working on Whitfield County lines.

This site connects you with people researching Whitfield County families. Volunteers share records they have found at the Dalton courthouse, local libraries, and state archives in Morrow.

Other free resources for Dalton genealogy include FamilySearch, which has Georgia marriages from 1754 to 1960, probate records from 1742 to 1990, and death records from 1914 to 1943. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has over a million pages of old Georgia newspapers. Search for obituaries, legal notices, and family news from the Dalton area.

Georgia Archives and Online Access

The Georgia Archives is at 5800 Jonesboro Road in Morrow, about 100 miles south of Dalton. Call (678) 364-3710 for hours. The archives hold microfilmed Whitfield County records, vital records, military records, land grants, and more. Free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Fold3 is available in the search room.

The Virtual Vault gives you free online access to some collections from home. Death certificates from 1919 to 1943 are there. Confederate pension applications, county maps, and the Vanishing Georgia photo collection are also available. These can save you a long drive to Morrow.

You can also search Whitfield County records through the E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. If you need actual documents, the first page costs $2.50 and each page after is $1.00. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the Open Records Act limits copy fees for public records.

Research Tips for Dalton Genealogy

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places. Work backward one generation at a time.

Census records are a strong next step. Federal census data from 1820 to 1950 is at the Georgia Archives. Whitfield County first appears in the 1860 census. For ancestors in the Dalton area before 1852, look at Murray County records since Whitfield was carved from Murray.

Northwest Georgia was Cherokee Nation territory until the late 1830s. If your ancestors came to the Dalton area around that time, land lottery records and early settler lists can help trace when they arrived. The Virtual Vault has a free resource on Georgia county boundary changes that shows which county covered the Dalton area in any given year.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search Murray County for Whitfield County ancestors before 1852
• Look at Family Bible records at the Georgia Archives
• Use the Vanishing Georgia collection for old Whitfield County photos
• Try estate records when birth or death dates are unknown

Whitfield County Genealogy Records

Dalton is the county seat of Whitfield County. All marriage licenses, probate records, land deeds, and court cases for the city are filed at the Whitfield County courthouse. Records go back to 1852.

View Whitfield County Genealogy Records

Nearby Georgia Cities

These cities are near Dalton. Each has its own page with local genealogy resources and courthouse information.