Search Hinesville Genealogy Records

Hinesville genealogy records are held at the Liberty County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk at 201 S. Main Street. Liberty County is one of the oldest counties in Georgia. Records here go back to 1777, making it one of the richest sources for colonial-era family history in the state.

Liberty County Probate Court Records

The Liberty County Probate Court is the main source for Hinesville genealogy records. Marriage licenses, wills, estate files, guardianship records, and letters of administration are all stored here. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over all estate and marriage records in Liberty County.

Liberty County was one of Georgia's original counties, formed in 1777. That means probate and estate records here can stretch back to before the American Revolution. Not all early records survived, but what remains is a treasure for genealogy. Marriage records go back to 1777. Estate files from the late 1700s and early 1800s are some of the oldest in the state.

Hinesville is the county seat. You can visit the courthouse in person to search records. The court also takes mail requests. Include the full name, any dates you have, and the record type you need. Search fees and copy fees apply. Call ahead for current costs.

Superior Court Clerk and Land Records

The Liberty County Superior Court Clerk holds land deeds, plat maps, divorce records, and civil case files. Some land records go back to the 1770s and 1780s. These are valuable for genealogy because they show property ownership, family connections, and where your ancestors lived in coastal Georgia.

Colonial-era land grants in Liberty County are some of the oldest in Georgia. If your ancestors were among the early settlers near Midway or Sunbury, the Superior Court may have their land records. Deed books show property sales and transfers. They often name family members and neighbors.

Divorce records and civil case files are also worth checking. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Liberty County are open to the public. You can visit the clerk's office during business hours. Fort Stewart, a major military base, is in Liberty County. Many Hinesville genealogy searches involve military families stationed here over the decades.

Vital Records for Hinesville

Georgia started keeping vital records statewide in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. For Hinesville, birth and death records before 1919 may not exist at the state level. Church records, cemetery records, and family Bibles are the best sources for earlier dates. Liberty County has several old cemeteries, including the Midway Cemetery, with inscriptions dating to the colonial period.

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

Death certificates are easier to get for genealogy. They list the person's name, date and place of death, parents' names, and burial location. Marriage records from 1952 to 1996 were also filed at the state level, but the Liberty County Probate Court is the best source for marriage records dating back to 1777.

Liberty County GAGenWeb Genealogy

The Liberty County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run genealogy resource. It has cemetery transcriptions, census data, family trees, and records shared by researchers working on Liberty County family lines.

This site connects you with people researching Liberty County families. Volunteers post records from the Hinesville courthouse, local libraries, and state archives. Colonial-era records are a focus for many volunteers working on this page.

Other free resources 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 newspapers with obituaries, legal notices, and family announcements from across Georgia.

Georgia Archives and Online Access

The Georgia Archives is at 5800 Jonesboro Road in Morrow, about 250 miles northwest of Hinesville. Call (678) 364-3710 for hours. The archives hold microfilmed Liberty County records, vital records, military records, and land grants. 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 available. So are Confederate pension applications, county maps, and the Vanishing Georgia photo collection. For a county as far from Morrow as Liberty County, online access is especially useful.

The E-Access to Court Records system lets you search Liberty County records online. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. Documents cost $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each page after. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the Georgia Open Records Act limits copy fees.

Research Tips for Hinesville Genealogy

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

Census records are a good next step. Federal census data from 1820 to 1950 is at the Georgia Archives. Liberty County appears in early Georgia censuses. The 1790 and 1800 census records for Georgia were destroyed. For those years, use tax digests and church records from the Midway Congregational Church, which played a central role in early Liberty County.

Liberty County is one of the original Georgia counties. Its boundaries have changed less than many other counties in the state. If your ancestors were here in the colonial period, check records at both the county and state level. The Midway Museum in Midway, Georgia, has resources on the early settlers of Liberty County and can help with genealogy research in the area.

• Check Midway Cemetery for colonial-era inscriptions
• Search church records, especially the Midway Congregational Church
• Look at Family Bible records at the Georgia Archives
• Use military records for Fort Stewart families
• Try estate records when birth or death dates are unknown

Liberty County Genealogy Records

Hinesville is the county seat of Liberty County. All marriage licenses, probate records, land deeds, and court cases are filed at the Liberty County courthouse. Records go back to 1777.

View Liberty County Genealogy Records

Nearby Georgia Cities

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