LaGrange Genealogy Records

LaGrange genealogy records are held at the Troup County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk at 100 Ridley Avenue. Records here go back to 1827 when Troup County was created, giving researchers nearly two centuries of marriage licenses, probate files, land deeds, and court cases.

Troup County Probate Court Records

The Troup County Probate Court is the main source for LaGrange genealogy records. It holds marriage licenses from 1827 to the present. Wills, estate files, guardianship records, and letters of administration are also kept here. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over all estate and marriage records in Troup County.

LaGrange is the county seat. All probate records for Troup County are stored at this courthouse. You can visit in person to search. The court takes mail requests too. Include the full name of the person you are looking for, any dates you have, and the type of record. A search fee and copy fees apply.

Regular copies cost about $1 per page. Certified copies cost more. Call ahead to check current fees. Troup County sits near the Alabama border, so if your ancestors moved between states, you may need to check Alabama records as well.

Land Records and Superior Court

The Troup County Superior Court Clerk holds land deeds, plat maps, divorce records, and civil case files going back to 1827. These records help with LaGrange genealogy by showing property transfers, legal disputes, and family connections.

Land records are especially useful in the LaGrange area. Deed books show when your ancestors bought or sold property. They list names, prices, and property descriptions. Plat maps show the exact location of each tract of land. If your family owned property near LaGrange in the 1800s, the Superior Court has those records.

Divorce records are also worth checking. They often name children, list property, and provide ages or birth dates that help confirm family ties. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Troup County are open to the public. Visit during regular business hours to search.

Troup County borders Chambers County, Alabama. Many families in the LaGrange area had ties on both sides of the state line. If you hit a dead end in Georgia records, try the Chambers County courthouse in LaFayette, Alabama, for more leads.

Vital Records for LaGrange

Georgia's statewide vital records system started in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. Birth and death records before that year may not exist at the state level. For LaGrange, check church records, cemetery records, and family Bibles for earlier dates.

The Georgia Department of Public Health handles vital records for the state. Birth certificates cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each extra. Death certificates cost 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 research. They list the person's name, date and place of death, parents' names, and burial location. This information can lead you to new records and new connections.

Troup County GAGenWeb Genealogy

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

This site connects you with people researching Troup County families. Volunteers post records they find at the LaGrange courthouse, local libraries, and the Georgia Archives.

Other free resources for LaGrange 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 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 70 miles northeast of LaGrange. Call (678) 364-3710 for hours. The archives hold microfilmed Troup 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 available. So are Confederate pension applications, county maps, and the Vanishing Georgia photo collection.

The E-Access to Court Records system lets you search Troup 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 what agencies can charge for copies.

Research Tips for LaGrange Genealogy

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places for your Troup County family. Then work backward one generation at a time.

Census records are a good next step. Federal census data from 1820 to 1950 is available at the Georgia Archives. Troup County appears in censuses starting with 1830. The 1850 census was the first to name every person in each household. The 1890 census was mostly destroyed by fire. Use tax digests for that gap.

Troup County was created from Creek Nation lands ceded in 1826. Early settlers came from older Georgia counties to the east. If you can't find your ancestors in Troup County before 1827, look at surrounding counties for earlier records. The Virtual Vault has a free resource on changing Georgia county boundaries.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Check Chambers County, Alabama, for families near the state line
• Look at Family Bible records at the Georgia Archives
• Try estate records when birth or death dates are unknown

Troup County Genealogy Records

LaGrange is the county seat of Troup County. All marriage licenses, probate records, land deeds, and court cases are filed at the Troup County courthouse. Records go back to 1827.

View Troup County Genealogy Records

Nearby Georgia Cities

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