Find Redan Genealogy

Redan genealogy records are maintained at the DeKalb County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Decatur. Redan is a census-designated place in eastern DeKalb County, and all marriage licenses, wills, estate files, land deeds, and court records for the area are filed at the DeKalb County courthouse. The county has records going back to 1842. Families in the Redan area have deep ties to DeKalb County, and the courthouse in Decatur is where those records are stored.

DeKalb County Probate Court

The DeKalb County Probate Court holds the key genealogy records for the Redan area. Marriage licenses date from 1842 to the present. The court also has wills, estate inventories, guardianship files, and letters of administration. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court handles all estate and marriage matters for DeKalb County.

The courthouse is at 556 North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA 30030. Call (404) 371-2836 for questions. You can visit in person or make requests by mail with a search fee. Visit the DeKalb County website for forms, fees, and hours.

DeKalb County marriage and probate records from 1842 are among the oldest in metro Atlanta. If your Redan ancestors settled here in the 1800s, the Probate Court is the best starting point.

Superior Court and Land Records

Land deeds, divorce records, and civil case files for Redan are at the DeKalb County Superior Court Clerk at the courthouse in Decatur. Land records go back to 1842.

The Redan area was rural farmland for generations. Land records can show you who owned property here, when it was sold, and how it passed between family members. Deed books track property transfers across decades. Plat maps show boundaries and neighboring landowners. These details help trace families in ways that census records alone cannot.

Divorce records at the Superior Court can also help. They name children, divide property, and sometimes list ages or birth dates. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, court records in Georgia are open to the public. You can visit the clerk's office and look through these records yourself.

DeKalb History Center

The DeKalb History Center has genealogy resources that cover the Redan area. Their holdings include church records, historical photos, Superior Court Minutes Book A from 1836 to 1843, and Superior Court Records from 1860 to 1910. Decatur City Court Minute Books from 1923 to 1956 are also available.

Church records are important for Redan genealogy. Before Georgia started statewide vital records in 1919, churches were often the only ones keeping track of births, marriages, and deaths. Baptist, Methodist, and other denominations active in eastern DeKalb County kept registers that can fill gaps in the official record. The History Center is in Decatur and open to researchers.

The DeKalb County Courts public records page shows how to access court records and genealogy documents for the Redan area.

Vital Records

Birth and death certificates for Redan residents come from the Georgia Department of Public Health or local health departments. Georgia started statewide vital records in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9.

Birth certificates cost $25 for the first copy. Each extra copy is $5. Death certificates are the same price. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are restricted to close family. Death certificates are more available and list the person's name, death date, parents' names, and burial site.

The Virtual Vault has free online death certificates from 1919 to 1943. FamilySearch has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943. For records before 1919, the Georgia Archives in Morrow may have microfilmed DeKalb County vital records.

Online Genealogy Tools

You can search Redan genealogy records from home. The E-Access to Court Records system covers DeKalb County probate and court files. Registration is free. Basic case data is free. Documents cost $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each page after.

FamilySearch offers free Georgia records. Marriages from 1754 to 1960 are indexed. Probate records from 1742 to 1990 are available. Death records from 1914 to 1943 are searchable. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has old newspapers from the DeKalb area with obituaries and family announcements.

The Georgia Archives at 5800 Jonesboro Road in Morrow holds microfilmed DeKalb County records, census data, and military files. Free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and Fold3 is in the search room. Call (678) 364-3710. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, public records are open for inspection.

Research Tips for Redan

Redan is a community name, not an incorporated city. Older records will list this area as DeKalb County. Search by county name in census records and courthouse indexes.

Census records from 1820 to 1950 cover DeKalb County. The 1850 census was the first to name every household member. Tax digests help fill gaps between census years. The 1890 census was mostly destroyed. For that decade, use church records, cemetery inscriptions, and tax lists.

Redan sits close to Rockdale County and the city of Stonecrest. If your ancestors lived near the county line, they might show up in Rockdale County records instead. Check both counties when you can't find what you need. Georgia's county boundaries changed often in the 1800s. Cemetery records in the Redan area go back generations. FindAGrave and the DeKalb GAGenWeb project may have transcriptions.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Use tax digests to track families between census years
• Look at Rockdale County if DeKalb records are incomplete
• Visit the DeKalb History Center for early court records and photos

DeKalb County Genealogy Records

Redan is in DeKalb County. All marriage licenses, probate records, land deeds, and court cases are filed at the DeKalb County courthouse in Decatur. County records go back to 1842.

View DeKalb County Genealogy Records

Nearby Georgia Cities

These cities are near Redan and share access to DeKalb County genealogy resources.