Sandy Springs Genealogy
Sandy Springs genealogy records are kept at the Fulton County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Atlanta. Sandy Springs was incorporated in 2005, but families have lived in this area since the early 1800s. All marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and land deeds for Sandy Springs are filed at the Fulton County courthouse. Records date back to 1853 when Fulton County was created. If your ancestors lived in the Sandy Springs area before 2005, their records are under Fulton County.
Sandy Springs Quick Facts
Fulton County Probate Court Records
The Fulton County Probate Court is the main source for Sandy Springs genealogy records. This court holds marriage licenses from 1853 to the present. It 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 in Fulton County.
Visit the Probate Court Records Division at 136 Pryor Street SW, 2nd Floor C230, Atlanta, GA 30303. The phone number is (404) 612-4640. You can also send requests by mail. Include a completed Estates Record Request Form and a $10 search fee. Regular copies are $1 each. Certified copies cost $11 each. Pay by money order or attorney's check only.
The Fulton County Probate Court website has forms and fee details.
| Address | 136 Pryor Street SW, 2nd Floor C230, Atlanta, GA 30303 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (404) 612-4640 |
| Website | fultonprobatega.org |
Superior Court and Land Records
The Fulton County Superior Court Clerk has land deeds, divorce records, and civil case files for Sandy Springs. The office is at 136 Pryor Street SW in Atlanta. Call (404) 612-5107.
Land records matter for Sandy Springs genealogy. Deed books show property sales, family connections, and where people lived. Plat maps show lot lines and neighbor names. Some of the oldest families in the Sandy Springs area appear in Fulton County deed books going back to the 1850s. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, these court records are open to the public.
Divorce records from the Superior Court can also help. They often name children, divide property, and list ages or dates of birth that help confirm family lines.
Vital Records for Sandy Springs
Birth and death certificates for Sandy Springs residents are at the Fulton County Vital Records Office. The address is 141 Pryor Street SW, Suite 1029A, Atlanta, GA 30303. Call (404) 613-1260.
Birth certificates cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy. Death certificates cost the same. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, birth certificates are restricted to close family members. Death certificates are more available and very useful for genealogy work.
Georgia's statewide vital records started in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. For Sandy Springs records before 1919, the Georgia Archives may have some earlier records on microfilm. The Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free.
Online Research Tools
Search Sandy Springs genealogy records from home. The E-Access to Court Records system lets you look up probate cases and court files for Fulton County. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. Documents cost $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each page after that.
FamilySearch has free records. Georgia marriages from 1754 to 1960. Probate records from 1742 to 1990. Death records from 1914 to 1943. All indexed and searchable. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has obituaries and legal notices that can help with Sandy Springs genealogy.
The Georgia Probate Courts directory lists contact details for all 159 counties, including Fulton County which handles Sandy Springs records.
Georgia Archives
The Georgia Archives at 5800 Jonesboro Road in Morrow holds microfilmed county records, vital records, and military files. Call (678) 364-3710. Free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and Fold3 is available in the search room.
Census records are at the Georgia Archives and available through Ancestry.com. Federal census data from 1820 to 1950 covers the Sandy Springs area under Fulton County listings. The 1850 census was the first to list every household member by name. Tax digests help fill gaps between census years. The 1890 census is mostly gone due to a fire, so use church records, cemetery records, and tax lists for that decade.
The Georgia Archives also has Family Bible records on microfilm, Confederate pension applications, and the Vanishing Georgia photo collection. These resources can add details to your Sandy Springs family tree that court records alone won't show.
Research Tips
Sandy Springs was unincorporated Fulton County until 2005. Older records will not list "Sandy Springs" as a city. Look for Fulton County as the location instead.
Church records are worth checking. Sandy Springs takes its name from a natural spring used by settlers, and local churches have served this area since the 1800s. Baptism, marriage, and burial records from churches can fill gaps when court records are incomplete. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, public records are open for inspection, but church records are private and depend on the congregation's willingness to share.
If you hit a dead end in Fulton County, check neighboring counties. Sandy Springs sits close to Cobb County and DeKalb County. Families moved across county lines often. An ancestor in Sandy Springs one decade might turn up in a different county the next.
Fulton County Genealogy Records
Sandy Springs is part of Fulton County. All genealogy records for the city are filed at the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta. County records date back to 1853 and include marriage licenses, wills, land deeds, and court cases.
Nearby Georgia Cities
These cities are near Sandy Springs. Each page has details on local genealogy resources and courthouse access.