Stonecrest Genealogy
Stonecrest genealogy records are held at the DeKalb County courthouse in Decatur. Stonecrest was incorporated in 2017, but the land and families here have been part of DeKalb County since 1842. All marriage licenses, wills, estate files, land deeds, and court records for Stonecrest are filed at the DeKalb County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk. The county has records going back to 1842, giving researchers nearly two centuries of family data to work with.
Stonecrest Quick Facts
DeKalb County Probate Court
The DeKalb County Probate Court is the main source for Stonecrest genealogy records. The court holds marriage licenses from 1842 to the present. It also keeps wills, estate inventories, guardianship files, and letters of administration. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over estates and marriages for all of DeKalb County.
The courthouse is at 556 North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA 30030. Call (404) 371-2836 for help. You can visit in person or send requests by mail. Include a search fee with your request. Copies and certified copies are available at set rates. Visit the DeKalb County website for forms and current fees.
Marriage records from DeKalb County go back to 1842. Probate records start the same year. These are among the older records in metro Atlanta, predating Fulton County records by over a decade.
| Address | 556 North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA 30030 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (404) 371-2836 |
| Website | dekalbcountyga.gov |
Superior Court and Land Records
The DeKalb County Superior Court Clerk holds land deeds, divorce records, and civil case files for Stonecrest. The office is at the DeKalb County courthouse in Decatur.
Land records for DeKalb County go back to 1842. Deed books show who owned property, when it was sold, and to whom. The Stonecrest area was rural farmland for much of its history. Old deed books and plat maps can help you trace where families lived and how land passed from one generation to the next. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, these court records are public.
Divorce records at the Superior Court often name children, list property, and include ages or birth dates. They are a good secondary source for Stonecrest genealogy when other records are incomplete.
The DeKalb County Courts public records page shows how to access court records and genealogy documents for the county.
DeKalb History Center
The DeKalb History Center in Decatur has genealogy resources specific to DeKalb County. Their collections include church records, historical photos, Decatur City Court Minute Books from 1923 to 1956, Superior Court Minutes Book A from 1836 to 1843, and Superior Court Records from 1860 to 1910.
These records are especially useful for Stonecrest genealogy before 1900. The Superior Court Minutes from Book A cover the earliest years of the county. Church records can fill gaps when official vital records are missing. Photos from the collection help put faces to names in your family tree.
Vital Records
Birth and death certificates for Stonecrest are available 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.
Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are restricted to close family members. Death certificates are more widely available and useful for genealogy. They show the person's name, date of death, parents' names, and burial location. Birth certificates cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for extras. Death certificates are the same.
The Virtual Vault has free death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online. FamilySearch has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 indexed at no cost. For older records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow may have microfilmed DeKalb County vital records.
Online Genealogy Tools
Search Stonecrest genealogy records from home. The E-Access to Court Records system lets you look up DeKalb County probate cases and court files online. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. Document pages cost $2.50 for the first and $1.00 for each after.
FamilySearch has free Georgia records. Marriages from 1754 to 1960. Probate records from 1742 to 1990. Death records from 1914 to 1943. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has old newspapers with obituaries and legal notices from the DeKalb County area.
The Georgia Archives at 5800 Jonesboro Road in Morrow has microfilmed DeKalb County records, census data on Ancestry.com (free in the search room), and military records. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Call (678) 364-3710. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, public records are open for inspection.
Research Tips
Stonecrest did not exist as a city until 2017. Older records will show this area as unincorporated DeKalb County. Don't search for "Stonecrest" in old records. Search by DeKalb County instead.
Census records from 1820 to 1950 list DeKalb County residents by household. The 1850 census was the first to list every person by name and age. Tax digests help track families between census years. The 1890 census was mostly destroyed, so use church records, cemetery records, and tax lists for that decade.
Stonecrest also borders Rockdale County and Henry County. If your ancestors lived near the county line, check those counties as well. Georgia's 159 county boundaries shifted often in the 1800s. An ancestor in DeKalb one decade might show up in a neighboring county the next.
DeKalb County Genealogy Records
Stonecrest 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 date back to 1842.
Nearby Georgia Cities
These cities are near Stonecrest and share genealogy resources through DeKalb County.