Access Brooks County Genealogy
Brooks County genealogy records date back to 1858, when this south Georgia county was created from parts of Lowndes and Thomas counties. The Probate Court in Quitman holds marriage licenses, wills, and estate records from 1858. The Clerk of Superior Court keeps land deeds, divorce files, and court records from the same year. Brooks County sits along the Georgia-Florida border, and many families in this area crossed state lines over the generations. The courthouse in Quitman is the starting point for tracing those family connections.
Brooks County Quick Facts
Brooks County Probate Court Records
The Brooks County Probate Court is the main office for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses start in 1858. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. These records are essential for tracing family lines in Brooks County.
The courthouse is at 100 S. Madison Street in Quitman. The phone number is 229-263-4747. For mail requests, include a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment by check or money order. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and marriage licenses.
Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are also available. Certified copies cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each extra. These are the same fees at all 159 Georgia county offices.
| Address | 100 S. Madison Street, Quitman, GA 31643 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (229) 263-4747 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
Note: Brooks County was formed from Lowndes and Thomas counties in 1858. For earlier records, check those parent counties.
Brooks County GAGenWeb Genealogy
The Brooks County GAGenWeb page offers free volunteer-run resources including cemetery transcriptions, census data, family histories, and shared genealogy research.
Volunteers post records from courthouses, cemeteries, churches, and old newspapers. This site can help you connect with other Brooks County genealogy researchers.
Brooks County Land and Court Records
The Clerk of Superior Court in Quitman holds land records, divorce files, and civil and criminal case records from 1858. Land deeds show property transfers, family connections, and neighbor relationships. Divorce records name children and list property and ages.
Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Georgia are open to the public. The Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71 caps copy fees at 10 cents per page for standard documents. You can request copies in person or by mail.
Brooks County's location on the Florida border means some families had records in both states. If your ancestors lived near the state line, check Florida records too. Hamilton County, Florida borders Brooks County directly to the south.
Vital Records for Brooks County
Georgia started statewide vital records in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. Birth and death certificates from that year forward are available from the Brooks County Probate Court or the Georgia Department of Public Health.
Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are restricted to the person named, parents, grandparents, adult siblings, adult children, spouses, or legal guardians. Death certificates have fewer limits. Certificates cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each additional.
The Georgia Virtual Vault has free death certificates from 1919 to 1943. FamilySearch has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 at no cost. For records before 1919, check church records, cemetery inscriptions, and family Bibles.
Brooks County Online Genealogy Resources
Search Brooks County records through the E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. Documents cost $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 after.
Free online resources include FamilySearch with 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 digitized newspaper pages with obituaries and legal notices.
Research Tips for Brooks County
Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places. Then work backward. Census records for Brooks County are available from 1860 forward. The 1890 census was destroyed. Tax digests can fill that gap.
Pre-1900 Brooks County records are on microfilm at the Georgia Archives at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Fold3 is available in the search room.
- Check cemetery records when vital records are not available
- Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
- Look at Florida records if your family lived near the state line
- Use tax digests for years when census data is missing
- Review estate records for detailed family information
The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to track where your ancestors were counted. For Brooks County, check Lowndes County (records from 1825) and Thomas County (records from 1826) for pre-1858 data.
Cities in Brooks County
Quitman is the county seat and largest city in Brooks County. All genealogy records are maintained at the Brooks County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Quitman. No cities in Brooks County meet the population threshold for a separate city page.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Brooks County. Lowndes and Thomas are the parent counties with pre-1858 records covering this area.