Find Bryan County Genealogy

Bryan County genealogy records go back to 1793, making this one of Georgia's older coastal counties. It was one of the original counties carved from the colonial-era parishes. The Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Pembroke hold marriage records, wills, land deeds, and court files from the 1790s. Bryan County sits between Savannah and the Liberty County line, and its records are valuable for tracing families in the coastal Georgia region. Many early settlers here were connected to the rice and cotton economy along the Ogeechee River.

Bryan County Probate Court Genealogy

The Bryan County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. Marriage records date to 1793. The court holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. These are core records for tracing family lines in Bryan County.

The courthouse is at 151 S. College Street in Pembroke. The phone number is 912-653-3800. 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 cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each extra. These are standard state fees. For vital records before 1919, check church records and cemetery transcriptions in the county.

Bryan County GAGenWeb Genealogy

The Bryan County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run resource with cemetery transcriptions, census data, family trees, and shared research for Bryan County genealogy.

Volunteers post records from courthouses, cemeteries, churches, and old newspapers. This is a useful starting point for anyone researching Bryan County roots.

Bryan County Superior Court Records

The Clerk of Superior Court in Pembroke holds land records, divorce files, and court records from 1793. Land deeds are among the most valuable genealogy sources. They show property sales, family transfers, and neighbor connections in the county. Divorce records list children and property.

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 from the clerk's office.

Bryan County's early land records are especially useful for colonial-era research. Property grants and plats from the late 1700s and early 1800s trace the first settlers in this part of coastal Georgia. Tax digests fill gaps when census data is missing.

Vital Records for Bryan 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 Bryan 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 are more broadly available. The Georgia Virtual Vault has free death certificates from 1919 to 1943. FamilySearch has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943.

For vital records before 1919, church records and cemetery transcriptions in Bryan County are your best sources. Many old cemeteries along the coast have been transcribed by volunteers.

Bryan County Online Genealogy Resources

Search Bryan County court records through the E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. Documents are $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page.

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 newspapers from across Georgia with obituaries and legal notices.

Research Tips for Bryan County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places for your Bryan County family. Then work backward one generation at a time. Census records are available from 1800 for this county (though the 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1890 censuses were lost).

Pre-1900 Bryan 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 along the coast and Ogeechee River
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Look at colonial-era land grants in the Virtual Vault
• Use tax digests for years when census data is missing
• Review Chatham County records for related coastal families

Bryan County has had several boundary changes since 1793. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help you track which county held your ancestors at any point in time.

Cities in Bryan County

Pembroke is the county seat of Bryan County. Richmond Hill and other communities are also in the county. All genealogy records are held at the Bryan County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Pembroke. No cities in Bryan County meet the population threshold for a separate city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Bryan County. If your ancestors moved along the coast or inland, check these neighboring county records.