Search Clayton County Genealogy

Clayton County genealogy records date back to 1858, when the county was formed from parts of Fayette and Henry counties south of Atlanta. The Probate Court in Jonesboro holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records. The Clerk of Superior Court keeps land deeds, divorce records, and court files from the same year. Clayton County is in the southern part of metro Atlanta and includes Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The Georgia Archives is also located in Clayton County at Morrow, which makes in-person genealogy research very convenient for researchers in this area.

Clayton County Probate Court Genealogy

The Clayton County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses start in 1858. The court holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship records, and estate inventories. These are key records for tracing family connections in Clayton County.

The courthouse is at 121 S. McDonough Street in Jonesboro. The phone number is 770-477-3208. 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 at all Georgia county offices.

Note: Clayton County was formed from Fayette and Henry counties. For records before 1858, check those parent counties. Civil War records are particularly relevant here because the Battle of Jonesboro took place in Clayton County in 1864.

Clayton County GAGenWeb Genealogy

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

Volunteers post records from courthouses, cemeteries, churches, and old newspapers. This is a helpful resource for anyone researching Clayton County family lines.

Clayton County Superior Court Records

The Clerk of Superior Court in Jonesboro holds land records, divorce files, and court records from 1858. Land deeds trace property transfers and family ties. Divorce records list children and property. Civil case files can name multiple relatives in estate disputes.

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.

Clayton County records from the Civil War era are important. Sherman's March to the Sea passed through this area in 1864. Some records from that period may be incomplete due to wartime destruction. Tax digests fill gaps when census data is missing.

Georgia Archives in Clayton County

The Georgia Archives is located at 5800 Jonesboro Road in Morrow, right in Clayton County. This is the state's main repository for historical records and genealogy research. The Archives holds census records, vital records, military records, land grants, and county records on microfilm for all 159 Georgia counties.

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. The Virtual Vault provides online access to digitized collections including death certificates from 1919 to 1943, Confederate pension applications, and county boundary maps.

Having the Georgia Archives in Clayton County is a big advantage. You can research Clayton County courthouse records in Jonesboro and then drive to the Archives in Morrow the same day.

Vital Records for Clayton 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 Clayton County Probate Court or the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are restricted to close family members. Death certificates are more open. The Georgia Virtual Vault has free death certificates from 1919 to 1943. FamilySearch has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943.

For records before 1919, check church records, cemetery inscriptions, and family Bibles. The Jonesboro area has several old cemeteries with pre-Civil War burials.

Clayton County Online Genealogy Resources

Search Clayton County 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 after.

The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has digitized newspapers with obituaries and legal notices. The Clayton County Library System also has local history materials.

Research Tips for Clayton County

Start with what you know and work backward. Census records for Clayton County start in 1860. The 1890 census was destroyed. Tax digests can help fill that gap.

• Visit the Georgia Archives in Morrow for microfilm records
• Check Fayette and Henry counties for pre-1858 data
• Search cemetery records near Jonesboro for early burials
• Look at Civil War-era records for ancestor military service
• Review church records for baptisms and burials

The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help track where your ancestors were counted. For Clayton County, check Fayette County (records from 1821) and Henry County (records from 1821) for pre-1858 genealogy records.

Cities in Clayton County

Clayton County has several communities south of Atlanta. All genealogy records are held at the Clayton County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Jonesboro. Stockbridge is the only qualifying city in Clayton County with its own page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clayton County. Fayette and Henry are the parent counties with pre-1858 records.