Access Coweta County Genealogy

Coweta County genealogy records date to 1826, the year the county was formed from Creek cession lands. The Probate Court in Newnan holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records from 1826 forward. Land deeds and court records at the Clerk of Superior Court also begin in 1826. Coweta County sits southwest of Atlanta and has nearly 200 years of family records. Researchers tracing lines in the west-central Georgia area will find Coweta County records essential, with Newnan serving as the center for all county filings.

Coweta County Probate Court Records

The Coweta County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses go back to 1826. The court also keeps wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. These records are key for tracing family lines in and around Newnan.

The courthouse is at 200 E. Court Square in Newnan. The phone number is 770-254-2600. You can search in person or send a mail request with 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 in Coweta County.

Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are available from the Probate Court. Certified copies cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each extra. These fees are the same at all 159 Georgia county offices.

Coweta County Genealogy Records Online

The Coweta County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run site with cemetery records, census data, family files, and shared research for Coweta County genealogy.

Volunteers post courthouse transcriptions, cemetery readings, and old newspaper clippings. This is a good resource for connecting with other people researching Coweta County families.

You can also search records through the E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data is at no charge. Documents cost $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each page after that. This is a good way to search from home without driving to Newnan.

Coweta County Superior Court Records

The Clerk of Superior Court holds land deeds from 1826, divorce records, and civil and criminal case files. Land deeds trace property transfers between family members and neighbors. Divorce records list children, property, and sometimes ages and birth dates.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Georgia are open to the public. You can get copies in person or by mail. Civil case files can reveal estate disputes and guardianship matters that name family members. These records help fill gaps when other sources are missing.

Coweta County deed books from the 1820s through the Civil War era are especially rich. They document early settlers and the original land lottery grants. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the Open Records Act caps copy fees at 10 cents per page for standard documents from public agencies.

Vital Records for Coweta County Genealogy

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 Coweta County Probate Court or the Georgia Department of Public Health. Certified copies cost $25 for the first and $5 for each extra.

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 restrictions. For records before 1919, check church records, cemetery inscriptions, and Family Bible records in the Newnan area.

The Georgia Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free. FamilySearch has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 at no cost. Both are strong starting points for Coweta County genealogy.

Research Tips for Coweta County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places for your Coweta County family. Then work backward one generation at a time. Census records from 1830 to 1940 cover Coweta County. The 1890 census for Georgia was destroyed.

Pre-1900 Coweta 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.

The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has digitized pages from the Newnan area. Obituaries, marriage notices, and legal ads are useful genealogy sources.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are not available
• Search church records for baptisms and burials
• Use tax digests to fill in census gap years
• Look at early land lottery records at the Georgia Archives
• Review estate and guardianship files for family details

Coweta County was formed from Creek cession lands in 1826. Boundary changes over the years carved out parts for other counties. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to track where your ancestors were counted at any given time.

Cities in Coweta County

Newnan is the county seat and largest city in Coweta County with a population of 45,548. All genealogy records for cities in Coweta County are maintained at the Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Newnan. Newnan does not have a separate city page, but all county records are accessible at the courthouse on Court Square.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Coweta County. If your ancestors moved within the west-central Georgia area, check these neighboring county records.