Crawford County Genealogy Search

Crawford County genealogy records begin in 1822, the year the county was formed from Houston County. The Probate Court in Knoxville holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records from 1822 forward. Land deeds and court records at the Clerk of Superior Court also go back to 1822. Crawford County is a small, rural county in middle Georgia with over 200 years of records. Researchers tracing family lines in the area between Macon and Columbus will find Crawford County records useful for piecing together family connections.

Crawford County Probate Court Records

The Crawford County Probate Court is the main office for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses date to 1822. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. These are essential records for tracing families in this part of Georgia.

The courthouse is at 100 S. Camp Street in Knoxville. The phone number is 478-836-3782. 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 Crawford County.

Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are available from the Probate Court. Certified copies cost $25 for the first and $5 for each extra. These fees match the statewide schedule for all 159 Georgia counties.

Crawford County Genealogy Records Online

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

Volunteers post courthouse transcriptions, cemetery readings, church records, and old newspaper clippings. This is a useful place to connect with others researching Crawford County families.

You can also search Crawford County records through the E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data is available at no charge. If you need actual documents, the first page costs $2.50 and each page after that is $1.00.

Crawford County Superior Court Records

The Clerk of Superior Court holds land deeds from 1822, divorce records, and civil and criminal case files. Land deeds are critical for Crawford County genealogy. They show who owned property, who they sold to, and who lived nearby. Early deeds sometimes name wives and children in the conveyance.

Divorce records list children, property, and sometimes ages. 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, guardianship cases, and debt lawsuits that name family members.

Crawford County's deed books from the 1820s document the earliest settlers in this area. The Georgia land lottery of 1821 opened much of this territory. Land lottery records at the Georgia Archives can help trace the original grantees. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the Open Records Act caps standard copy fees at 10 cents per page.

Vital Records for Crawford County Genealogy

Georgia started statewide vital records in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are available from the Crawford 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 and are easier to get for genealogy research.

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. For records before 1919, check church records, cemetery inscriptions, and Family Bible records.

Research Tips for Crawford County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places for your Crawford County family. Then work backward. Census records from 1830 to 1940 cover Crawford County. The 1890 census for Georgia was destroyed. Use tax digests for that year.

Pre-1900 Crawford 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 across the state.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are not available
• Search church records for baptisms and burials
• Look at 1821 land lottery records at the Georgia Archives
• Use tax digests to fill in gap years
• Review estate and guardianship files for family details

Crawford County was formed from Houston County in 1822. For ancestors in this area before that date, check Houston County records (from 1821) and the earlier parent counties. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help you track county lines over time.

Cities in Crawford County

Knoxville is the county seat of Crawford County. Roberta is the largest town. All genealogy records for communities in this county are maintained at the Crawford County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Knoxville. No cities in Crawford County meet the population threshold for a separate city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Crawford County. Houston County is the parent county. If your ancestors moved within the middle Georgia area, check these neighboring records.