Access Douglas County Genealogy

Douglas County genealogy records date back to 1870, when the county was formed from Campbell and Carroll counties. The Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Douglasville hold marriage licenses, wills, estate files, land deeds, and court records that help trace family connections in the western metro Atlanta area. Douglas County has grown fast in recent decades, but its older records still hold valuable information for genealogy researchers tracing roots in this part of Georgia. The courthouse in Douglasville is the starting point for most record searches.

Douglas County Probate Court Genealogy

The Douglas County Probate Court is the primary source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses go back to 1870. The court also keeps wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has full jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses in Douglas County.

You can visit the courthouse in Douglasville to search records in person. Staff are there to help. The court also accepts mail requests. Send a written request with the names and dates you need, along with the search fee. Regular copies cost a small fee per page. Certified copies cost more. For most genealogy purposes, regular copies work fine.

Note: Douglas County was formed from Campbell and Carroll counties in 1870, so look in those counties for earlier records of your ancestors.

Douglas County Court Records for Genealogy

The Douglas County Clerk of Superior Court holds land records, divorce files, and civil and criminal case records from 1870 to the present. These records are helpful for genealogy because they document property transfers, legal disputes, and family relationships. Deed books show land purchases and sales. Plat maps show property boundaries.

Divorce records from the Superior Court often name children, list property, and give ages or 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 from the Clerk of Superior Court in Douglasville.

You can also search Douglas County records through the state's E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. Document viewing costs $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each page after that. This is a good way to search from home.

Vital Records for Douglas County Genealogy

Georgia started statewide birth and death registration in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. The Douglas County vital records office issues birth and death certificates from 1919 forward. Birth certificates cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each extra copy. Death certificates are the same.

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. For records before 1919, check the Georgia Virtual Vault for death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online. FamilySearch has indexed Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 at no cost.

Note: Marriage records from 1952 to 1996 were also filed at the state level with the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Douglas County GAGenWeb Genealogy

The Douglas County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run genealogy resource. It has cemetery records, census data, family trees, and other documents shared by researchers with Douglas County connections.

Volunteers post records they find at courthouses and archives. This is a great way to connect with others researching the same family lines in Douglas County. You might find that someone has already done part of the work you need.

Other free resources include the Georgia Historic Newspapers archive with over a million pages of old newspapers. Obituaries, legal notices, and family ads from Douglasville and surrounding papers can fill gaps in your genealogy work.

Research Tips for Douglas County Genealogy

Start with what you know and work backward one generation at a time. Census records are often the best next step. Federal census data for Douglas County starts in 1870 (the year the county was formed). The 1870 and 1880 censuses list every person in the household. The 1890 census was destroyed. The 1900 census is very detailed, giving month and year of birth for each person.

Pre-1900 Douglas County records are available on microfilm at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. The Georgia Archives is at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free access to Ancestry.com and Fold3 is available in the search room.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms and burials
• Look at Family Bible records at the Georgia Archives
• Review estate records for family names and dates
• Use tax digests to track property ownership

Douglas County was carved from Campbell and Carroll counties. Campbell County itself was abolished in 1931 and merged into Fulton County. So if you have ancestors in the Campbell County area before 1870, those records may be split between Fulton County and the Georgia Archives. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help sort this out.

Note: Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, copy fees from public agencies are capped at 10 cents per page for standard letter or legal size documents.

Cities in Douglas County

Douglas County includes Douglasville and several smaller communities. All genealogy records are maintained at the Douglas County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Douglasville.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Douglas County. Families in the western Atlanta metro area often crossed county lines for work or marriage, so check these neighboring records too.