Fayette County Genealogy Records

Fayette County genealogy records go back to 1821, the year the county was created from Creek cession territory. The Probate Court in Fayetteville holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records from 1821 forward. Land deeds and court records at the Clerk of Superior Court also begin in 1821. Fayette County sits south of Atlanta and has over 200 years of records. Peachtree City, with a population of 40,758, is the largest city in the county. Researchers tracing family lines in the southern metro Atlanta area will find Fayette County records essential.

Fayette County Probate Court Records

The Fayette County Probate Court is the main office for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses date to 1821. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. These records are a key source for tracing family lines south of Atlanta.

The courthouse is at 1 Center Drive in Fayetteville. The phone number is 770-305-5400. You can search in person or send a mail request with a self-addressed stamped envelope and 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 Fayette 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.

Fayette County Genealogy Records Online

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

Volunteers post courthouse transcriptions, cemetery readings, church records, and old newspaper clippings from the Fayetteville area. This is a good resource for connecting with other Fayette County researchers.

You can also search Fayette 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 for each page after that. This is a good way to search from home without driving to Fayetteville.

Fayette County Superior Court Records

The Clerk of Superior Court holds land deeds from 1821, divorce records, and civil and criminal case files. Land deeds show property transfers, neighbors, and family ties. They are one of the best genealogy tools for Fayette County, especially for the pre-Civil War era.

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 reveal estate disputes and guardianship cases that name family members.

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

Vital Records for Fayette 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 Fayette 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 entries.

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 Fayette County genealogy.

Research Tips for Fayette County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places. Then work backward. Census records from 1830 to 1940 cover Fayette County. The 1890 census for Georgia was destroyed. Tax digests can fill in that gap year.

Pre-1900 Fayette 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 in the search room. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has digitized pages from area newspapers.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms and burials
• Look at 1821 land lottery records at the Georgia Archives
• Use tax digests for census gap years
• Review estate and guardianship files for family connections

Fayette County was formed from Creek cession land in 1821. Parts were later carved out to create other counties. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to track where your ancestors were counted at any given time.

Cities in Fayette County

Fayetteville is the county seat, and Peachtree City (population 40,758) is the largest city. All genealogy records for cities in Fayette County are maintained at the Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Fayetteville. Neither Fayetteville nor Peachtree City has a separate city page on this site, but all county records are accessible at the courthouse.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Fayette County. If your ancestors moved within the south metro Atlanta area, check these neighboring county records.