Find Forsyth County Genealogy

Forsyth County genealogy records go back to 1832, the year the county was formed from Cherokee territory. The Probate Court in Cumming holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records from 1832 forward. Land deeds and court records at the Clerk of Superior Court also begin in 1832. Forsyth County sits north of Atlanta and has grown rapidly in recent decades, but its courthouse records span nearly 200 years. Researchers tracing family lines in the north metro Atlanta and foothills area will find Forsyth County records a vital source.

Forsyth County Probate Court Records

The Forsyth County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses date to 1832. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. These records span almost two centuries of family life in the north Georgia foothills.

The courthouse is at 100 Courthouse Square in Cumming. The phone number is 770-781-2120. 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 Forsyth 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 are the same at all 159 Georgia county offices.

Forsyth County Genealogy Records Online

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

Volunteers post courthouse transcriptions, cemetery readings, church records, and old newspaper clippings from the Cumming area. This is a solid place to start your Forsyth County research.

You can also search Forsyth 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 lets you search from home without driving to Cumming.

Forsyth County Superior Court Records

The Clerk of Superior Court holds land deeds from 1832, divorce records, and civil and criminal case files. Land deeds are one of the best tools for Forsyth County genealogy. They record property sales, family transfers, and neighbor relationships from the earliest days of settlement.

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 reveal estate disputes and guardianship cases that name family members.

The Cherokee land lottery of 1832 brought the first white settlers to Forsyth County. Lottery records at the Georgia Archives list the original grantees. These records are a starting point for the earliest Forsyth County families. 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 Forsyth 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 Forsyth 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 Forsyth County genealogy research.

Research Tips for Forsyth County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places. Then work backward. Census records from 1840 to 1940 cover Forsyth County. The 1890 census for Georgia was destroyed. Tax digests fill in that gap year.

Pre-1900 Forsyth 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 north Georgia newspapers.

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

Forsyth County was formed from Cherokee territory in 1832. Parts were later used to create Dawson County in 1857. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help track county lines over time. Lake Lanier, built in the 1950s, flooded some communities in Forsyth County, so some old homesteads and cemeteries were relocated.

Cities in Forsyth County

Cumming is the county seat and largest city in Forsyth County. All genealogy records for cities in this county are maintained at the Forsyth County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Cumming. No cities in Forsyth County meet the population threshold for a separate city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Forsyth County. If your ancestors moved within the north metro Atlanta and foothills area, check these neighboring county records.