Find Gwinnett County Genealogy

Gwinnett County genealogy records go back to 1818, the year the county was formed from Cherokee territory. The Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville hold marriage licenses from 1871, probate records from 1818, land deeds from 1871, and court records from 1858. Gwinnett is one of Georgia's most populous counties, and its courthouse is a busy center for genealogy research. Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are also available here. Researchers tracing family lines in the northeast metro Atlanta area will find Gwinnett County records essential.

Gwinnett County Probate Court Records

The Gwinnett County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. Probate records date to 1818. Marriage licenses start in 1871. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship records, and estate inventories. These files are essential for tracing family lines in Gwinnett County.

You can visit the courthouse at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville to search in person. The Probate Court phone number is 770-822-8250. For mail requests, you need to include a copy of your photo ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order. The court does not accept electronic record requests. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and marriage licenses in Gwinnett County.

Birth and death certificates from 1919 to the present are also available through the Probate Court. Certified copies cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy. These are the same fees charged statewide by all 159 county offices.

Note: Mail requests to Gwinnett County must include a photo ID copy. No electronic requests are accepted for genealogy records.

Gwinnett County Genealogy Records Online

The Gwinnett County government website provides details on how to request genealogy records, office hours, and fee schedules for the Probate Court and other county offices.

From this site you can find contact information, learn about record request procedures, and get directions to the courthouse in Lawrenceville.

You can also search Gwinnett County genealogy records through the state's E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic probate 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. This is a good way to search from home without driving to Lawrenceville.

Gwinnett County Superior Court Genealogy

The Gwinnett County Clerk of Superior Court holds divorce records from 1858, court records from 1858, and land records from 1871. Land deeds are a key genealogy source. They show property transfers, neighbors, and family ties. Deed books in Gwinnett County document the growth of this area from a rural farming region to one of Georgia's largest suburban counties.

Divorce records often list children, property, ages, and birth dates. That detail can confirm family connections when other records are scarce. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Gwinnett County are open to the public. You can request copies in person or by mail. The clerk charges a per-page fee for copies.

Civil case files are also worth checking. Lawsuits over property, estate disputes, and guardianship cases often name multiple family members. These records can fill gaps when vital records are not available for the years you need.

Note: Gwinnett County marriage records begin in 1871 and land records also start in 1871, which suggests earlier records may have been lost or destroyed.

Vital Records for Gwinnett 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 Gwinnett County Probate Court or the Georgia Department of Public Health. Certified birth and death certificates cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy.

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, which makes them easier to get for genealogy research. For records before 1919, check the Probate Court, church records, cemetery inscriptions, or Family Bible records.

The Georgia Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free. FamilySearch.org also has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 indexed at no cost. These free databases are strong starting points for Gwinnett County genealogy.

Research Tips for Gwinnett County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places. Then work backward. Census records are a great next step. Federal census data from 1820 to 1940 is at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. The 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1890 censuses for Georgia were destroyed. Use Gwinnett County tax digests for those years.

Pre-1900 Gwinnett 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. For post-1900 records, contact the courthouse in Lawrenceville.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Review Family Bible records on microfilm at the Georgia Archives
• Use the Vanishing Georgia photo collection for historical images
• Look at estate and guardianship records for family details

Gwinnett County boundary changes matter for genealogy. Borders shifted as new counties were carved out over the years. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help track where your family was counted. 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.

Note: Free access to Ancestry.com and FamilySearch is available at the Georgia Archives search room in Morrow for Gwinnett County genealogy research.

Cities in Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County has several major cities. All genealogy records for these cities are maintained at the Gwinnett County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Lawrenceville. Select a city below for local genealogy information.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Gwinnett County. If your ancestors moved within the northeast metro Atlanta area, check neighboring county records too. County lines shifted as Georgia grew.