Search Hancock County Genealogy

Hancock County genealogy records reach back to 1793, making it one of the oldest counties in Georgia. The Probate Court in Sparta holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records from the county's founding year. Land deeds and court records also date to 1793. This is a rich county for genealogy work. The courthouse at 12680 Broad Street in Sparta is the main hub for record searches. Researchers tracing roots in central Georgia will find Hancock County's early records critical for building family lines before the Civil War era.

Hancock County Probate Court Records

The Hancock County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses date to 1793. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and marriage licenses in Hancock County.

Visit the courthouse at 12680 Broad Street in Sparta to search in person. The phone number is 706-444-6644. For mail requests, send a written request with full names and approximate dates. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order for fees. Staff can help with research, though they may not do long searches.

Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are also on file at the Probate Court. Certified copies cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each extra copy. These are the same fees charged statewide by all Georgia county offices.

Hancock County's records from 1793 are among the oldest in Georgia. Many of these early documents are fragile but still readable. The Probate Court staff can point you to the right books.

Hancock County Genealogy Records Online

The Hancock County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run genealogy resource with cemetery records, census data, and family history documents shared by researchers.

Volunteers post records they find at courthouses and archives. This is a strong way to connect with other people researching family lines in Hancock County.

You can also search Hancock County court records through the state's E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing to view. Document viewing costs $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each page after that. This lets you search from home without driving to Sparta.

Hancock County Superior Court Genealogy

The Hancock County Clerk of Superior Court holds land records, divorce files, and civil and criminal case records from 1793. Land deeds are a key genealogy source in this county. They show property transfers, neighbors, and family ties going back over 230 years. Deed books in Hancock County trace a long arc of land ownership in central Georgia.

Divorce records often list children, property, ages, and birth dates. That detail can confirm family connections when other records fall short. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Hancock County are open to the public. You can get copies in person or by mail.

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

Vital Records for Hancock 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 Hancock County Probate Court or the Georgia Department of Public Health. Certified copies cost $25 for the first 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. 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 also has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 indexed at no cost. These free databases are good starting points for Hancock County genealogy.

Research Tips for Hancock County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places. Then work backward. Census records are a strong next step. Federal census data for Hancock County starts in 1800. The 1790 and 1890 censuses for Georgia were destroyed. Use tax digests for those years instead.

Pre-1900 Hancock 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, and Fold3 is available in the search room. For post-1900 records, contact the courthouse in Sparta.

• 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
• Look at estate and guardianship records for family details
• Use the Georgia Historic Newspapers archive for obituaries and legal notices

Hancock County was formed from parts of Washington and Greene counties. If your ancestors lived in this area before 1793, check those parent counties for earlier records. 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.

Cities in Hancock County

Hancock County includes Sparta and several small communities. All genealogy records are maintained at the Hancock County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Sparta. No cities in Hancock County meet the population threshold for individual city pages.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Hancock County. If your ancestors moved within the central Georgia area, check neighboring county records too. County lines shifted over the years.