Jasper County Genealogy Records

Jasper County genealogy records date back to 1807 when the county was first created in central Georgia. The Probate Court in Monticello holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records spanning over two centuries. The Superior Court Clerk maintains land deeds, divorce records, and civil case files that can reveal property transfers and legal connections within families. If your ancestors lived in or around Monticello, Jasper County is the right place to begin your family history research.

Jasper County Probate Court Records

The Jasper County Probate Court is the primary source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses go back to 1807. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, estate inventories, and annual returns. These are the records most genealogy researchers need first when tracing Jasper County family lines.

Visit the courthouse in Monticello to search these records in person. Staff can help point you to the right indexes and record books. You can also send requests by mail with the names and dates you need plus a check or money order for the fees. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses. Standard copies cost about $1 per page. Certified copies cost more, so call ahead to get the current fee schedule before you send a request.

Note: The court formerly known as the Court of Ordinary handled these same records before 1974, so older indexes may use that name.

Jasper County Superior Court Genealogy

The Jasper County Superior Court Clerk holds land records, divorce files, and civil case records dating to 1807. Land deeds are particularly valuable for genealogy. They show property transfers between family members, neighbors, and across generations. Plat maps show the physical layout of land grants and farms in Jasper County.

Divorce records can reveal names of children, property divisions, and birth dates that help confirm family ties. Criminal and civil case files sometimes mention family relationships or residential details that are hard to find elsewhere. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Georgia are public. The Georgia Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71 caps copy fees at 10 cents per page for standard letter or legal size documents.

You can request copies in person at the Jasper County Courthouse in Monticello or by mail. Include as much detail as possible about the records you need so staff can locate them quickly.

Vital Records for Jasper County Genealogy

Georgia started statewide vital records in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. Birth and death certificates from 1919 onward are available from the Jasper County Health Department or the Georgia Department of Public Health in Atlanta. A birth certificate costs $25 for the first copy. Each extra copy is $5. Death certificates are the same.

Before 1919, vital records are scarce in most Georgia counties including Jasper. You will need to rely on other sources for that period. The Georgia Archives has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online through the Virtual Vault. FamilySearch also has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943. Cemetery transcriptions, church records, and old newspapers can fill gaps for families who lived in Jasper County before state registration.

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are limited to the person named, parents, grandparents, adult children, adult siblings, spouses, or legal guardians. Death certificates are more open and easier to get for genealogy work.

Note: Marriage records from 1952 to 1996 were filed at both the county and state level, so check both the Jasper County Probate Court and the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Jasper County GAGenWeb Genealogy

The Jasper County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run resource for genealogy. It includes cemetery transcriptions, census data, family trees, and documents posted by other researchers. This is a good place to connect with people working on the same Jasper County families.

Volunteers share records from courthouses, libraries, and archives. You might find Bible records, old photos, or transcribed documents that are not posted anywhere else. The site is free to use and open to anyone.

Other free resources for Jasper County genealogy include FamilySearch (Georgia marriages 1754 to 1960, probate records 1742 to 1990) and the Georgia Historic Newspapers archive with over one million pages of old newspapers containing obituaries and legal notices.

Research Tips for Jasper County

Start with what you know. List all names, dates, and places for your Jasper County family and work backward one generation at a time. Census records are usually the most productive next step. Federal census data from 1820 to 1940 is available at the Georgia Archives through Ancestry.com (free in the search room).

The 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1890 census records for Georgia are gone. Tax digests from those periods can substitute. The 1850 census was the first to name every household member with ages. Since Jasper County dates to 1807, there should be census records for the county starting with the 1810 enumeration, though that particular year was destroyed. The 1820 census is likely the earliest surviving count for Jasper County.

Pre-1900 Jasper County records are on microfilm at the Georgia Archives in Morrow (5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260). Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. For post-1900 records, go to the Monticello courthouse. The Archives offers free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Fold3.

• Check cemetery records and tombstone inscriptions when other records are missing
• Look at church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Review estate records for birth or death date clues
• Use the Vanishing Georgia photo collection

Jasper County borders have changed over the years. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help you track which county held jurisdiction over a given area at different points in time.

Cities in Jasper County

Jasper County includes the city of Monticello, which is the county seat. All genealogy records for cities in Jasper County are maintained at the Jasper County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Monticello. No cities in Jasper County meet the population threshold for a separate city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Jasper County. If your family moved around central Georgia, check records in neighboring counties. Boundaries shifted often, and ancestors in Jasper County one decade may appear in a different county the next.