Find Genealogy in Lamar County

Lamar County genealogy records begin in 1920, when the county was created from parts of Monroe and Pike counties. The Probate Court in Barnesville holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records from that year. Land deeds and court records also start in 1920. The courthouse at 326 Thomaston Street in Barnesville is the primary place to search for family records. Because Lamar County was formed so recently, researchers tracing roots before 1920 will need to check Monroe County and Pike County for earlier documents.

Lamar County Probate Court Records

The Lamar County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses start in 1920. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship records, 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 Lamar County.

You can visit the courthouse at 326 Thomaston Street in Barnesville to search records in person. The phone number is 770-358-5145. For mail requests, send a written request with full names and dates, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order for fees. Staff can handle basic lookups.

Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are also on file. Certified copies cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy. These fees are the same across all Georgia counties.

Note: Lamar County was formed in 1920 from Monroe and Pike counties. Check those parent counties for any records before 1920.

Lamar County Genealogy Records Online

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

Volunteers post records from courthouses, cemeteries, and archives. This is a useful way to connect with others tracing Lamar County family lines.

You can also search Lamar County court records through the state's E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. Document viewing is $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 after that.

Lamar County Superior Court Genealogy

The Lamar County Clerk of Superior Court holds land records, divorce files, and civil and criminal case records from 1920. Land deeds show property transfers, name neighbors, and sometimes include family members as witnesses. Even though Lamar County is one of Georgia's newer counties, its deed books are still a valuable resource.

Divorce records often list children, property, ages, and birth dates. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Georgia are open to the public. You can request copies in person or by mail from the clerk in Barnesville.

Civil lawsuits and estate disputes often name multiple family members. These records can help fill in gaps, especially for the years right after the county was formed.

Vital Records for Lamar 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 Lamar County Probate Court or the Georgia Department of Public Health. Certified copies cost $25 for the first and $5 for each extra 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. For records before 1919, try church records, cemetery inscriptions, and Family Bible records. Also check the parent counties of Monroe and Pike.

The Georgia Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free. FamilySearch also has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 at no cost.

Research Tips for Lamar County

Start with what you know and work backward. Census records are a strong next step. Federal census data for the Lamar County area starts with the 1920 census, which was the first to count residents under the new county name. For earlier census records, look under Monroe County or Pike County.

Records for the Lamar County area before 1920 are in Monroe and Pike county collections. Microfilm copies are 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.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Review Monroe and Pike county records for pre-1920 data
• Use the Georgia Historic Newspapers for obituaries
• Look at estate and guardianship records for family names

The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help you track which county held records for your family's location over time. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, copy fees from public agencies are capped at 10 cents per page for standard documents.

Cities in Lamar County

Lamar County includes Barnesville and Milner. All genealogy records are maintained at the Lamar County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Barnesville. No cities in Lamar County meet the population threshold for individual city pages.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lamar County. If your family lived in this area before 1920, their records are in Monroe or Pike counties.