Find Lumpkin County Genealogy

Lumpkin County genealogy records date to 1832, when the county was formed from Cherokee, Hall, and Habersham counties. The Probate Court in Dahlonega holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records from that year. Land deeds and court records also start in 1832. The courthouse at 99 Courthouse Hill in Dahlonega is the main place for genealogy research. Lumpkin County is in the north Georgia mountains, and Dahlonega was the site of the first major gold rush in the United States. That event drew many families to this area in the 1830s and 1840s.

Lumpkin County Probate Court Records

The Lumpkin County Probate Court is the primary source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses go back to 1832. 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 Lumpkin County.

Visit the courthouse at 99 Courthouse Hill in Dahlonega to search records in person. The phone number is 706-864-3742. 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 assist with basic lookups. Longer research may require an in-person visit.

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

The gold rush of 1828 brought many settlers to the Dahlonega area before Lumpkin County was even formed. Early records reflect a rapid population boom during that period.

Lumpkin County Genealogy Records Online

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

Volunteers post records they find at courthouses, cemeteries, and archives. This is a solid way to connect with others researching Lumpkin County families.

You can also search Lumpkin 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 for each page after that. This lets you search from home.

Lumpkin County Superior Court Genealogy

The Lumpkin County Clerk of Superior Court holds land records, divorce files, and civil and criminal case records from 1832. Land deeds are a key genealogy source for this county. Gold mining claims and land transfers from the 1830s and 1840s show who was in the area during the gold rush period. Deed books also name neighbors and family members.

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 get copies in person or by mail from the clerk in Dahlonega.

Civil lawsuits, estate disputes, and guardianship cases name family members. Mining-related disputes from the early years can also name individuals who might not appear in other records.

Vital Records for Lumpkin 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 Lumpkin 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.

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 databases are good starting points for Lumpkin County genealogy.

Research Tips for Lumpkin County

Start with what you know and work backward. Census records are a natural next step. Federal census data for Lumpkin County starts in 1840. The 1890 census was destroyed. Tax digests and gold lot records can help fill gaps.

Pre-1900 Lumpkin 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. The Georgia Archives also holds gold lottery records from the 1830s.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Look at gold lot and land lottery records at the Georgia Archives
• Use the Georgia Historic Newspapers for obituaries and legal notices
• Review estate and guardianship records for family details

Lumpkin County was carved from Cherokee, Hall, and Habersham counties. For records before 1832, check those parent counties. Many gold rush families came from the Carolinas and Virginia, so check those states if your trail goes back further. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries." Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, copy fees from public agencies are capped at 10 cents per page.

Cities in Lumpkin County

Lumpkin County includes Dahlonega and a few small communities. All genealogy records are maintained at the Lumpkin County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Dahlonega. No cities in Lumpkin County meet the population threshold for individual city pages.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lumpkin County. Families in the north Georgia mountains often moved between counties, so check neighboring records when your search stalls.