Find Peach County Genealogy

Peach County genealogy records start in 1924, the year the county was created from Houston and Macon counties. It is the youngest county in Georgia and the last one formed. The Probate Court in Fort Valley holds marriage licenses, wills, and estate files. For records before 1924, you need to check Houston County and Macon County, since Peach County land came from both. The Superior Court Clerk holds land deeds, divorce files, and civil case records. Fort Valley is the county seat and the center of all Peach County record keeping.

Peach County Probate Court Records

The Peach County Probate Court is the main place for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses date from 1924 to the present. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. All records are at the courthouse in Fort Valley.

Since Peach County was the last county formed in Georgia, its records only go back about a century. This means your research in Peach County may be limited if your family was in this area before 1924. Marriage records from the 1920s and 1930s are some of the most requested items at the Peach County Probate Court. Estate records help when a person died without leaving a vital record. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses in Peach County.

For records before 1924, check Houston County (formed 1821) and Macon County (formed 1837). Both parent counties have records that cover the area now known as Peach County. This is a common situation in Georgia genealogy because the state created new counties well into the 1900s.

Note: Always check Houston County and Macon County for Peach County families before 1924.

Peach County Superior Court Genealogy

The Peach County Superior Court Clerk holds land deeds, divorce records, and civil and criminal case files from 1924 to the present. Land records show property transfers that can reveal family connections. Divorce files often list children and give birth dates. These records add detail that probate records may not include.

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. Fees vary by record type. Call the clerk's office to confirm costs before sending a request. Land records from before 1924 are at the Houston County and Macon County courthouses.

Vital Records for Peach County Genealogy

Peach County has birth and death certificates from 1924 forward. Georgia started its statewide vital records system in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9, but since Peach County did not exist until 1924, its records begin that year. For births and deaths in the Fort Valley area before 1924, check Houston County or Macon County vital records.

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are only available to the person named, parents, grandparents, adult siblings, adult children, spouses, or legal guardians. Death certificates are more broadly available for genealogy. The fee is $25 for the first certified copy and $5 for each extra. The Virtual Vault has free access to Georgia death certificates from 1919 to 1943. FamilySearch has indexed Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943.

Note: Since Peach County was formed in 1924, early vital records for this area are split between Houston and Macon counties.

Peach County GAGenWeb Genealogy

The Peach County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run site with cemetery transcriptions, census data, and family records shared by other researchers.

Volunteers post records from courthouses and private collections. This is a good place to start before making a trip to Fort Valley. The site also links to related resources for Houston County and Macon County, which is helpful since Peach County was formed from those two counties.

Other free resources include Georgia Historic Newspapers and the Georgia Archives in Morrow. The Georgia Archives search room offers free access to Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.

Genealogy Tips for Peach County

Start with what you know and work backward. The biggest challenge with Peach County genealogy is that the county only dates to 1924. Any research before that year takes you to Houston County or Macon County records.

Federal census data is at the Georgia Archives through Ancestry.com. Since Peach County was not created until 1924, the 1930 census is the first to list it by name. For the 1920 census and earlier, look for your ancestors in Houston County or Macon County. The 1890 census was destroyed. Use tax digests for that gap.

• Check Houston County for records before 1924
• Check Macon County for records before 1924
• Search cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Review church records for baptisms and burials
• Use the Vanishing Georgia collection for old photographs

The Georgia Archives is at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, copy fees from public agencies are capped at 10 cents per page for standard documents.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Peach County. Since Peach was formed from Houston and Macon counties, those two are the most important for genealogy research before 1924.