Search Tattnall County Genealogy

Tattnall County genealogy records go back to 1801, the year the county was created from Montgomery County. The Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Reidsville maintain marriage records, wills, estate files, land deeds, and court cases that help trace family lines in southeast Georgia. Tattnall County has over two centuries of records, and many early documents survive in good shape. The courthouse at 108 N. Main Street in Reidsville is the central place for genealogy research in this county.

Tattnall County Probate Court Records

The Tattnall County Probate Court is the primary source for marriage and estate records. This court holds marriage licenses from 1801 to the present. It also keeps wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. These records are critical for tracing family connections in the county.

You can visit the Probate Court at the Tattnall County Courthouse, 108 N. Main Street, Reidsville, GA 30453. The phone number is 912-557-6716. Staff can help you locate the records you need. The court also accepts requests by mail. Include the full names and approximate dates you are searching for, along with a check or money order for the search fee. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses.

Note: Tattnall County was a parent county for several later counties, so some early records may relate to areas now in other jurisdictions.

Tattnall County Superior Court Genealogy

The Superior Court Clerk holds land records, divorce records, and civil and criminal case files from 1801 forward. Deed books, plat maps, and old court minutes can show where your ancestors owned land and what legal matters they were involved in. These records fill gaps that vital records alone cannot cover.

Divorce records are a useful genealogy source. They often list children, property, and ages or birth dates. The Superior Court has handled divorce cases since the county was formed. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Tattnall County are open to the public. You can visit the clerk's office to view these records in person, or send a written request by mail. Land records are especially helpful for the period before 1850, when census records did not list every person by name.

Tax digests from the 1800s can also help place your ancestors in Tattnall County when census records are missing. The 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1890 federal census records for Georgia were destroyed, so tax digests are the next best thing for those years.

Vital Records for Tattnall Genealogy

Georgia began statewide vital records in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. For birth and death certificates from 1919 forward, you can contact the Georgia Department of Public Health or the Tattnall County vital records office in Reidsville. Birth certificates cost $25 for the first copy. Death certificates cost the same.

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates have restrictions on who can request them. Only the person named, parents, grandparents, adult siblings, adult children, spouses, or legal guardians can get a certified copy. Death certificates are easier to get and often serve genealogy research well. For records before 1919, check the Georgia Archives. The 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.

Note: Tattnall County does not have early vital records from the 1875 act, so pre-1919 birth data must come from census, church, or family sources.

Tattnall County Genealogy Online

The Georgia Probate Courts Directory can help you find contact details for the Tattnall County Probate Court and other county courts across the state.

This directory lists phone numbers, addresses, and office hours for every probate court in Georgia. It is a good reference when you need to call ahead or send a mail request to Tattnall County.

Other free resources include the Georgia Historic Newspapers archive, which has over one million pages of old newspapers. Obituaries, legal notices, and family announcements from Tattnall County papers can help fill in gaps. The Georgia Virtual Vault has death certificates, Confederate pension applications, and other digitized records.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the Georgia Open Records Act caps copy fees at 10 cents per page for standard documents from public agencies. This applies to most requests you might make to Tattnall County offices, though court records may have separate fee structures.

Research Tips for Tattnall County

Start with what you know. Write down all names, dates, and places for your Tattnall County family. Then work backward. Census records are often the best next step. Federal census data from 1820 to 1940 is available at the Georgia Archives. The 1850 census was the first to list every person in the household by name and age.

Tattnall County was formed from Montgomery County in 1801. Several counties were later carved from Tattnall, including parts of Toombs, Evans, and others. If you cannot find an ancestor in Tattnall County records for a certain year, check whether the land was still part of Tattnall at that time. Georgia has 159 counties and borders shifted often. The Virtual Vault has a free tool called "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" that shows county lines for any year.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Use tax digests when census records are lost
• Look at estate records for birth and death date clues
• Review old newspapers for obituaries and legal notices

Pre-1900 Tattnall County records are on microfilm at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. For records after 1900, contact the courthouse in Reidsville.

Cities in Tattnall County

Tattnall County includes the city of Reidsville, which is the county seat, along with smaller communities like Glennville and Collins. All genealogy records for these areas are maintained at the Tattnall County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Reidsville. No cities in this county meet the population threshold for a separate city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Tattnall County. If your ancestors moved within this area, check neighboring county records. County lines changed often in Georgia, so a family counted in Tattnall one decade might show up in a different county the next.