Turner County Genealogy Records

Turner County genealogy records start in 1905, the year the county was formed from parts of Dooly, Irwin, Wilcox, and Worth counties in south-central Georgia. The Probate Court in Ashburn holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records. The Clerk of Superior Court keeps land deeds, divorce files, and civil case records. Because Turner County was created from four parent counties, researchers tracing families before 1905 need to check those surrounding counties for earlier records. The courthouse in Ashburn is the central location for all local genealogy work.

Turner County Probate Court Records

The Turner County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses date to 1905. The court also keeps wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. These records are key for tracing family lines in Turner County.

Visit the courthouse at 219 E. College Avenue in Ashburn to search in person. The court takes mail requests as well. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment by check or money order. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and marriage licenses. Certified copies cost $2.50 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page.

Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are also available at the Probate Court. The first copy costs $25. Each extra copy is $5. These fees are the same across all 159 Georgia counties.

Turner County Superior Court Genealogy

The Turner County Clerk of Superior Court holds land records, divorce files, and civil case records from 1905 to the present. Land deeds show property transfers between family members. They reveal who lived near your ancestors and how land moved from one generation to the next in south Georgia.

Divorce records often list children, property, and ages. That detail helps confirm family ties. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Georgia are public. You can request copies in person or by mail from the courthouse in Ashburn.

Since Turner County was formed from Dooly, Irwin, Wilcox, and Worth counties, earlier records for this area are spread across four courthouses. Tax digests from the Superior Court can fill gaps where census records are missing. Georgia lost its 1890 federal census data, so Turner County tax records from that era help bridge the gap between the 1880 and 1900 counts.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the Open Records Act sets copy fees at 10 cents per page for standard documents.

Vital Records for Turner County Genealogy

Georgia started statewide vital records in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. For Turner County births and deaths before that year, check church records, cemetery transcriptions, and family Bibles. The parent counties may also hold pre-1905 vital records for this area.

Birth certificates from 1919 onward are available from the Georgia Department of Public Health or the Turner County Probate Court. 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, making them easier to get for genealogy.

The Georgia Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free. FamilySearch.org also has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 at no cost. These free databases are strong starting points for Turner County genealogy research.

Turner County GAGenWeb Resources

The Turner County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run genealogy resource with cemetery transcriptions, census data, and family trees shared by other researchers.

This site connects you with other people working on Turner County family lines. Volunteers post records from courthouses, libraries, and archives across Georgia.

Other free online resources include FamilySearch, which has Georgia marriages from 1754 to 1960, probate records from 1742 to 1990, and death records from 1914 to 1943. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has over one million pages of old Georgia newspapers with obituaries, legal notices, and family announcements.

Genealogy Research Tips for Turner County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places. Then work backward one generation at a time.

Census records are a great next step. Federal census data from 1910 onward covers Turner County as its own entity. For the 1900 census and earlier, check Dooly, Irwin, Wilcox, and Worth county records. The Georgia Archives at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260 is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Fold3 is available in the search room.

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

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Review Family Bible records on microfilm at the Georgia Archives
• Use the Vanishing Georgia collection for historical photos
• Look at estate and guardianship records for family details

Turner County was formed from four parent counties. That means your pre-1905 ancestors could appear in any of those courthouses. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help you track where your family was counted each decade.

Note: Pre-1905 records for the Turner County area are split among Dooly, Irwin, Wilcox, and Worth county courthouses.

Cities in Turner County

Ashburn is the county seat and largest city in Turner County. All genealogy records for cities in this county are maintained at the Turner County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Ashburn. No cities in Turner County meet the population threshold for a separate city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Turner County. If your ancestors moved within south-central Georgia, check neighboring county records. Turner County was formed from parts of all four of these surrounding counties.