Walton County Genealogy Search

Walton County genealogy records go back to 1818, when this county was formed from part of the Cherokee lands ceded to Georgia. The Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Monroe hold marriage records, wills, estate files, land deeds, and court cases that help trace family connections in the Piedmont region. Walton County has some of the older county records in northeast Georgia, and the courthouse on Hammond Drive keeps these documents available for public research during normal business hours.

Walton County Probate Court Records

The Walton County Probate Court holds marriage licenses, wills, estate inventories, guardianship records, and letters of administration dating back to 1818. This is the primary office for genealogy research in Walton County. Staff can help you find records if you visit in person or call ahead with your request. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over marriage licenses, wills, estates, and guardianships in every Georgia county.

You can request copies by mail. Write a letter with the full name of the person, the type of record you need, and the approximate date. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order for the copy fees. Standard copies are typically $1 per page. Certified copies cost more. The clerk can give you an exact total if you call first. Walton County records from the early 1800s may require more time to locate because some older volumes have been moved to microfilm storage.

Note: Walton County has over 200 years of records, so be as specific as possible with dates and names when making requests.

Vital Records for Walton County Genealogy

Statewide vital records in Georgia began in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. For Walton County birth and death records before that year, you will need to check church registers, cemetery transcriptions, or family Bibles. The Georgia Archives has some early Walton County records on microfilm. Death certificates from 1919 to 1943 are available free through the Virtual Vault and on FamilySearch.

Birth certificates from the state office cost $25 for the first copy. Death certificates are the same price. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, only certain family members and legal guardians can get certified birth certificates. Death certificates are easier to obtain for genealogy purposes. The Georgia Department of Public Health handles all state-level vital records requests.

Marriage records in Walton County date to 1818. The Probate Court is the only source for most of these. State-level marriage records cover only 1952 to 1996. If you need a marriage record from outside that range, contact the Walton County courthouse directly.

Walton County Superior Court Genealogy

Land records in Walton County are at the Superior Court Clerk's office. Deed books, plat maps, and old court minutes show property transfers between family members and neighbors. These records are open to the public under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70. Divorce records are also kept here. Divorce files can list children, ages, and property details that fill in gaps from other sources.

Civil and criminal case files go back to 1818. These court records sometimes name family members who were witnesses, bondsmen, or parties to legal disputes. The Superior Court Clerk's office is in the Walton County courthouse in Monroe. You can visit during business hours to search deed indexes, case files, and other records. For older documents, the Georgia Archives may have microfilm copies.

Note: Land records in Walton County often name neighbors and adjoining property owners, which helps place families geographically.

Walton County GAGenWeb Genealogy

The Walton County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run genealogy resource. It has cemetery transcriptions, census data, family trees, and other records shared by researchers working on Walton County family lines.

This site connects you with other people researching Walton County families. Volunteers post records they have found at courthouses, libraries, and archives across Georgia.

Other free resources include the Georgia Historic Newspapers archive, which has over one million pages of old Georgia papers with obituaries and legal notices. FamilySearch has Georgia marriages from 1754 to 1960 and probate records from 1742 to 1990. These databases are free and can help with Walton County genealogy.

Walton County at the Georgia Archives

The Georgia Archives in Morrow holds pre-1900 Walton County records on microfilm. You can find marriage records, estate files, deed books, and court minutes there. The search room offers free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Fold3. Federal census records for Walton County are available from 1820 through 1940. The 1890 census was destroyed, so use tax digests to fill that gap.

Walton County first appears in the 1820 federal census, just two years after the county was formed. The 1850 census was the first to list every person in each household by name and age. Earlier census records only name the head of household with tallies of other members by age and sex. The Georgia Archives is at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260, and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Genealogy Tips for Walton County

Begin with the records you already have. Write down every name, date, and place you know about your Walton County family. Work backward one generation at a time. Do not skip ahead. Census records are the best starting point after your own family knowledge.

Walton County was formed in 1818 from Cherokee territory. If your ancestors were in this area before that year, records may be found in neighboring counties or in state-level Cherokee land records. Georgia has 159 counties, and borders shifted constantly during the 1800s. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help you track which county covered a given area in any year. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, copy fees from public agencies are capped at 10 cents per page for standard documents.

• Check cemetery records and tombstone inscriptions when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Look at Family Bible records on microfilm at the Georgia Archives
• Review estate records when birth or death dates are unknown
• Use the Vanishing Georgia collection for historical Walton County photos

Cities in Walton County

Walton County includes the cities of Monroe, Social Circle, Loganville, and several smaller communities. All genealogy records for these cities are maintained at the Walton County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Monroe. Contact the courthouse for any record requests related to cities within the county.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Walton County. If your ancestors moved within this area, check neighboring county records. County lines changed frequently in Georgia, so an ancestor in Walton County one decade might show up in a different county the next.