Whitfield County Genealogy

Whitfield County genealogy records begin in 1851, when the county was carved from Murray County in northwest Georgia. The Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Dalton hold marriage licenses from 1852, probate files, land deeds, and court records spanning over 170 years. Researchers tracing family roots in the northwest corner of the state will find Whitfield County records well preserved and accessible. Birth and death certificates from 1919 onward are also on file at the courthouse.

Whitfield County Probate Court Records

The Whitfield County Probate Court in Dalton is the primary source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses date to 1852. The court holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship papers, and estate inventories from that same period. These records are key for tracing family lines in Whitfield County and the broader northwest Georgia region.

You can visit the courthouse at 205 N. Selvidge Street in Dalton to search records in person. Staff can help you locate what you need. The court accepts mail requests as well. Include the name and date range you are looking for, along with a check or money order for the search fee. Call ahead for the exact amount. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and marriage licenses in Whitfield County.

Birth and death certificates from 1919 to the present are available through the Probate Court. Certified copies cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each extra. These fees are the same at every county office in Georgia. Plain copies cost less and work fine for genealogy.

Whitfield County was created from Murray County in 1851. Marriage and probate records start in 1852, which means the county began recording them almost immediately after formation. For records from this area before 1851, check Murray County.

Note: Pre-1900 Whitfield County records are available on microfilm at the Georgia Archives in Morrow.

Whitfield County Genealogy Records Online

The Whitfield County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run resource for county genealogy research.

The site has cemetery transcriptions, census extracts, family histories, and records shared by other researchers. You can contribute your own findings to help people working on Whitfield County family lines.

The state's E-Access to Court Records system lets you search Whitfield County court data online. Registration is free. Basic case information is available at no charge. If you need copies of actual documents, the first page costs $2.50 and each page after that is $1.00. This is a good option for a quick search before making the trip to Dalton.

Additional free 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 Virtual Vault at Georgia Archives has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free. Both databases cover Whitfield County records.

Whitfield County Superior Court Genealogy

The Whitfield County Clerk of Superior Court holds land records from 1852, divorce files, and civil and criminal case records. Land deeds are one of the best genealogy sources available. They document property transfers, name neighbors, and reveal family connections that other records might not show.

Divorce records are another important source. These files often list children, describe property holdings, and give ages or birth dates that help confirm family ties. 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 Dalton. A per-page fee applies for copies.

Tax digests from Whitfield County are kept at the courthouse and the Georgia Archives. These list property owners and the assessed value of their land and personal property for each year. When census records are missing or damaged, tax digests fill the gap. The 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1890 federal censuses for Georgia were destroyed, making tax records particularly important for those periods.

Civil court cases from Whitfield County can also help. Lawsuits over property, estate disputes, and guardianship proceedings often name several family members. These records add depth to your research. They can connect people across generations when other documents do not exist.

Vital Records for Whitfield County Genealogy

Georgia started statewide vital records in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. Birth and death certificates from that year forward are available from the Whitfield County Probate Court or the Georgia Department of Public Health. Certified copies cost $25 for the first and $5 for each additional 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, so they are easier to get for genealogy purposes. For records before 1919, look at church records, cemetery inscriptions, or Family Bible entries from Whitfield County families.

The Georgia Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 free online. FamilySearch also has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 indexed at no cost. Marriage records from 1952 to 1996 were also filed at the state level with the Georgia Department of Public Health. These free databases cover a good chunk of the records most genealogy researchers need from Whitfield County.

Research Tips for Whitfield County

Start with what you know. Write down all names, dates, and places for your Whitfield County family. Then work backward one generation at a time. Census records are usually the best next step. Federal census data from 1860 to 1940 covers Whitfield County (the 1860 census was the first after the county was formed in 1851).

Whitfield County was created from Murray County. For records before 1851, check Murray County. All land deeds, marriage licenses, and court records for this area from before that year are filed there. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help you track the right county for any given year.

Northwest Georgia saw heavy action during the Civil War. The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge in 1864 took place partly in Whitfield County. Confederate service records, pension applications, and military unit rosters from the Georgia Archives can help trace ancestors who served. Federal occupation records from 1864 to 1865 may also mention local residents.

• Check cemetery records and tombstone inscriptions when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials in Whitfield County
• Look at Family Bible records on microfilm at the Georgia Archives
• Use the Vanishing Georgia photo collection for historical images from the county
• Review estate and guardianship records when birth or death dates are unknown
• Check Murray County for records before 1851

The Georgia Archives is 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.org, and Fold3 is available in the search room. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the Open Records Act sets copy fees at 10 cents per page for standard documents from public agencies. Court records may have separate local fee schedules.

Note: Free Ancestry.com and FamilySearch access at the Georgia Archives in Morrow makes it a worthwhile trip for Whitfield County genealogy research.

Cities in Whitfield County

Whitfield County includes the city of Dalton, which serves as the county seat and the largest city in the county. All genealogy records for Dalton are maintained at the Whitfield County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk. Select the city below for local genealogy information.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Whitfield County in northwest Georgia. If your ancestors moved within this region, check neighboring county records too. Borders shifted over time, and records might turn up in an adjacent county.