DeKalb County, Georgia Genealogy

United States

Georgia

DeKalb County

Guide to DeKalb County, Georgia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Facts County seat: Decatur Organized: December 9, 1822 Parent County(s): Henry, Gwinnett, Fayette, Newton Neighboring Counties Clayton  • Fulton  • Gwinnett  • Henry  • Rockdale See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption This page is available for adoption

County Information

Description

The County was named for Johann de Kalb. The County is located in the north central area of the state.

County Courthouse

DeKalb County Courthouse
556 North McDonough Street
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: 404-371-2836
DeKalb County Website

Clerk Superior Court has divorce, court and land records from 1842.
Probate Court has marriage and probate records from 1842.

DeKalb County, Georgia Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1919	1842	1919	1842	1842	1842	1820
Statewide registration of births and death began in 1919. General compliance for births by 1928 and deaths by 1922.

Record Loss

1842 The DeKalb County Courthouse burned on 9 January and all records were destroyed, except one minute book for the Superior Court, and one minute book for the Inferior Court. A handful of records recorded after the fire for pre-fire events are also available. 1916 The newer DeKalb County Courthouse burned on 13 September, but damage to records was limited thanks to a fire-proof vault. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see: Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill. Online at: Family History Circle. When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle. Online at: Tennessee Genealogy Blog. Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.

Boundary Changes

DeKalb County was created on 9 December 1822 from portions of Fayette, Gwinnett, and Henry Counties. It gained additional land from these counties during the 1820s as well as from Newton County. DeKalb County gave up land to Campbell, Cherokee, Coweta, Fulton, Gwinnett, Milton, and Rockdale Counties throughout the 19th century. For animated maps illustrating Georgia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Georgia County Boundary Maps" (1758-1932) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. For more information see Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries (Georgia Archives)

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Cities
Atlanta Avondale Estates Brookhaven Chamblee larkston	Decatur (county seat) Doraville Dunwoody Lithonia	Pine Lake Stonecrest Stone Mountain Tucker
Unincorporated communities
Atlanta Chinatown Buford Highway Collinsville Chapel Hill Ellenwood Embry Hills East Atlanta	Flair Forest Klondike Kirkwood Lenox Park Northlake Peachtree	Pittsburg Skyland Smoke Rise Snapfinger Stonehenge Swift Creek
Census-designated places
Belvedere Park Candler-McAfee Druid Hills	Gresham Park North Decatur North Druid Hills	Panthersville Redan Scottdale
Ghost towns
Constitution

Resources

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of DeKalb, Georgia online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Findagrave.com GAGenWeb GAGenWeb Archives Tombstone Project Billion Graves
TombstoneTranscriptions in Print (Often more complete)	Family History Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com Billion Graves DeKalb County Cemeteries Georgia Cemetery Records
See Georgia Cemeteries for more information

The following web site may have additional information on DeKalb County cemeteries.

• Interment.net Georgia cemetery records

Church Records

Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Georgia denominations, see the Georgia Church Records wiki page.

• Methodist Episcopal Church Records, 1854-1965 (FamilySearch) - Includes membership, baptisms, and marriages for Clarkston, Wesley Chapel, Belmont, and Tucker churches.
• Rehoboth Baptist Church Records, 1854-1932 (Family Search) - Microfilm of original records held at the Georgia Archives.
• Religion Subject Files (DeKalb History Center) - Listing of available subject files for DeKalb County churches.
• Photograph Subject Files (DeKalb History Center) - Listing of available photographs of DeKalb County churches.
• Redan United Methodist Church Records, 1894-1994 (DeKalb History Center) - Church conference and various committee records.
• Covenant Presbyterian Church Records, 1972-1973 (DeKalb History Center) - Church bulletins and correspondence for this Clarkston, Georgia congregation.

Court Records

• DeKalb County Superior Court Minutes/Book A, 1836-1843 (DeKalb History Center) - Index of all cases tried by the Superior Court during this time period, case records available at the DeKalb History Center.
• Index of DeKalb Inferior Court Records, 1823-1859 (FamilySearch)
• DeKalb County Minutes of Ordinary Court and Inferior Court, 1823-1901 (FamilySearch) - includes index.
• DeKalb County Superior Court Minutes, 1836-1905 (FamilySearch) - includes index.
• Decatur City Court Minute Books, 1923-1956 (DeKalb History Center) - Incomplete records from this time period, specific dates listed in finding aid.
• DeKalb County Civil Court Criminal Docket Book, 1957 (DeKalb History Center)
• DeKalb County Justice of the Peace Records, 1880-1960 (DeKalb History Center) - Contains civil proceedings and criminal suits by multiple justices.
• DeKalb County Superior Court Records, 1860-1910 (DeKalb History Center)

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African Americans

• Register of Free Persons of Color, Freeman record (DeKalb History Center) - provides the names, ages, birth places, residences, and brief descriptions of all free African-Americans residing in DeKalb County from 1851-1864.

Land and Property Records

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See Georgia Land and Property for additional information about early Georgia land grants from the government. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions (generally buying and selling deeds) were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.

Deed books and indexes that survived the courthouse fires are available on the ground floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse in the Clerk of the Superior Court, Real Estate Division. Land records found at the courthouse date from approximately 1840 to the present, beginning with Deed Book L.

• Deeds and mortgages, 1842-1905, with grantee and grantor index, 1840-1910 at FamilySearch
• DeKalb County Land Title Abstracts (DeKalb History Center) - Finding aid includes list of surnames and land lots.
• Selected Deeds (Georgia USGenWeb Archives Project)

Local Histories

Local histories are available for DeKalb County, Georgia Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Georgia Local Histories.

• The history of DeKalb County, Georgia 1822-1900 by Vivian Price - Includes maps and an index.
• Historic DeKalb County: An Illustrated History by Vivian Price

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of Georgia (1758-1932)
• Map Collection, 1730-2004 (DeKalb History Center) - Includes Sanborn, topographical, state, city, and county maps.

Military Records

• USGen Web Archives Project: Military - Includes Revolutionary War Pensioners Census, Indian Wars transcriptions, and Civil War muster rolls.

Civil War

Online Records

• 1861-1863 DeKalb County, Georgia, Confederate Enlistment Index, 1861-1863 (This DeKalb History Center webpage contains a link to DeKalb County Confederate Database on Ancestry (free)) - Indexed by surname and lists rank and regiment.
• 1861-1865 Georgia Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
• 1861-1865 Georgia Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
• 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
• 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
• 1867-1868 Georgia, Reconstruction Registration Oath Books, 1867-1868 at FamilySearch — index
• 1879-1920 Georgia, Confederate Pension Rolls, 1879-1920 at FamilySearch — index
• 1879-1960 Confederate Pension Applications, 1879-1960, and Confederate Pension Application Supplements, 1879-1960 (Georgia Archives) - Digitized images of applications and supporting materials. (Use Advanced Search or Browse All option.)
• Civil War Muster List, 1861 at FamilySearch
• Military Subject Files (DeKalb History Center) - Includes muster rolls for individual regiments.
• Confederate Veterans Pension Rolls, 1890-1931 at FamilySearch

Regiments. Service men in DeKalb County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in DeKalb County:

- 7th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company E

- 36th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Broyles') (Confederate) , Company F

- 38th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate) , Companies A,D,and K

- 42nd Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate) , Company D

- 66th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate) , Companies B,E,and H

• Price, Vivian. 1997. History of DeKalb County, Georgia, 1822-1900. Fernandina Beach, FL: Wolfe Pub. Co. 975.8225 H2p
• Confederate States of America. Army. Georgia Infantry Regiment, 7th, Company E. 1961. Muster list, 1861. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah.Film 282789
• Georgia. Court of Ordinary (DeKalb County). 1964. Confederate veterans pension rolls, 1890-1931. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah.Film 365913

World War I

• 1917-1919 World War I Service Records, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch (microfilms)
• 1920-1929 Georgia, World War I, Statement of Service Cards, 1920-1929 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1922-1945 Military Discharge Records, 1922-1945 at FamilySearch (microfilms)

Newspapers

• Newspaper Books Collection, 1919-1995 (DeKalb History Center) - Includes the DeKalb New Era, the Decatur-DeKalb News, the Decatur-DeKalb News/Era, the DeKalb News/Sun, and the Lithonia Observer.
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution Archives - Searchable archive covering 1868-1942, 1985-present as well as links to microfilm holdings.
• Selected Newspaper Transcriptions (USGen Web Archives Project)

Other Records

Voting Records

• 1867-1868 Georgia, Reconstruction Registration Oath Books, 1867-1868 at FamilySearch — index

Probate Records

Colonial courts kept some early probate records.  From 1777 to 1798 and since 1852, the court of ordinary or register of probates has kept probate and guardianship records.  The inferior court handled probate and guardianship matters from 1798 to 1852.

Many probate records to the 1930s and 1940s are at the Georgia Department of Archives and History and the Family History Library on microfilm.

Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.

Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, marriage, adoption, and birth and death records (not all years).

Online Probate Records

• 1742-1990 Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1742-1992 Georgia Wills and Probate Records 1742-1992 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
• 1840-1964 Probate Records, 1840-1964 at FamilySearch - Includes indexes; microfilmed.
• 1841-1919 Wills and Estates 1841-1869; 1870-1889; 1890-1919 (abstracts) Georgia Pioneers ($)
• 1841-1919 DeKalb County, Georgia Probate Records by Jeanette Holland Austin - Includes Will Books A, B, and C covering 1841-1919 as well as Sales and Appraisements for 1852-1858.
• 1846-1852 Index to Deed Book L, 1846-1852 Georgia Pioneers ($)
• 1850-1853 Index to Deed Book M, 1850-1853 Georgia Pioneers ($)
• Selected Wills & Estate Records (USGenWeb Archives Project)

Tax Records

Taxes were levied on free white males over 21 and all slaves up to age 60. These persons are referred to as "polls." Tax listings, or digests, of a county generally list the taxable landowners and other polls and the amount of tax. The records for each county are divided by militia district.

• DeKalb County Tax Digests, 1905-1948 (DeKalb History Center) - A mostly complete collection of tax digests for this time period, many of which include Confederate Veterans lists.
• DeKalb County Tax Digest, 1848-1850 at FamilySearch

Vital Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Georgia State Department of Health , the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred or order electronically online.

For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Georgia.

Birth

• 1870-1960 Georgia, County Delayed Birth and Death Records, 1870-1960 at FamilySearch — index, and some images

Statewide registration of births in Georgia began in 1919 and was generally complied with by 1928. Birth records are available only to the individual or his legal representative. Birth records can be obtained by writing to:

Georgia Department of Human Resources
Vital Records Unit
47 Trinity Avenue, S.W., Room 217-H
Atlanta, GA 30334-1201
Telephone: 404-679-4702
Internet: Georgia Vital Records

The current fees for obtaining copies of the state's records are listed at VitalRecords.com.

Atlanta birth records since 1887 are available from:

Fulton County Health Department
141 Prior Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
Telephone: 404-730-4000
Internet: Fulton County Health Department

Marriage

• 1560-1993 Georgia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index ($)
• 1699-1944 Georgia Marriages 1699-1944 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1754-1960 Georgia Church Marriages, 1754-1960 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1785-1950 Georgia County Marriages 1785-1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1787-1962 Georgia, Church Marriages, 1787-1962 at FamilySearch — index
• 1808-1967 Georgia Marriages 1808-1967 at FamilySearch — index
• 1808-1967 Georgia Marriages, 1808-1967 at FamilySearch - Please see Georgia Marriages for more information on this collection.
• 1828-1978 Georgia Marriage Records from Select Counties 1828-1978 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
• 1840-1908 DeKalb County Marriage Books, 1840-1893 (Georgia Archives) - Digitized microfilm of marriage certificates and indexes. (Select DeKalb County from dropdown list at bottom of page, click Search)
• 1840-1908 Marriage Database Index, 1840-1908 (This DeKalb History Center webpage contains a link to DeKalb County Marriage Database on Ancestry (free)) - Indexed by bride and groom surnames.
• 1840-1872 DeKalb County Marriage Books A and B Index 1840-1872. Batch M735367 at FamilySearch.
• 1840-1872 DeKalb County Marriage Books A and B Index 1840-1872. Batch M712641 at FamilySearch
• 1872-1881 DeKalb County Marriage Books C and D Index 1872-1881. Batch M712642 at FamilySearch
• 1882-1893 DeKalb County Marriage Books E and F Index 1882-1893. Batch M712643 at FamilySearch
• 1885-1886 (from old newspapers) Georgia Pioneers ($)
• 1893-1895 DeKalb County Marriage Book G Index 1893-1895. Batch M712644 at FamilySearch
• 1840-1848 Marriage Records images. Georgia Pioneers ($)
• 1848-1856 Marriage Records index. Georgia Pioneers ($)
• 1856-1872 Marriage Records index. Georgia Pioneers ($)
• 1885-1886 Marriage Records from newspapers. Georgia Pioneers ($)

Death

• 1870-1960 Georgia, County Delayed Birth and Death Records, 1870-1960 at FamilySearch — index, and some images
• 1914-1927 Georgia Deaths 1914-1927 at FamilySearch — index and images; also available from Georgia Death Certificates, 1914-1927 (Georgia Archives) - Mostly complete records that have been indexed and digitized.
• 1919-1998 Georgia Deaths 1919-1998 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1928-1942 Georgia Deaths, 1928-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images; also available from Georgia Non-Indexed Death Certificates, 1928-1930 (Georgia Archives) - Digitized indexes and certificates that can be looked up by surname if year is known (Note also the 'Browse All' option at the top of the page).
• 1931-1935 Georgia Death Certificates, 1931-1935 (Georgia Archives) - These years have not been digitized but are available to researchers at the Georgia State Archives
• 1933-1998 Georgia Death Index 1933-1998 at FamilySearch — index

Death records for 1935 to present can be obtained by writing to:

Georgia Department of Human Resources
Vital Records Unit
47 Trinity Avenue, S.W., Room 217-H
Atlanta, GA 30334-1201
Phone: 404-679-4702
Georgia Vital Records

The current fees for obtaining copies of the state's records are listed at VitalRecords.com.

Research Facilities

Family History Centers

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.

• For current information about a center near you, go to the Family History Center Map

Websites

• DeKalb County, GA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
• Georgia Genealogy Network Community on Google+
• Georgia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
• DeKalb History Center - Local historical society with online databases for cemetery, marriage, land, and military records.
• USGenweb DeKalb County, Georgia project - A variety of records transcribed by volunteers.
• GAGenWeb Archives
• Georgia Genealogical Society
• Georgia Archives - Records for DeKalb County are listed under Record Group 144 at the state archives.
• Georgia Pioneers ($)
• FamilySearch Catalog - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records