Chatham County, Georgia Genealogy

United States

Georgia

Chatham County

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

Georgia Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Savannah Organized: February 5, 1777 Parent County(s): St. Phillip and Christ Church Parishes Neighboring Counties Beaufort (SC) • Bryan • Effingham • Jasper (SC) See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

Chatham County was named for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. The county is located in the Atlantic coastal area of the state.

County Courthouse

Chatham County Courthouse
124 Bull Street
Savannah, GA 31401-3230
Phone: 912-652-7127
Chatham County Website

Probate Court has birth, marriage, death and probate records.
Clerk Superior Court has divorce and court records from 1783, land records from 1785 and naturalization records from 1801.

Chatham 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 Government County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1919	1806	1919	1783	1785	1777	1820
*Statewide registration of births and death began in 1919. General compliance for births by 1928 and deaths by 1922.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

1777 Chatham County was created 5 February 1777 from St. Phillip and Christ Church Parishes. County seat: Savannah 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. See Georgia Counties:Their Changing Boundaries

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
Bloomingdale Garden City	Pooler Port Wentworth	Savannah (county seat) Tybee Island
Towns
Thunderbolt Vernonburg
Unincorporated communities
Beaulieu Bethesda	Buckhead Pin Point	Sandfly
Census-designated places
Dutch Island Georgetown Henderson	Isle of Hope Montgomery Skidaway Island	Talahi Island Whitemarsh Island Wilmington Island
Historic African American communities
White Bluff

Resources

Bible Records

• Chatham County Bible Records at Georgia USGenWeb Archives Project

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

• Georgia, State Employees at MyHeritage — index ($)

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Chatham, Georgia online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find a Grave BillionGraves USGW Tombstone Transcription Project Interment.net
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Catalog WorldCat.org
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find a Grave BillionGraves FamilySearch Places
See Georgia Cemeteries for more information

• 1795-Onward Georgia, Chatham, Savannah Burials at MyHeritage — index ($)

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	10,769	—
1800	12,946	20.2%
1810	13,540	4.6%
1820	14,737	8.8%
1830	14,127	−4.1%
1840	18,801	33.1%
1850	23,901	27.1%
1860	31,043	29.9%
1870	41,279	33.0%
1880	45,023	9.1%
1890	57,740	28.2%
1900	71,239	23.4%
1910	79,690	11.9%
1920	100,032	25.5%
1930	105,431	5.4%
1940	117,970	11.9%
1950	151,481	28.4%
1960	188,299	24.3%
1970	187,767	−0.3%
1980	202,226	7.7%
1990	216,935	7.3%
2000	232,048	7.0%
2010	265,128	14.3%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

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.
List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places

St. John's Church, Savannah

• 1846-1885 St. John's Church, Savannah, Baptism Index 1846-1885. Batch C712431 at FamilySearch.
• 1846-1903 St. John's Church, Savannah, Marriage Index 1846-1903. Batch M712431 at FamilySearch.

Baptist

• Thomas, Edgar Garfield. The First African Baptist Church of North America. Savannah, Ga.: unknown, 1925. Digital version at Ancestry

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Savannah

Episcopal
St. Paul's, Savannah

• 1883-1911 St. Paul's Church, Savannah, Baptism Index 1883-1911. Batch C723251 at FamilySearch.
• 1892-1911 St. Paul's Church, Savannah, Marriage Index 1892-1911. Batch M723251 at FamilySearch.

Presbyterian
Independent Presbyterian Church, Savannah

• 1805-1850 Chatham County Marriages (white 1805-1850)Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah
• 1828-1866 Savannah Independent Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1828-1866. Batch C712411 at FamilySearch.
• 1829-1866 Savannah Independent Presbyterian Church Marriage Index 1829-1866. Batch M712411 at FamilySearch.

Colonial Records

• 1738 Savannah Residents; 1735-1738 Savannah Baptisms; 1738 List of Savannah Malcontents; Savannah Town Lots 1745-1747; 1756; Savannah Town Lots at Yamacraw Bluff 1760; Savannah Wharf Lots 1759 Georgia Pioneers ($)

Court Records

• 1782-1900 Superior Court Minutes, 1782-1900(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1790-1873 Minutes, 1790-1873(*); Inferior, City Court, and Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1795-1845 Inferior Court Records, 1795-1802, 1834-1845(*); Inferior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1800-1901 Court of Ordinary Minutes, 1800-1901(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1800-1901 Superior Court Proceedings, 1800-1901(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1804-1816 Inferior Court Proceedings, 1804-1816(*); Inferior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1810 Accounts, 1810(*); Inferior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1813-1827 Trial Docket, 1813-1827(*); Inferior and Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1822-1826 Minutes, 1822-1826(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1841-1849 Minutes 1841-1849, Chatham County, Georgia(*); City Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1856-1867 Insolvent and Honest Debtors Records 1856-1867, Chatham County, Georgia(*); City Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1860 Index to Volume H, Inferior Court Minutes, 1860(*); Inferior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1861-1868 Court Writs 1861-1868, Chatham County, Georgia(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1866-1868 County Court Minutes 1866-1868, Chatham County, Georgia(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1873-1901 Minutes, 1873-1901(*); County Commissioners at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1889-1898 Criminal Minutes 1889-1898, Chatham County, Georgia(*); City Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1890-1900 Superior Court Criminal Minutes, 1890-1900(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1890-1950 Miscellaneous Bonds (Bastardy, County Officials, Assignees, Receivers, etc., Bonds) 1890-1950, Chatham County, Georgia(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1892-1909 Proceedings of Court 1892-1909, Chatham County, Georgia(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1900-1912 Lunacy Records, 1900-1912(*); Court of OrdinaryE at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

• Confederate Widows and Orphans' Records [Chatham County, Georgia](*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories

• 1888-1891 Savannah, Georgia Directories, 1888-1891 at Ancestry ($).
• 1898-1899 Savannah City Directory at Georgia Pioneers ($)
• 1960 Polk's Savannah, Georgia, City Directory, 1960 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Emigration and Immigration

Inward and outward slave manifest lists:

• Savannah, Georgia: Coastwise Slave Manifests, 1801-1860. ARC 1151775, U.S. Customs Service, Record Group Number 36. National Archives Southeast Region, Morrow, Georgia. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African Americans

• Savannah, Georgia, Slave Manifests, 1811-1860 at Ancestry ($). This is a database of manifests for slaves arriving in Savannah, Georgia from 1811-1860.The manifests include: Name of ship, Master, Port of departure, Port of destination, List of slaves on board. The slave information includes: First name, Sex, Age, Stature, Name of shipper/owner, Shipper/owner’s place of residence.
• Perdue, Robert Eugene. The Negro in Savannah, 1865-1900. New York, Exposition Press, [1973]. 156 p. (An Exposition university Book) F294.S2 P47
• Savannah, Georgia, Registers of Free Persons of Color, 1817-1864 available at Ancestry ($)
• Georgia, Chatham, Savannah, Laurel Grove Cemetery Record Keeper's Book (colored), 1852-1942 — index — How to Use this Collection

Funeral Homes

• Adams Funeral Services in Savannah
• Baker McCullough Funeral Home and Cremation in Savannah and Garden City
• Bonaventure Funeral Home in Savannah
• Bynes-Royall Funeral Home, Inc. in Savannah
• Campbell and Sons Funeral Home in Savannah
• Families First Funeral Care and Cremation Center in Savannah
• Fidelity Memorial Group in Savannah
• Fox and Weeks Funeral Directors in Savannah
• Gamble Funeral Service in Savannah
• Sexton Hall Funeral Homes in Port Wentworth
• Sylvania Funeral Homes, Inc. in Savannah

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.

Online Land Indexes and Records

• 1735-1866 Georgian Colonial and Headright Plat Index, 1735-1866 at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - alpha index
  
• 1783-1909 Headright and Bounty Plats, 1783-1909 at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images with alpha index
  
• 1805-1833 District Plats of Survey at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images organized by county and district
  
• Colonial Plats and Warrants at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images with alpha index
  

Deeds and Probate Records

• Appendices to articles in Georgia Historical Quarterly: March 1939 - June 1939, on the history of Causton's Bluff, Deptford, Brewton Hill The Georgia historical quarterly
• Deeds, 1785-1900; index to deeds, 1784-1910(*) Georgia. Superior Court (Chatham County); images.
• Chatham County Deed Books (1785-1806) at Georgia Archives, index and images.

Grants

• Effingham County grants, also some Chatham County, Georgia, 1771-1801 Georgia. Court of Ordinary (Effingham County)
• English crown grants for islands in Georgia, 1755-1775 Bryant, Pat
• English crown grants in Christ Church parish in Georgia, 1755-1775 Hemperley, Marion R.

Headright Surveys:

Public land given to the head of a household or to an individual who paid another person's passage to America. Headright grants were given to early colonists of America and to early citizens of Texas. See Headright surveys, plat books D and E for Camden, Glynn, Liberty, Chatham and Effingham counties, 1784-1793.

Homestead Records (See also Probate Records)

Homestead records, 1868-1902 Georgia. Superior Court (Chatham County)

Land Lottery

• Learn more about Land Lotteries here: Land Lottery (Georgia Archives)
• List of those entitled to draw in land lottery of 1832 Georgia. Surveyor General

Oyster Leases

• Oyster leases 1890-1901, Chatham County, Georgia Georgia. Superior Court (Chatham County)
• Oyster leases 1890-1911, Chatham County, Georgia Chatham County (Georgia). County Commissioners

Mortgages

Mortgages, 1871-1900 Georgia. Superior Court (Chatham County)

Pony Homestead Records

Pony homestead records, 1876-1922 Georgia. Court of Ordinary (Chatham County)

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Chatham 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.

• Gamble, Thomas. Bethesda: An Historical Sketch of Whitefield's House of Mercy in Georgia, and of the Union Society, His Associate and Successor in Philanthropy. Savannah, Ga.: Morning News Print, 1902. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Gamble, Thomas. Savannah Duels and Duellists, 1733-1877. Savannah, Ga.: Review Pub. & Print. Co., 1923. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Granger, Mary. Savannah River Plantations. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Harden, William. A History of Savannah and South Georgia. Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1913. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Harden, William. Recollections of a Long and Satisfactory Life. New York: Negro Universities Press, 1968, c1934. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Jones, Charles Colcock. History of Savannah, Ga.: From Its Settlement to the Close of the Eighteenth Century. Syracuse, N.Y.: D. Mason & Co., 1890. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Lattimore, Ralston B. Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia. Washington, D.C.: G.P.O., 1954. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Lee, F. D. Historical Record of the City of Savannah. Savannah Ga.: Printed and published by J.H. Estill, Morning News Steam-powered Press, 1869, c1868. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Lichtenstein, Gaston. Early History of Tarboro, North Carolina: Also, Collated Colonial Public Claims of Edgecombe County, and Easter Sunday in Savannah, Ga. Richmond: W.E. Jones, Book and Job Printer, 1908. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Piechocinski, Elizabeth Carpenter. Once Upon an Island: The Barrier and Marsh Islands of Chatham County, Georgia. Includes marriages and other vital records for Island residents, family history information for Island residents, listings of Island-born Blacks, grave sites, victims of hurricanes, Union soldiers involved in the skirmish on Whitemarch Island, plantation owners, and freed Blacks who obtained land in the Islands.
• Savannah. Savannah, Ga.: Review Print. Co., 1937. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Sholes, A. E. Chronological History of Savannah: From Its Settlement by Oglethorpe Down to December 31, 1899: Together with a Complete Record of the City and County, and Savannah's Roll of Honor, A Roster of the Soldiers Who Have in Three Wars Gone Forth at Their Country's Call, from This City. Savannah, Ga.: Morning News Print., 1900. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Wilson, Adelaide. Historic and Picturesque Savannah. Boston: Published for the subscribers by the Boston Photogravure Co., 1889. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
• 1740s-Onward Historic Map File at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images
• 1866 - 1935 County Map File at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images
• Maps of Georgia (1758-1932)
• Map of Chatham County Georgia Pioneers ($)
• Map of the Savannah River Plantations Georgia Pioneers ($)

Migration

Early migration routes to and from Chatham County for European settlers included:

• Atlantic Ocean 1733
• Savannah River 1733
• Charleston-Savannah Trail late 1730s (an extension of the King's Highway)
• Augusta-Savannah Trail 1739
• Savannah-Jacksonville Trail 1740s

Military Records

• Georgia USGenWeb Archives Project
• 1795 Military Muster at Georgia Pioneers ($)

Civil War
Online Records

• 1861-1865 Georgia Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index — How to Use this Collection
• 1861-1865 Georgia Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index — How to Use this Collection
• 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)
• 1861-1865 Confederate Enlistment Oaths and Discharges at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault- images and alphabetical index
• 1861-1865 Confederate Muster Rolls at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault- images; filter by commanding officer, service branch and regiment
• 1861-1865 Confederate Pension Application Supplements - images and alphabetical index; filter by county
• 1863-1864 Wayside Poor Home Georgia Pioneers ($)
• 1864 Militia Enrollment Lists, 1864 - images; filter by county
• 1867-1868 Georgia, Reconstruction Registration Oath Books, 1867-1868 at FamilySearch — index — How to Use this Collection
• 1879-1920 Georgia, Confederate Pension Rolls, 1879-1920 at FamilySearch — index — How to Use this Collection
• 1879-1960 Confederate Pension Applications - images and alphabetical index; filter by county

Regiments. Service men in Chatham 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 Chatham County:

- 1st Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Olmstead's) (Confederate), Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K

- 8th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company B

-11th Battalion, Georgia Infantry (State Guards) (Confederate), Company E

- 25th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Companies H and I

- 29th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company F

- 31st Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company C

- 35th Battalion, Georgia (Confederate), Company C

- 47th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Companies A and E

- 54th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company F

- 63rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate) , Companies B, F and K

- Wheaton's Company, Georgia Artillery (Chatham Artillery) (Confederate)

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Chatham County.

• April 10-11, 1862 - Fort Pulaski.
• Battles of the American Civil War maps - filter by state or by battle name.

Spanish-American War

• 1898 Spanish-American War Service Summary Cards - images and alphabetical index; filter by residence, muster location and unit

World War I

• 1914-1918 World War I Casualties Scrapbooks - images and alphabetical index
• 1920-1929 Georgia, World War I, Statement of Service Cards, 1920-1929 at FamilySearch — index and images — How to Use this Collection

World War II

• 1940-1942 Georgia World War II Draft Registration Cards 1940-1942 at findmypast - index ($))

Naturalization and Citizenship

• Savannah, Georgia, Naturalization Records, 1790-1910 available at Ancestry ($)

Bold text=== Newspapers ===

• 1800s-Current Georgia, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
• Georgia Historic Newspapers at Digital Library of Georgia
• Savannah Morning News at Live Oak Public Libraries
  • The Bull Street Branch has the Savannah Morning News from 1763-present in microfilm.
  • The Georgia Room has the index to this paper for 1763-1986 except: 1846-1849; 1892-1895 (spotty); 1896-1929.
• The Georgia Death Index (1919-1994) is available at Ancestry ($)

Obituaries

• 1916-Onward Georgia, Chatham, Savannah Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)

Other Records

Jail Records

• 1855-1873 Georgia, Savannah City Jail Registers, 1855-1873 at FamilySearch — index and images — How to Use this Collection

Voting Records

• 1867-1868 Georgia, Reconstruction Registration Oath Books, 1867-1868 at FamilySearch — index — How to Use this Collection
• 1856-1909 Georgia, County Voter Registrations, 1856-1909 at FamilySearch — index and images — How to Use this Collection

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 FamilySearch 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 Indexes and Records

• 1733-1753 Colonial Wills at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images with alpha index
• 1742-1955 Index to Estates, 1742-1955(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1742-1990 Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990(*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
• 1742-1992 Georgia Wills and Probate Records 1742-1992 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1754-1776 Colonial Will Books at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images with alpha index
• 1759-1776 Georgia Abstracts of Wills, St. John's Parish, Christ Church Parish and St. Paul's Parish, 1759-1776(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1773-1817 Abstracts of Wills, Chatham County, Georgia, 1773-1817. By Lafar, Mabel Freeman and Caroline Price Wilson. Washington, D.C. : National Geographic Society, 1936. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
• 1775-1861 Names of Families in Chatham County Wills, Estates, Inventories, Annual Returns, Probate at Georgia Pioneers] ($)
• 1775-1927 Wills, 1775-1927(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1775-1927 Chatham County, Georgia Will Records at SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills.
• 1777-1852 Estate Records, Wills, Estates, Administrations and Bonds, Alphabetically Arranged, 1777-1852(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1783-1791 Estate Administrations 1783-1791, Chatham County, Georgia(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1783-1927 Inventories and Appraisements of Estates, 1783-1927(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1814-1902 Estate Accounts, 1814-1902(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1818-1922 Letters of Administration of Estates, 1818-1922(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1818-1924 Letters Testamentary, 1818-1924(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1830-1936 Administrator of Estates Bonds, 1830-1936(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1845-1920 Temporary Administrator of Estates Bonds, 1845-1920(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1845-1924 Guardian Bonds, 1845-1924(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1852-1936 Administrator's Bonds cum Testamento Annexo Executor not Named in Will, 1852-1936(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1855-1922 Letters of Administration cum Testamento Annexo Executor not Named in Will 1855-1922, Chatham County, Georgia(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1855-1925 Warrants of Appraisements, 1855-1925(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1856-1913 Temporary Letters of Administration of Estates, 1856-1913(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1856-1920 Widow's Years Support, 1856-1920(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1856-1924 Letters of Guardianship, 1856-1924(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1860-1925 Letters of Dismission, 1860-1925(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1873-1951 Estate Trustees' Bonds 1873-1951, Chatham County, Georgia(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1876-1944 Division of Estates 1876-1944, Chatham County, Georgia(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1876-1952 Estate Account Sales 1876-1952, Chatham County, Georgia(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1885-1907 Final Receipts of Estates, 1885-1907(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
• 1939 Appendices to Articles in Georgia Historical Quarterly : March 1939 - June 1939, on the History of Causton's Bluff, Deptford, Brewton Hill(*); The Georgia Historical Quarterly at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Social Security Records

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information. —How to Use this Collection
• 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

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.

• 1787-1900 Georgia, Tax Digests, 1787-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection, index and images
• 1788-1789 Images of of Tax Digests 1788-1789 Georgia Pioneers ($)
• 1793 Chatham County Tax Digest for 1793 (digital images) Georgia Pioneers ($)
• Tax Records, Georgia Archives
• 1793-1798 Images of Tax Records for 1793 and 1798 Georgia Pioneers ($)

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.

• 1803-1966 - Savannah, Georgia, Vital Records, 1803-1966 available at Ancestry ($)
• 1828-1991 Georgia, Church Vital Records, 1828-1991 at FamilySearch — index — How to Use this Collection

Birth

• 1862-1865 Chatham County Birth Index. Batch C712395 at FamilySearch.
• 1870-1960 Georgia, County Delayed Birth and Death Records, 1870-1960 at FamilySearch — index, and some images — How to Use this Collection

The City of Savannah (Chatham County) has birth records beginning in 1890. They were recorded state-wide beginning in 1919.

Chatham County Health Department
P. O. Box 14257
Savannah, GA 31416
Phone: 912-356-3438

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 — How to Use this Collection
• 1785-1950 Georgia County Marriages 1785-1950 at FamilySearch — index and images — How to Use this Collection

• 1805-1836 Chatham County Marriage Index 1805-1836. Batch M712391 at FamilySearch.
• 1808-1967 Georgia Marriages, 1808-1967 Name index to marriage records from the state of Georgia. — How to Use this Collection
• 1808-1967 Georgia Marriages 1808-1967 at FamilySearch — index — How to Use this Collection
• 1827-1837 Chatham County Marriage Index 1827-1837. Batch M712392 at FamilySearch.
• 1828-1978 Georgia Marriage Records from Select Counties 1828-1978 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1830-1842 Chatham County Marriage Index 1830-1842. Batch M712396 at FamilySearch.
• 1838-1852 Chatham County Marriage Index 1838-1852. Batch M712393 at FamilySearch.
• 1842-1861 Chatham County Marriage Index 1842-1861. Batch M712397 at FamilySearch.
• 1852-1861 Chatham County Marriage Index 1852-1861. Batch M712394 at FamilySearch.
• 1862-1866 Chatham County Marriage Index 1862-1866. Batch M712395 at FamilySearch.
• 1877-1878 Chatham County Marriage Book A Index 1877-1878. Batch M712398 at FamilySearch.
• 1878-1882 Chatham County Marriage Books B and C Index 1878-1882. Batch M712399 at FamilySearch.
• 1882-1884 Chatham County Marriage Book D Index 1882-1884. Batch M712401 at FamilySearch.
• 1884-1886 Chatham County Marriage Book E Index 1884-1886. Batch M712402 at FamilySearch.
• 1886-1887 Chatham County Marriage Book F Index 1886-1887. Batch M712403 at FamilySearch.
• 1887-1889 Chatham County Marriage Book G Index 1887-1889. Batch M712404 at FamilySearch.
• 1889-1891 Chatham County Marriage Book H Index 1889-1891. Batch M712405 at FamilySearch.
• 1891-1892 Chatham County Marriage Book I Index 1891-1892. Batch M712406 at FamilySearch.
• 1892-1894 Chatham County Marriage Book J Index 1892-1894. Batch M712407 at FamilySearch.
• 1894-1895 Chatham County Marriage Book K Index 1894-1895. Batch M712408 at FamilySearch.

Death

• 1870-1960 Georgia, County Delayed Birth and Death Records, 1870-1960 at FamilySearch — index, and some images — How to Use this Collection
• 1914-1927 Georgia Deaths 1914-1927 at FamilySearch — index and images — How to Use this Collection
• 1914-1927 Georgia Death Certificates at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - index and images
• 1919-1998 Georgia Deaths 1919-1998 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1928-1930 Georgia Non-Indexed Death Certificates at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images
• 1928-1942 Georgia Deaths, 1928-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images — How to Use this Collection
• 1933-1998 Georgia Death Index 1933-1998 at FamilySearch — index — How to Use this Collection

Voting Records

• 1856-1941 Georgia, County Voter Registrations, 1856-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection, index and images

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Chatham County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Georgia Archives and Libraries.

Savannah Diocesan Archives
2170 East Victory Drive
Savannah, GA 31404
912-201-4070
Email: archives@diosav.org
Website
Facebook

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

• FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
• FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
  

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• Savannah Georgia FamilySearch Center

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Chatham County. For state-wide library facilities, see Georgia Archives and Libraries.

Museums

Fort Pulaski National Monument
101 Fort Pulaski Road
Savannah, GA 31410
912-786-5787
Email: fopu_information@nps.gov
Website
Facebook

Societies

Listed below are societies in Chatham County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Georgia Societies.

Bonaventure Historical Society
330 Bonaventure Rd
PO Box 5954
Savannah, GA 31414
912-412-4687
Website
Facebook

Coastal Heritage Society
303 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Savannah, GA 31401
912-651-6840
Email: info@chsgeorgia.org
Website
Facebook

Coastal Museums Association
PO Box 11362
Savannah, GA 31412
Email: cmapresident84@gmail.com
Website

Coastal Scottish Heritage Society
PO Box 5053
Savannah , GA 31414
912-356-0491
Facebook

Georgia Historical Society in Savannah Georgia
501 Whitaker Street
Savannah, GA 31401
912-651-2125, 877-424-4789
Website

Historic Savannah Foundation
321 E York St
Savannah, GA 31401
912-233-7787
Email: info@myhsf.org
Website
Facebook

Savannah Area Genealogical Association
PO Box 15385
Savannah, GA 31416
Email: gasaga@comcast.net
Website

Savannah Jewish Federation
5111 Abercorn Street
Savannah , GA 31405
912-355-8111
Email: jea_federationhotline@savj.org
Website
Facebook

Society for the Preservation of Laurel Grove
PO Box 10315
Savannah, GA 31412-0515
912-231-8166
Website

Thunderbolt Museum Society
2702 Mechanics Ave
Thunderbolt, GA 31404
912-351-0836
Email: selmore@thunderboltga.org
Website
Facebook

Tybee Island Historical Preservation Commission
403 Butler Ave
Tybee Island , GA 31328-0366
912-472-5071
Website
Facebook

Websites

• Georgia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
• USGenWeb Chatham County, Georgia project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
• GAGenWeb Archives
• Chatham County, Georgia Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
• Lane Library Digital Collections (Armstrong Atlantic State University)
• 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

This table contains the dates the local or state government began recording in the county or county equivalent. Use substitute records for earlier dates. If you believe there is an error, email us at wikisupport@familysearch.org.

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Due to contractual agreements, some images and/or databases on FamilySearch.org may only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center or FamilySearch Affiliate Library.

“Current” indicates records are available as recently as privacy laws allow. This date can change from year to year. To determine the exact dates available, contact the respective organization/repository.