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- Each of South
Carolinas counties has a vital records office in the county health
department. Each office can search for birth and death records from
January 01, 1915.
- Marriage records
prior to 1950 may be available from the Probate Judge in the county
where the license was issued.
- Divorce records since
April 1949 should be available from the County Clerk in the county where
the petition was filed.
South Carolina did not require birth
certificates until 1 January 1915. These records are still held by the
Bureau of Vital Statistics, Department of Health and
Environmental Control (DHEC). You can obtain some birth
information through the following databases:
Federal records:
- Population
Schedules, Federal Census , South Carolina - 1850, 1860,
1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930. Indexed. The census schedules list
the age of the individual, enabling the researcher to estimate an
approximate year of birth. The 1900 schedule includes the month and year
of birth.
State
records:
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, Cherokee County Health Department. Birth Certificates,
1940. 1 bundle.
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, City of Aiken. Board of Health. Register of Births,
1909-1910. l v.
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, City of Charleston. Board of Health. Birth Certificates,
1877-1901. 15 mfm.
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, Union County. Health Department. Index to Vital Records,
1921-1937. 1 ff.
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, Division of Biostatistics. Spartanburg City Birth
Register, 1895-1914. 1 mfm.
County records:
- Board of Health Barnwell County -
Index to Births, 1915-1958. 1 mfm.
- Barnwell County - Clerk of Court
Other Than Court or Mesne Conveyance Records. Book of Delayed
Certificates for Births prior to 1915, n.d. 1 mfm.
- Greenville County - Clerk of Court
Other Than Court or Mesne Conveyance Records. Delayed certificates for
births prior to 1915; 7 v., 1940-1955.
- Horry County - Clerk of Court Other
Than Court or Mesne Conveyance Records. Delayed Certificates for Births
prior to 1915; 3 v., 1939-1960.
- Find your
county/address here
Marriage records
The state required marriage licenses
beginning 1 July 1911. The probate judge 's office in the county
courthouse holds licenses issued before 1950. Both the Bureau of Vital
Statistics and the county courthouse have copies of licenses issued after
1 July 1950. You can find addresses and telephone numbers for county
courthouses in Elizabeth Petty Bentley, County Courthouse Book (Baltimore,
Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1990).
Federal Records:
- Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and
Abandoned Lands. Marriage and Divorce Records, Beaufort and Charleston,
1866-1868. 1 ff.
State records:
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, City of Aiken. Board of Health. Register of Marriages,
1909-1910. 1v.
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, City of Charleston. Board of Health. Marriage
Certificates, 1877-1887. 5 mm. No index
- Secretary of State - Marriage
Settlements, 1785-1902. 20v. 8mfm. Indexes, 1785-1887. 2v..
More information on scattered sources for
marriages and a general history of record keeping on the subject can be
found in Ruth S. Green and Charles H. Lesser, "South Carolina Marriage
Records", South Carolina Historical Magazine 79 (April 1978): 155-62.
Brent H. Holcomb has abstracted and published marriages listed in the
Journal of the Court of Ordinary, 21 December 1764-29 August 1771, and
many of the marriages recorded in the Miscellaneous Record series of the
Secretary of State. See South Carolina Marriages, 3 vols (1688-1820),
(Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1980).
County records:
- The Department of Archives and History
holds microfilm of marriage licenses and marriage books or registers
from many counties for the period 1911 through 1950. These records are
listed under Probate Court for the various counties in the Summary Guide
on their website.
- Related marriage records may be found in
renunciations of dower and marriage settlements. Records of marriages
may be found in county deed of conveyance books and estate record books;
records of these marriages, usually unindexed.
- Find your
county/address here
Divorce records
Although divorce before 1868 was not legal,
a legislative act or the district courts of equity could grant divorce or
separate maintenance but did so only rarely. From 1868 to 1878, when a
legislative statute again outlawed it, divorce could be obtained in the
courts of common pleas. Divorce was legalized in 1950, and the office of
the clerk of court in the county where the divorce was granted holds those
records. Since July 1962, duplicate divorce records have been filed with
DHEC.
County records:
- Spartanburg County. Court of Common Pleas
Equity Side. Divorce Proceedings, 1869-1871, 1877-1878. 14 items.
- Union County. Clerk of Court Other Than
Court or Mesne Conveyance Records. Index to Divorces, 1962-1967. 1 item.
Death records
Death certificates were required
beginning January 1, 1915 and are restricted from the public for
fifty years. The South Carolina State Archives has the certificates from
1915 to the year before the fifty year restriction. DHEC holds
certificates after the fifty year restriction. DHEC provides on-line
access to death indexes from 1915 to 1954.
Federal records:
- Federal Census, Mortality Schedules,
South Carolina, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880. Indexes, 1850, 1860. These
census schedules list those persons who died during the twelve months
preceding 1 June of the census year. The census, arranged by county,
lists the name of the decedent, age, sex, race, marital status, birth
place, occupation, cause of death, and month of death.
State records:
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, City of Aiken, Board of Health, Register of Deaths,
1903-1915. 1 v.
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, City of Charleston, Board of Health. Death Certificates,
1821-1867, 1872-1886. 49 mfm. (Index is available at the Charleston
Public Library, 404 King Street, Charleston, S.C. 29403, (803)
723-1645.)
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, Division of Biostatistics. Death Certificates, 1915 to
year before the fifty year restriction. mfm. Indexes, 1915-1949 on fiche
and 1950- on CD ROM.
- Department of Health and Environmental
Control, Division of Biostatistics. Spartanburg City. Death
Register, 1895-1915. 1 mfm.
County Records:
- Board of Health Barnwell County.
Index to Deaths, 1915-1958. 1 mfm.
- Union County Death Register, 1900-1914
- Additional death records may be found in
individual county estate papers, will books, and estate record books;
usually, however, these records give only an approximate date of death.
Church records
-
Parish registers from churches can provide information on birth and
death dates, and marriages. Parish registers of a few early South
Carolina churches are extant and some have been published. Published
histories of churches occasionally include lists of births, marriages,
or deaths. For these sources, check the card catalog in the
Reference Room of the South Carolina State Archives and History, and
other libraries.
- For the catalog of the Archives holdings
of church records, please consult the web version of The Guide to Church
Records or the List of Church Records in the Summary Guide to Private
Records notebook in the Reference Room of the South Carolina State
Archives and History. The South Caroliniana Library, also has a few
church records. For a list of the library 's holdings please consult
Allen H. Stokes, Jr., A Guide to the Manuscript Collection of the South
Caroliniana Library (Columbia, S.C.: South Caroliniana Library,
University of South Carolina, 1982) or their on-line finding
aid.
-
Records of Baptist Churches are
available at Baptist Historical Collection, Furman University Library,
Furman University, Greenville, S.C. 29613, and records of the
Presbyterian and Reformed Churches are available at the Historical
Foundation of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches, P.O. Box 849,
Montreat, N.C. 28757, (704) 669-7061. For lists of holdings, please
consult Furman University Library, Baptist Historical Collection: Church
Records on Microfilm (Greenville, S.C.: Furman University Library,
1992), or Historical Foundation of the Presbyterian and Reformed
Churches, South Carolina Records (Montreat, N.C.: Historical Foundation
of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches, 1992 ). For listings of
other sources for South Carolina church records please consult the
following articles:
Childs, Margaretta and Leland, Isabella G.
"South Carolina Episcopal Church Records." South Carolina Historical
Magazine 84 (October 1983): 250-63.
Clayton, J. Glen. "South Carolina Baptist
Records." South Carolina Historical Magazine 85 (October 1984):
319-27.
Cote, Richard N. "South Carolina
Presbyterian Records." South Carolina Historical Magazine 85 (April
1984): 145-52.
Cote, Richard N. "South Carolina Religious
Records: Other Denominations." South Carolina Historical Magazine 86
(January 1985): 50-61. Includes the following churches: African Methodist
Episcopal Church; Congregational, Unitarian and Universalist Churches; the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); French Protestant (Huguenot)
Church; Jews; Lutheran Church; Roman Catholic Church; Society of Friends
(Quakers)
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Abbeville Public Health Department
905 West
Greenwood
Abbeville, SC 29620
(864) 366-2131 |
Aiken Public Health Department
828 Richland Ave,
West
Aiken, SC 29801
(803) 642-1687 or 1-800 450-1687
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Allendale Public Health Department
P.O. Box
386
415 N. Memorial
Allendale, SC 29810
(803) 584-3818
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Anderson County Public Health Department
220
MeGee Rd.
Anderson, SC 29625
(864) 260-5667 |
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Bamberg Public Health Department
Log Branch
Road
Bamberg, SC 29003-0150
(803) 245-5176 |
Barnwell Public Health Department
P.O. Box
427
164 Calhoun St.
Barnwell, SC 29812
(803) 541-1061
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Beaufort Public Health Department
601 Wilmington
Street
Beaufort, SC 29902
(843) 525-7615 |
Berkley - Moncks Corner Health Department
109
West Main Street
Moncks Corner, SC 29461
(843) 723-3800
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Calhoun Public Health Department
410 Herlong
Ave.
St. Matthews, SC 29155
(803) 874-2037 or 531-3032 |
Charleston County Public Health Department
4050
Bridgeview Drive, Suite 475
North Charleston, SC 29405
(843)
746-3801
For marriage certificates back to 1879 write
to:
Charleston County Judicial Center
2144 Melboure
Street
North Charleston, SC 29405-6665
Phone: (843)
740-5823
$5.00 Money Order per request. |
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Cherokee Public Health Department
400 S. Logan
St
P. O. Box 338
Gaffney, SC 26342
(864) 487-2705 |
Chester County Public Health Department
P.O. Box
724
129 Wylie St
Chester, SC 29706
(803) 385-6152
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Chesterfield Public Health Department
203 North
Page Street
Chesterfield, SC 29709
(843) 623-2117 |
Clarendon Public Health Department
110 East Boyce
Street
Manning, SC 29102
(803) 435-8168 |
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Colleton Public Health Department
P.O. Box
229
219 South Lemacks
Walterboro, SC 29488
(843) 549-1516
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Darlington Public Health Department
305 Russell
Street
Darlington, SC 29532
(843) 398-4400 |
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Dillon Public Health Department
203 W. Hampton
Street
Dillon, SC 29536
(803) 774-5611 |
Summerville Health Department
500 North Main
Street
Summerville, SC 29483
(843) 832-0041 |
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Edgefield County Public Health Department
21 Star
Road
Edgefield, SC 29824
(803) 637-4035
Probate
Judge
129 Courthouse Square
Suite 212
Edgefield, SC
29824
(803) 637-4076 |
Fairfield Public Health Department
P.O. Box
270
1136 Kincade Bridge Rd
Winnsboro, SC 29180
(803)
635-6481 |
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Florence Public Health Department
145 E. Cheves
Street
Florence, SC 29506
(843) 661-4835 |
Georgetown County Vital Records
531 Lafayette
Circle
Georgetown, SC 29440
(843) 546-0174 |
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Greenville County Public Health Department
200
University Ridge
Greenville, SC 29602
(864) 282-4100 |
Greenwood Public Health Department
1736 South
Main Street
Greenwood, SC 29646
(864) 942-3600 |
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Hampton Public Health Department
P.O. Box
37
531 West Carolina Ave
Hampton, SC 29924
(803) 943-3878
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Horry County Vital Records
1511A Ninth
Avenue
Conway, SC 29526
(843) 248-3958 |
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Jasper Public Health Department
359 East Wilson
St.
Ridgeland, SC 29936
(843) 726-7788 |
Kershaw Public Health Department
1116
Church
Camden, SC 29020
(803) 425-6012 |
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Lancaster Public Health Department
P.O. Box
817
1833 Pageland Hwy
Lancaster, SC 29721
(803) 286-9948
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Laurens Public Health Department
93 Human
Services Road
Clinton, SC 29325
(864) 933-0000 |
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Lee Public Health Department
810 Brown
Street
Bishopville, SC 29010
(803) 484-6612 |
Lexington County Public Health Department
112 W.
Hospital Drive
Lexington, SC 29169
(803) 791-3580 |
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Marion Public Health Department
206 Airport Rd,
Suite B
Marion, SC 29574
(843) 423-8295 |
Marlboro Public Health Department
117 Parsonage
Street Ext.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
(843) 479-6801 |
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McCormick County Public Health Department
204 Hwy
28
McCormick, SC 29835
(864) 852-2511 |
Newberry County Public Health Department
2111
Wison Rd
Newberry, SC 29108
(803) 321-2170 |
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Oconee County Public Health Department
609 N.
Townville St
P.O. Box 488
Seneca, SC 29679
(864) 882-2245
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Orangeburg Public Health Department
1550 Carolina
Avenue
Orangeburg, SC 29116-0100
(803) 533-7221 or 533-7236
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Pickens County Public Health Department
200
McDaniel Avenue
Pickens, SC 29671
(864) 889-5965 |
Richland County Public Health Department
2000
Hampton Street
Columbia, SC 29204
(803) 576-2980 |
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Saluda Public Health Department
613 Newberry
Highway
Saluda, SC 29138
(864) 445-2141 |
Spartanburg Public Health Department
151 E. Wood
Street
P. O. Box 4217
Spartanburg, SC 29305
(864) 596-3337
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Sumter Public Health Department
105 N.
Magnolia
Sumter, SC 29150
(803) 773-5511 |
Union Public Health Department
115 Thomas
Street
P. O. Box 500
Union, SC 29379
(864) 427-1690
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Williamsburg County Vital Records
520 Thurgood
Marshall Blvd, Suite C
Kingstree, SC 29556
(843) 355-9378
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York Public Health Department
P.O. Box 149
116
N. Congress St
York, SC 29745
(803) 684-7004
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