South Carolina Public Records

Some records kept by South Carolina town, county, and other officials can include helpful genealogical information. Most are at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and are thoroughly indexed.

Some of these records have been published, such as the Journal of the Commons House of Assembly, 1736-1754 (Columbia: Historical Commission of South Carolina, 1951-; FHL book 975.7 N2a; fiche 6051246).

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History also has microfilms of all the surviving manuscripts in the British Public Record Office in London for colonial South Carolina, including correspondence, copies of laws and legislative journals, ship clearings in and out of Charleston, and records of the British occupation of Charleston during the American Revolution. Many of these records are on microfilm at the Family History Library (see FHL films 1294103-14). A guide to these records is Helen C. Carson, Records in the British Public Records Office Relating to South Carolina, 1663-1782 (Columbia, South Carolina: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 1973; FHL book 975.7 A1 #55).

The Family History Library has microfilms of some municipal records, such as commissioners' and town council records. These are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under SOUTH CAROLINA, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - TOWN RECORDS.