Hancock County, Mississippi Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for John Hancock. The County has Bay St. Louis as its seat and the County was created 1812. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse


Hancock County Courthouse 150 Main St; BAY St. Louis MS 39520 Phone: 228.467.5404 Clerk Circuit Court has marriage and court records. Clerk Chancery Court has divorce, probate and land records.

Parent County
1812--Hancock County was created 18 December 1812 from the Mobile District. County seat: Bay St. Louis

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Mississippi county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Mississippi County Boundary Maps" (1785-1918) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
1863--Some records were lost.

Local History

 * Hancock County, Then and Now at Hancock County Historical Society Website

Neighboring Counties

 * Harrison
 * Pearl River
 * St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
 * Stone

Cemeteries
Hancock County Historical Society
 * Barth
 * Bayou Caddy
 * Bayou Coco
 * Bayou LaCroix
 * Belle Isle
 * Breland
 * Brothers of the Sacred Heart

Census

 * 1805 - 1890 Mississippi, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1805-1890 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1660 - 1820 U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1792 - 1866 Mississippi, State and Territorial Census Collection, 1792-1866 at Ancestry.com — index $


 * 1823 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.


 * 1825 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.


 * 1830 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.


 * 1840 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.


 * 1845 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.


 * 1853 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.


 * 1866 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.


 * 1870 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.

Church Records
LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Bay St. Louis

Courtesy of the Hancock County Historical Society:

Catholic Church Records Index: Includes Our Lady of the Gulf Church in Bay Saint Louis and the Church of the Annunciation in Kiln, Mississippi

Land and Property
Courtesy of Hancock County Historical Society:

Early Hancock County Land Records: Transcription of Book B

Local Histories
Courtesy of the Hancock County Historical Society:

Alphabet File of newspaper articles, publications, etc. indexed by surnames and subjects by Charles H. Gray

Maps

 * Maps of Mississippi (1785-1918)

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.org — index/images
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.org — index/images
 * 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)
 * 1889-1942 - at FamilySearch — images
 * 1900-1974 - at FamilySearch — images


 * Men from Hancock 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 Hancock County.


 * - 3rd Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
 * Company F - Shieldsboro Rifles
 * Company G - Gainesville Volunteers
 * - 17th Battalion, Mississippi Cavalry
 * Company B - Poitevent’s Company

Newspapers

 * Hancock County Obituary Index at Hancock County Historical Society website

Probate Records
Online Records
 * 1780 – 1982 Mississippi Wills and Probate Records 1780-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1781 – 1930 at FamilySearch — images

Taxation

 * 1814 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free. (browse under Hancock, Jackson, Mobile)


 * 1814-1817 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.


 * 1850-1897 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.

Birth

 * 1879-1880 - Hancock County Birth Index 1879-1880. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

Marriage

 * 1800 - 1911 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1776 - 1935 Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1826 - 1900 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-1900 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1826 - 50 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-50 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * to 1825 Mississippi Marriages to 1825 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1849-1956 - Hancock County Marriage Index (1849-1956) at Hancock County Historical Society website
 * 1853-1918 - Hancock County Marriage Books A-L Index 1853-1918 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

Divorce

 * 1916-1950 - Hancock County Divorce Index (1916-1950) at Hancock County Historical Society website

Death

 * 1879-1880 - Hancock County Death Index 1879-1880. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * Hancock County Obituary Index at Hancock County Historical Society website

Genealogy Societies and Libraries
See also a List of Mississippi Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Hancock County Historical Society, 108 Cue Street, Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi 39520 Telephone 228 467-4090

Websites

 * Hancock County, MS History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb Hancock County, Mississippi project. Has maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Hancock County Historical Society