Franklin County, Alabama Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin, famous statesman, scientist, and printer. The county is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Franklin County Courthouse 410 North Jackson Ave. PO Box 160 Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-8861 Franklin County Website Probate Judge has marriage, probate and land records from 1890; Clerk Circuit Court has court records from 1923 and divorce records

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator.

Biographies

 * Biographies of many notable residents of Franklin County were published in Memorial Record of Alabama (1893). Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Begins on page 1027.

Census Records
State Census


 * 1855   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1866  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * 1831-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Local Histories

 * Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land, 1888. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Franklin County begins on page 102.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Alabama Maps and Blueprints Collection at Alabama Department of Archives and History – maps can be browsed by location or subject

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * ca.1918-ca.1962  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War, 1861-1865
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
 * 1861-1865 Civil War Service Database at Alabama Department of Archives and History - index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry $
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry $
 * 1871-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1930 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History


 * - 1st Battalion, Alabama Artillery, Company F
 * - 2nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E
 * - 4th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry (Roddy's), Company E and L
 * - 5th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company E
 * - 16th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A
 * - 16th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E and H
 * - 27th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A, B and G
 * - 35th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B and K

World War I
 * 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Service Records at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
 * 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Gold Star Files at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images

World War II
 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1940-1966 Alabama Active Military Service Reports at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
 * Honor roll of Franklin County, Alabama men and women serving in the armed forces of the United States of America, October ... 1944.''Russellville, Alabama? : Franklin County Times and Franklin County Progress, 1944. FHL Digital Images

Newspapers

 * Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Other Records
Voter Registration
 * 1834-1981  at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and some images

Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Franklin County has one book.

Periodicals

 * Valley Leaves. 1966–. Published by the Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1568, Huntsville, Alabama 35807. . Website identifies articles relating to Franklin County (click "Search by County").

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1753-1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry $
 * 1809-1985  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1830-1976  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014  at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records

 * 1865-1866 U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry$  Franklin County is in District 3.

Birth

 * 1881-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, and some images

Marriage

 * 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast
 * 1800-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry $
 * 1809-1920 Alabama Marriages Alabama marriages
 * 1809-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collectionindex, and some images
 * 1816-1957  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1818-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1823-1825, 1875, 1890-1902, 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry $
 * 1890-1900 "Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920" at Ancestry $
 * To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry $

Death

 * 1881-1952  at Family Search - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry $
 * 1908-1959 Index to Deaths recorded by the state of Alabama at Ancestry $
 * 1908-1974  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Archives
Franklin County Archives 300 East Limestone St. Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-8827

Libraries
Russellville Public Library 110 East Lawrence St. Russellville, Alabama 35653 256-332-1535 Website

Societies
Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society P. O. Box 1568 Huntsville, Alabama 35807 205-728-2788 Email: [mailto:tvgsvalleyleaves@gmail.com tvgsvalleyleaves@gmail.com] Facebook Publication: Valley Leaves

Natchez Trace Genealogical Society P. O. Box 420 Florence, AL 35360 Facebook Website Publication: Natchez Trace Traveler

Russellville Heritage Preservation Society P. O. Box 1095 Russellville, AL 35653

Tennessee Valley Historical Society P. O. Box 149 Sheffield, AL 35660 Website Publication: Journal of Muscle Shoals History

Websites

 * USGenWeb project.May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * USGenWeb Archives Project ~ contains record transcriptions from Bibles, obituaries, court records and more.
 * Franklin County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Franklin County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Franklin Co. AL
 * United States Resources: Alabama
 * Al Gen Web
 * – 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.