Alabama, United States Genealogy

United States Alabama Spanish explorers are believed to have arrived at Mobile Bay in 1519, and the territory was visited in 1540 by the explorer Hernando de Soto. The first permanent European settlement in Alabama was founded by the French at Fort Louis de la Mobile in 1702. The British gained control of the area in 1763 by the Treaty of Paris, but had to cede almost all the Alabama region to the U.S. and Spain after the American Revolution. The Confederacy was founded at Montgomery in February 1861, and, for a time, the city was the Confederate capital.

Counties
Extinct or Renamed Counties: Baine | Baker | Benton | Cabela | Cotaco | Decatur | Hancock | Jones | Sanford

Major Repositories
Alabama Department of Archives and History • Alabama Historical Association •  Birmingham Public Library •  University of Alabama Libraries •  Mobile Public Library •  Florence-Lauderdale Public Library •  Samford University Library •  Wallace State College •  National Archives Southeast Region (Atlanta) •  Allen County Public Library

Migration Routes
Alabama-Chickasaw Trail· Alabama, Choctaw and Natchez Trail· Alabama and Mobile Road· Chattanooga-Willstown Road· Coosa-Tugaloo Indian Warpath· Fall Line Road (or Southern Road)· Federal Horse Path· Gaine's Trace· Georgia Road· Great Indian Warpath· Great South Trail· Jackson's Military Road· Lower Creek Trading Path· Macon and Montgomery Trail· Memphis, Pontotoc and Mobile Trail· Middle Creek Trading Path· Mobile and Natchez Trail· Natchez-Lower Creeks Trail· Natchez Trace (or Chickasaw Trail)· Okfuskee Trail· Tallapoosa-Birmingham Road· Upper Creeks-Pensacola Trail

Many Indian trail maps are contained in the book, Indian Trails of the Southeast: Extract from the 42nd Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnologyby William E. Meyers, originally published in 1925. This book is available online at Gustav's Library ($).

Research Tools

 * Alabama State, County City Government Website Links - A list of Alabama county and city government links to government-maintained websites.
 * Alabama Genealogy Network Group on Google+
 * Find which county a town is in, what town a cemetery is in, even where a postoffice or building is by using the United States Geographical Survey's Geographical Names Information System.
 * David Rumsey Map Collection is a large online collection of rare, old, antique historical atlases, globes, maps, charts plus other cartographic treasures.
 * How to order Alabama Vital Records
 * Researching Alabama Census Records
 * The Alabama GenWeb Project has a wealth of information and is a part of the larger USGenWeb Project. The USGenWeb Project provides internet information on every county in every state in the United States.
 * Alabama Genealogy Trails is a collection of transcribed data for the state of Alabama. Lots of information.
 * Courthouse addresses for all 67 counties.
 * Access Genealogy: Alabama Genealogy has a wealth of resources.
 * Alabama Genealogy History Guide
 * Ancestorhunt.com: Alabama Genealogy - resources for Alabama genealogy research.
 * Research Guide: BYU Research Outline for Alabama
 * Research in Alabama Military Records
 * Rotating Formation Alabama County Boundary Maps and Atlases
 * Alabama Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * List of Alabama Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
 * History & Facts of Alabama Counties
 * Looking 4 Kin Genealogy Family History Network - Alabama

Wiki articles describing these collections are found at:


 * Alabama Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama County Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama County Probate Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama Deaths and Burials ( FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama State Census 1855 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama State Census, 1866 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama, County Estate Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama Statewide Death Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Alabama Statewide Death Records
 * Alabama, Madison County Chancery and Circuit Court Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Obtain additional help

 * Call or chat with an experienced researcher
 * Join a Facebook Group
 * Consult a Professional Genealogist

Help with the Alabama Wiki pages
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 * Expand county articles
 * Check links on pages
 * ...and more

Find more opportunities to help with the Alabama pages.