Jefferson County, Alabama Genealogy

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



County Courthouse
Jefferson county has two official County seats - Birmingham and Bessemer.

Birmingham
Jefferson County Courthouse 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. N., Birmingham, AL 35203 Phone: (205) 325-5355 Probate Judge has marriage records from 1818 Probate Records from 1870 and land records for 1820

Bessemer
Bessemer County Courthouse 1801 3rd Avenue Bessemer, AL 35020 Phone: (205) 481-4110

Description
The County was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson. The County has Carrollsville as its seat and the County was created December 13, 1819. The County is located in the north-central area of the state.

Parent County
1819--Jefferson County was created 13 December 1819 from Blount County. County seat: Birmingham

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Alabama county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Alabama County Boundary Maps" (1799-1980) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
1870 -- Courthouse burned and many records were damaged.

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

The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in Jefferson County:

Former towns
 * Elyton (former Jefferson County Seat, now a neighborhood in Birmingham)
 * Ensley (former town, now a neighborhood in Birmingham)

Neighboring Counties

 * Bibb
 * Blount
 * Saint Clair
 * Shelby
 * Tuscaloosa
 * Walker

African American

 * 1896-1935 - in "Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950," at FamilySearch.org - free.

Biography

 * The Book of Birmingham and Alabama. Birmingham, Ala.: The Birmingham Ledger Publishers, 1914. Digital version at - free. Includes bios and photographs.


 * DuBose, John Witherspoon. Jefferson County and Birmingham Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Teeple and Smith, 1887. Digital version at - free.


 * Jefferson County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project - free.

Cemeteries
The following web site has additional information on Jefferson county cemeteries.


 * Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.


 * Additional Jefferson County cemeteries are included in Alabama Cemetery Records and  at FamilySearch Books Online - free.

Census
State Census


 * 1866 - at FamilySearch — index

Baptists

 * Hageness, MariLee Beatty. Mount Hebron Church Minutes 1819-1857. Leeds, Jefferson County, Alabama. Anniston, Ala.: MLH Research, 1998. Digital version at - free.


 * Huey, Thomas E. Ruhama: The Story of a Church, 1819-1945. Birmingham, Ala.: Birmingham Print. Co., c1946. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Birmingham
 * McCalla

Episcopalians

 * McDavid, Mittie Owen. Church of the Advent: Its History and Traditions. Birmingham, Ala.: Press of Birmingham Pub. Co., 1943. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Court Records
Alabama, Jefferson County Circuit Court Papers, 1870-1916 ~  FamilySearch records collection

Directories

 * Jefferson County, Alabama Online Historical Directories - identifies historical city, county, business and other directories available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.
 * 1888-1890 - Birmingham, Alabama Directories, 1888-90 at Ancestry ($). Includes 1888, 1889, 1890, and 1890 (2) directories.

Land and Property
To place a grant or deed on a map within context of see:

You can research land records in the Probate office of the Jefferson County, Alabama Courthouse. To learn more about accessing land records held in the Jefferson County Courthouse, see: Our genealogy journey to the Jefferson County, Alabama courthouse.
 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Jefferson County, Alabama: with Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Norman, Okla.: Arphax Pub. Co., 2007. This is a definitive work and can be used as an index to land grants. Digital version at HistoryGeo.com ($). Website includes free surname index..

Local Histories

 * DuBose, John Witherspoon. Jefferson County and Birmingham Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Teeple and Smith, 1887. Digital version at - free.


 * Early Days in Birmingham: A Printing of the Original Papers of the Pioneers Club, Whose Members were Eye-witnesses to the Events of the Founding of the City. Birmingham, Ala.: Birmingham Pub. Co., 1937. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * Jefferson County Historical Maps ~  can be viewed online as well as purchased.
 * Jefferson County MapStats ~  Alabama Dept. Archives and History.

Civil War
Civil War service men from Jefferson County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Jefferson County.


 * - 10th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B "Jefferson Volunteers"
 * - 18th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C (Cahaba Valley Rangers)
 * - 18th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G (Yancey Guards [or Yancey Rangers])
 * - 19th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C (Jefferson Warriors)
 * - 20th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C and G
 * - 28th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D, G and H
 * - 30th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K
 * - 43rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G
 * - 58th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C and D

Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 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)
 * 1907, 1921, 1927 - at FamilySearch — images

Mortuaries

 * 1906-1975 - Ward, Fred and Christine Shaw Ward. Angwin Mortuary Center of Ensley, Birmingham, Alabama 1906-1975. Digital version at Birmingham Genealogical Society website - free.

Newspapers

 * Alabama Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.
 * Obituary Index : Birmingham Area Newspapers (Birmingham News, May 1929 - January 1980;  Birminham World, September 1940 - December 1996; Methodist Christian Advocate / Alabama Christian Advocate, January 1929 - December 1979; Shelby County Reporter, January 1932 - December 1979)
 * Alabama Citizen - full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1913-1918

Obituaries
USGenWeb Archives Project - transcribed obituaries for Jefferson County.

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1753 – 1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1809 – 1985 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1818 – 1840 Images of Loose Wills (and index) Southeastern Genealogy ($)
 * 1856 – 1880 Wills (with index) Southeastern Genealogy ($)

Taxation
Jefferson County Tax Payment Records ~  County of Jefferson (searchable database)


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

Vital Records
See also How to order Alabama Vital Records

Birth Records

 * 1881 – 1930 at FamilySearch.org — index

Marriage Records

 * 1733-2013 - Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $


 * To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry – ($); Index. contains over 12,000 names. Each entry includes groom, bride, marriage date, county, and state. Every name is indexed so you can search for one name, or two names that are linked.


 * 1808, 1815, 1818–1879, 1885, 1898, 1923, 1930, 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry – ($); Index. This collection is comprised of indexes created by several agencies - the Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research, and Hunting For Bears.


 * 1818-1928 - Jefferson County Marriage Books 1-28 Index 1818-1928 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1818-1845 - Grant, Orena V. Orena V. Grant Genealogical Collection (Marriages and Cemetery Records): From Southeastern, North and South Central States. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Society?, 1964. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes Jefferson County marriages 1818 to 1845.


 * 1819-1875 - Jefferson County, Alabama Marriages 1819 to 1875 at - free.


 * 1819–1875 "Alabama Marriages, 1809–1920" at Ancestry – ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage records from the state. Researchers will find the names of both bride and groom along with the marriage date. The county where the ceremony was performed is also provided. Containing about 150,000 records and the names of nearly 300,000 men and women.


 * 1928-1949 - in "Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950," at FamilySearch.org - free.


 * 1809 – 1950 at FamilySearch.org — index/images


 * 1816 – 1957 at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1800 – 1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry.com — index $


 * 1809 – 1920 Alabama Marriages


 * 1809-1920 (Selected Counties)] at Ancestry.com — index $

Death

 * 1881-1952 - at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - free


 * 1881–1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry – ($); Index. Volunteers extracted the details in this index from microfilmed copies of church, civil, family, and other records of Alabama deaths and burials. details vary depending on the original record. Note that the number of available records can vary widely by county, and this database does not necessarily represent a comprehensive set of death records for the state during this time.


 * 1908–1959 Index to Deaths recorded by the state of Alabama at Ancestry – ($); Index. The index includes name of the deceased, county of death, date of death, and the state certificate number (volume and page).


 * 1908-1974 - at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - free


 * 1881 – 1952 at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1908 – 1974 at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1881 – 1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry.com — index $


 * 1908 – 1959 Alabama Deaths


 * 1908-59] at Ancestry.com — index $

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

Yearbooks

 * Birmingham Southern College: 1914-2008 (via the Internet Archive)
 * Howard College Student Catalogs (currently Samford University): 1847-1908 (via the Internet Archive)

Societies and Libraries
Birmingham Genealogical Society P. O. Box 2432 Birmingham, AL 35201 Birmingham Genealogical Society Publication: Pioneer Trails

Archives & Manuscripts Dept. 205-226-3631 Website

Birmingham Historical Society 1 Sloss Quarters Birmingham, AL 35222 205-251-1880 Publication: Birmingham Historical Society Journal Website

Birmingham-Jefferson Historical Society PO Box 130285 Birmingham, AL  35213-0285 205-871-6213

Hueytown Historical Society P. O. Box 3313 Hueytown, AL  35053 Website

West Jefferson County Historical Society P. O. Box 184 Bessemer, AL  35021-0184 205-426-1633

Birmingham African-American Society Group 205-901-6387

Southeast Alabama Genealogical and Historical Society P. O. Box 246 Dothan, AL 36302-0246 334-794-8378 Publications: Wiregrass Roots SEAGHS Magazine

Alabama Genealogical Society Samford University P. O. Box 2296 Birmingham, AL 35229 Alabama Genealogical Society

Jefferson County Historical Commission 571 Landmark Center 2100 First Ave. North Birmingham AL  35203 205-324-0988 Jefferson County Historical Commission

Birmingham Public Library Southern History Department 2100 Park Place Birmingham, AL 35203 Phone: 205-226-3665 Hours: M, Tu 9am-8pm W, Th, F, Sat 9am-6pm Sun 2pm-6pm


 * List of Alabama Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies


 * Jefferson County, Alabama


 * United States Resources: Alabama


 * Al Gen Web

Family History Center

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers


 * Bessemer Alabama Family History Center


 * 831 Briarwood Dr Bessemer, Jefferson, Alabama, United States Phone: 205-425-7928 Hours: Wed 5pm-9pm other hours by appointment 919-1939


 * Birmingham Alabama Family History Center


 * 2780 Altadena Rd Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama, United States Phone: 205-967-7279 Hours: Tues 10am-4pm; Wed 10am-8pm; Sat 10am-2pm. Closures: All holidays and first and fifth Sat of every month


 * Birmingham 2nd Alabama Family History Center


 * 1337 Old Springville Rd, Birmingham, Alabama 35235 Phone: 205-854-0300 Hours: W 5pm-9pm by appointment only; F 9am-1pm by appt only


 * Leeds Alabama


 * 1101 Rockhampton St NE Leeds, Jefferson, Alabama, United States Hours: Wed. 6:00-9:00 p Sat. by Appt.


 * Gardendale Alabama Family History Center


 * 1925 Mt Olive Blvd Gardendale, Alabama 35071 Phone: 205-631-6765:
 * Hours: T,Th 7pm-9pm by appt. Closures: Closed Thanksgiving week and last 2 weeks of Dec.

Family History Centre Locator

Jefferson County Alabama Genealogy Websites

 * Jefferson County, AL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * 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.
 * Jefferson County, ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Jefferson County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Jefferson County AL Genealogy (Alabama Genealogy)
 * Jefferson County AL Genealogy (Alabama Genealogy)