DeSoto County, Mississippi Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Hernando de Soto. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
DeSoto County Courthouse Courthouse Square 2535 Hwy 51 S Hernando, MS 38632 Phone: 662-429-1317 DeSoto County Courthouse Clerk Chancery Court has divorce, probate and land records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Census Records
Federal Census
 * 1660-1820 U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820 at Ancestry $
 * 1850  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1850 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1860 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

State Census
 * 1792-1866 Mississippi, State and Territorial Census Collection, 1792-1866 at Ancestry $
 * 1805-1890 Mississippi, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1805-1890 at Ancestry $
 * 1845 State Census Returns 1845 - DeSoto County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1870 State Census Returns 1870 - DeSoto County Collection at FamilySearch - images only - NOTE may not be complete

Church Records

 * 1910-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1836-1869 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1838-1950 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1843-1870 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1854-1892 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1856-1904 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans 
 * 1863-1866  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * The Freedmen's Bureau Marriage Records at Mississippi Department of Archives and History - index and transcription

Funeral Homes

 * Brantley Funeral Home in Olive Branch.
 * Coleman Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Olive Branch and Southaven.
 * Henderson Funeral Homes in Hernando.
 * Hernando Funeral Home in Hernando.
 * Smith Brothers Funeral Home in Olive Branch.

Local Histories

 * Matthews, Paul A. Early Families of the Memphis Area: Profiles of 135 Families of Fayette, Shelby and Tipton Counties in Tennessee, Crittenden County, Arkansas and DeSoto and Marshall Counties in Mississippi: With Historical Time Lines and Photogrpahs of Those Counties. Memphis, Tennessee: Descendants of Early Settlers of Shelby and Adjoining Counties, 2008..

Bibliography


 * A Brief History of DeSoto County, Mississippi

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Maps of Mississippi (1785-1918)

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1775-1951 Military grave registrations - DeSoto County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1837-1860 Register of Military Commissions - DeSoto County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Mexican-American War 
 * 1846-1848  How to Use this Collection;  at FamilySearch — index and images

Civil War 
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images at partner site
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images at partner site
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry free index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry free index
 * 1889-1942  at FamilySearch] - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1900-1974  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1936-1939 Civil war records a Memorial list of those that served in the Civil War -  DeSoto County Collection at FamilySearch - images only


 * - 10th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry (Old)
 * Company A - Horn Lake Volunteers [formerly Co. E, 9th MS Infantry]
 * - 1st Regiment, Mississippi Infantry (Johnston's)
 * Company D - DeSoto Greys
 * - 5th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry
 * Company K - Ward’s Company
 * - 19th Battalion Mississippi Cavalry (Duff's)
 * Company H - Morris’ Company
 * - 8th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry (formerly 19th Battalion Mississippi Cavalry (Duff's)
 * Company H - Morris’ Company
 * - 9th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry (Old)
 * Company E - Horn Lake Volunteers
 * Company G - DeSoto Guards
 * Company K - Irrepressibles
 * - 9th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry (New)
 * Company A - Capt. Wallace’s Company

World War I
 * 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Other Records
 State Archives
 * 1820-1951   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images - incomplete - Topics covered: Ex Slave Narratives, list of military veterans,  Military grave registrations, Naturalizations and some Land records.

VOTER List
 * 1871-1967 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1780-1982 Mississippi Wills and Probate Records 1780-1982 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1781-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1836-1869 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1838-1950 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1838-1972 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1843-1870 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1851-1990 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1854-1892 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1856-1904 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

School Records

 * 1850-1892; 1908-1957   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

 * 1837-1896 County Tax rolls (1837-1896) - DeSoto County Collection at FamilySerch - images only

Marriage

 * 1776-1935 Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935 at Ancestry$
 * 1800-1825 Mississippi Marriages to 1825 at Ancestry$
 * 1800-1911 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1826-1850 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-50 at Ancestry$
 * 1826-1900 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-1900 at Ancestry $
 * 1840-1890s DeSoto County, Mississippi Marriages. MSGenWeb
 * 1845-1916 DeSoto County Marriage Books A-I and 1-8 Index 1845-1916 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1858-1979 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images for various counties

Death

 * 1822-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1912-1943 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1912-1943 Reclaim the Records: Mississippi Death Index at Archive.org - images of index

Societies
Genealogical Society of Desoto County Mississippi P.O. Box 607 Hernando, MS 38632-0607 (662) 469-8495 Email: [mailto:GSDCMS@hotmail.com GSDCMS@hotmail.com] Website

Websites

 * Desoto County Mississippi Genealogy & History Network
 * DeSoto County, MS History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb DeSoto County, Mississippi project. Has maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * – 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.