Holmes County, Florida Genealogy

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

Description
The county's namesake is a point of debate. One claim is that the county was named for Thomas J. Holmes, who came from North Carolina to settle in the area about 1830. Another is that it is named after Holmes, an American Indian chief who settled in the area with his band of Red Stick Creek Indians after 1814. The County is located in the Northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Holmes County Courthouse 201 N Oklahoma Street Bonifay, FL 32425 Phone: 850-547-1100 Holmes County Website Clerk Circuit Court has marriage probate, divorce, court 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:

Bible Records

 * Holmes County, Florida Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives

Census Records

 * 1783 - Spanish Census USGenWeb
 * 1821 - Census/Tax List Index USGenWeb
 * 1823 - Census/Tax List Index USGenWeb
 * 1880 - Census African Born Blacks and Mulattos USGenWeb
 * 1885 includes sex, age, relationship, occupation, place of birth of each family member and parents. Also census for agriculture, manufacture and mortality. - How to Use this Collection
 * Federal Census Information from National Archives USGenWeb
 * State Census Information from Florida State Archives USGenWeb
 * Census of Pensioners Revolutionary Military Service USGenWeb


 * 1935 1935 Florida State Census at MyHeritage - index ($))

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1848-1885 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * USGenWeb African American Griots Project
 * Afrigeneas - African Genealogy

Funeral Homes

 * Sims Funeral Home in Bonifay

Land and Property Records

 * USGenWeb Archives Project Davis Federal Land Records, Holmes County
 * USGenWeb Florida Territorial Land Records

Local Histories

 * 1902 1902 USGenWeb Archives Project Medical Directory for Bonifay

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1821-1997 Maps of Florida
 * 1870 Gray's Atlas Panhandle Portion of StateUSGenWeb
 * 1882 Rand McNally Panhandle Portion of StateUSGenWeb
 * Exploring Florida, FCIT Maps University of South Florida
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Holmes County Military Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Florida State Military Files USGenWeb
 * Florida state pension records from various wars Pension Transcriptions USGenWeb

War of 1812
 * USGenWeb Archives Some Military Land Grants In Holmes Co. FL For Soldiers Of The War Of 1812 Project

Indian Wars
 * USGenWeb Archives Project Some Military Land Grants In Holmes Co. FL For Soldiers Of The Indian Wars

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free)
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free)
 * 1885-1955 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War I
 * 1917-1918 Holmes County Civilian Draft Registration by Surname - Scroll down to WWI. (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1917-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * Holmes County WWII Army Enlistees Names - Scroll down to WWII. (USGenWeb Archives)

Korean War
 * Holmes County Korean War Casualties (Genealogy Trails)
 * Florida Casualties in the Korean Conflict distantcousin.com

Vietnam War
 * Holmes County Vietnam War Casualties (Genealogy Trails]
 * Distantcousin.com Florida Casualties in the Vietnam War

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Florida Digital Newspaper Library at George A. Smathers Libraries
 * USGenWeb Early Florida Newspapers at the Florida State Library

Obituaries

 * USGenWeb Obituaries Project Obituary transcriptions from Florida counties

Probate Records
Online Indexes and Records
 * 1784-1990 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1827-1950 Florida, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1827-1950 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1902-1920 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1915-1934 (*); County Judge's Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & 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.

Birth

 * 1880-1935 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Marriage

 * 1802-1998 Florida, United States Marriages at Findmypast $
 * 1822-1875 and 1927 - 2001 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1830-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1830-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1837-1974 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1970 - 1999 Florida, Marriages, 1970 - 1999 at MyHeritage - index ($))

Death

 * 1877-1939 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1877-1998 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1900-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Divorce

 * 1927-2001 Florida, Divorce Index, 1927-2001 at Ancestry $
 * 1970 - 1999 Florida, Divorces, 1970 - 1999 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Voter Records

 * 1867-1868 Web: Florida, U.S., Voter Registration Rolls, 1867-1868 at Ancestry - index ($)

Family History Centers

 * Bonifay Florida Family History Center

Libraries
Holmes County Public Library 303 North J Harvey Etheridge Street Bonifay, Florida 32425 Phone: 850-547-3573 Email [mailto:hcplbonifay@yahoo.com hcplbonifay@yahoo.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Holmes County Historical Society 412 W Kansas Bonifay, FL 32425 Phone: 850-259-1904 Email: [mailto:billlee52@gmail.com billlee52@gmail.com] Facebook West Florida Genealogical Society PO Box 10217 Pensacola, FL 32524-0217 E-mail: [mailto:info@wfgsi.org info@wfgsi.org] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Holmes County, Florida Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Holmes County, FLGenWeb Project, Inc.
 * The FLGenWeb Project
 * Holmes County, Florida USGenWeb Archives
 * Holmes County, Florida Genealogy Trails
 * Holmes County FL Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * – 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.