Lake County, Florida Genealogy

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

Description
The County is named for the many lakes contained within its borders. The County is located in the Central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lake County Courthouse 315 W Main St; PO 7800 Tavares, FL 32778 Phone: 352-742-4100 Lake County Website Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, court and land records from 1887, Probate records from 1893 and adoption records County Health Department has death 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:

History Timeline

 * 1562 - a French Huguenot colony was established in the present site of Astor on the St Johns River. The entire colony was wiped out by the Spanish, in 1566. In 1763 James Spalding established a trading post at Astor.


 * During the Revolutionary War, all of Florida belonged to the British. A few white hunters and traders lived in Lake County, along with runaway slaves and freedmen.


 * 1782 - Spain re-occupied Florida and began rewarding large tracts of land. Settlers built forts throughout the county to protect them from the Indians. At that time Lake County was known as Mosquito County. In 1823, at the Treaty of Moultrie Creek, the Seminoles were ordered to live on a reservation, most of which was in Lake County.


 * 1862 - most white males between 18 and 35 were forced into involuntary service to the Confederacy.


 * 13 May 1887 - Lake County was created from Orange County. It was named “Lake County” because it contains over 1400 lakes. It was carved from Orange and Sumter counties.


 * 1889 - the courthouse was dedicated. It was known as the “Pioneer Building”.


 * During World War II, Lake County was the site of a Prison of War camp. It is now primarily an agricultural and retirement community.

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
 * 1935 1935 Florida State Census at MyHeritage - index ($))
 * Federal Census Information from National Archives USGenWeb
 * State Census Information from Florida State Archives USGenWeb
 * Census of Pensioners Revolutionary Military Service USGenWeb

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

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

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:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records

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

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
 * Lake County Applications for Florida Old Confederate Home (Genealogy Trails)

World War I
 * 1917-1918 - Lake County Civilian Draft Registration (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1917-1920 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War II
 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * Lake County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Aaron - Conrad (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lake County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Cook - Harrisone (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lake County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Hart - Maynor (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lake County World War II Army Enlistees, Names McCall - Roache (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lake County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Roberts - Warren (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lake County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Washburn - Zellman (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lake County World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)

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

Vietnam War
 * Lake County Vietnam War Casualty List (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
 * Early Florida Newspapers at the Florida State Library USGenWeb

Obituaries

 * USGenWeb Obituaries Project Obituary transcriptions from Florida counties

Probate Records
Online Indexes and Records


 * 1784-1990 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1810–1974 Ancestry.com ($) Florida Wills and Probate Records 1810-1974
 * 1883-1929 (*); County Judge's Court at FamilySearch Catalog — 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

 * Clermont Florida Family History Center
 * Leesburg Florida Family History Center

Libraries
Lake County Library System 418 W Alfred St., Suite C Tavares, FL 32778 Phone: 352-742-6204 main website
 * Lake County Florida has a library system that supports 16 different locations. Please go to the main website to find locations.

Societies
Lake County Historical Society 317 W Main St. Tavares, FL 32778

Kinseekers Genealogical Society of Lake County 11745 Rancho Drive Leesburg, Florida 34788 Email: [mailto:ContactUs@kinseekers.org ContactUs@kinseekers.org] Website Facebook

Leesburg Historical Society 111 South Sixth St. Leesburg, FL 32748 352-315-1800 Email: [mailto:leesburgheritagesociety@embarqmail.com leesburgheritagesociety@embarqmail.com] Website

Pastfinders Genealogical Society of South Lake County 2525 Oakley Seaver Dr Clermont, FL 34711 (407) 405-0579 Email: [mailto:info@pastfindersslc.org info@pastfindersslc.org] Website Facebook

The Villages Genealogical Society 2322 Wilton Way The Villages, FL 32162 352-751-6966 E-mail: [mailto:info@vgsfl.org info@vgsfl.org] Website

Websites

 * Kinseekers Genealogical Society
 * Lake County, Florida Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Lake County, FLGenWeb Project, Inc.
 * Lake County, FLGenWeb Project
 * Lake County, Florida, USGenWeb Archives
 * Lake County, Florida Genealogy Trails
 * Lake 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.