Colbert County, Alabama Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, Chickasaw Indian chiefs. The county is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Colbert County Courthouse 201 N Main St, Civil Office Tuscumbia, AL 35674 Phone: 256-386-8511 Fax: 256-386-8505 Colbert County Website Probate Judge has marriage records from 1877 land records from about 1867 Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records

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

Biographies

 * Biographies of many notable residents of Colbert County were published in Memorial Record of Alabama (1893). Digital version at [ https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/381418-memorial-record-of-alabama-a-concise-account-of-the-state-s-political-military-professional-and-industrial-progress-together-with-the-personal-memoirs-of-many-of-its-people-vol-1?offset=1 FamilySearch Digital Library], begins on page 686.
 * Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land, 1888. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Colbert County begins on page 103.
 * Colbert County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project

Census Records
State Census


 * 1855   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1866  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * 1831-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Directories
Colbert County, Alabama Online Historical Directories - identifies historical city, county, business and other directories available online on both and pay-to-access websites.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Local Histories

 * Clary, Martin. The Facts about Muscle Shoals. New York: Ocean Pub. Co., 1924. Digital version at Ancestry $
 * Leftwich, Nina. Two Hundred Years at Muscle Shoals: Being an Authentic History of Colbert County, 1700-1900: With Special Emphasis on the Stirring Events of the Early Times. Tuscumbia, Ala., 1935. Digital version at Ancestry $

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Alabama Maps and Blueprints Collection at Alabama Department of Archives and History – maps can be browsed by location or subject

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * ca.1918-ca.1962  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
 * 1861-1865 Civil War Service Database at Alabama Department of Archives and History - index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry $
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry $
 * 1871-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History


 * - 4th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry (Roddy's), Company C

World War I
 * 1917-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Service Records at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
 * 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Gold Star Files at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images

World War II
 * 1940-1945  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1940-1966 Alabama Active Military Service Reports at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images

Newspapers

 * Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
 * Alabama Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both and pay-to-access websites.
 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Other Records
Voter Registration Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Colbert County has two books listed, but only Book 1 is accessible at this time.
 * 1834-1981  at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and some images

Book 1

Periodicals

 * Valley Leaves. 1966–. Published by the Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1568, Huntsville, Alabama 35807. . Website identifies articles relating to Colbert County (click "Search by County").

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1753-1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry $
 * 1809-1985  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1830-1976  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.

Birth

 * 1881-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images

Marriage

 * 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
 * 1800-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry $
 * 1809-1920 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties) at Ancestry $
 * 1809-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1816-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1818-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1870-1872, 1936-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry $
 * To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry $

Death

 * 1881-1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry $
 * 1881-1952 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry $
 * 1908-1959 Index to Deaths recorded by the state of Alabama at Ancestry $
 * 1908-1974  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Libraries

 * In Colbert County there are five public libraries, bookmobiles, and library research services. These public libraries are located in Colbert County, Alabama. Choose a Colbert County County Library to see find the services provided, contact information as well as directions to the location.


 * Cherokee Public Library 118 Church Street Cherokee, AL 35616 Phone:256-359-4384 website


 * Colbert Florence/Lauderdale Public Library 350 N. Wood Ave Florence, AL 35630 Phone: 256-764-6564 Website


 * Leighton Public Library 8740 Main Street Leighton, AL 35646 Phone:256-446-5380 website


 * Muscle Shoals Public Library 1918 East Avalon Avenue Muscle Shoals, AL 35661 Phone: 256-386-9212 website


 * Sheffield Public Library 316 North Montgomery Avenue Sheffield, AL 35660 Phone: 256-386-5633 website


 * Tuscumbia - Helen Keller Public Library 511 North Main Street Tuscumbia, AL 35674 Phone: 256-383-7065 website

Societies
Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society P. O. Box 1568 Huntsville, Alabama 35807 Publication: Valley Leaves Email: [mailto:tvgsvalleyleaves@gmail.com tvgsvalleyleaves@gmail.com] Facebook

Natchez Trace Genealogical Society P. O. Box 420 Florence, AL 35631 Publication: Natchez Trace Traveler Website

Tennessee Valley Historical Society P. O. Box 149 Sheffield, AL 35660 Publication: Journal of Muscle Shoals History Website

Websites

 * 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.
 * Colbert County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Colbert County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * COLBERT COUNTY ALABAMA
 * Colbert Co. AL
 * United States Resources: Alabama
 * Al Gen Web
 * – 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.

Research Guides

 * Inventory of the County Archives of Alabama: Colbert County. Birmingham, Ala.: The Survey, 1939. Digital version at Ancestry $