Clarke County, Alabama Genealogy

Guide to Clarke 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 General John Clarke of Georgia. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clarke County Courthouse 114 Court Street Grove Hill, AL 36451 Phone: 251-275-3363 Fax: 251-275-3271 District Court Phone: 251-275-3363 Clarke County Website Probate Judge has marriage and probate records from 1814 and land records from 1820 Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records Health Clinic has birth and death records

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

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

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

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

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


 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Clarke County, Alabama: with Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Norman, Okla.: Arphax Pub. Co., 2008. This is a definitive work and can be used as an index to land grants. Digital version at HistoryGeo.com ($). Website includes surname index..

Local Histories

 * Ball, Rev. T. H. A Glance into the Great South-East, on, Clarke County, Alabama, and its Surroundings, from 1540 to 1877. Grove Hill, AL, USA: n.p., 1882. Digital version at Ancestry $
 * Graham, John Simpson. History of Clarke County. Birmingham, Ala.: Press of Birmingham Print. Co., 1923. Digital version at Ancestry $

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * Family Maps of Clarke County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * 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 — index and images- 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


 * - 5th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A
 * - 11th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E
 * - 22nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B "Frank Lyon Rifles"
 * - 23rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K "Kings Guard"
 * - 24th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E "Dickinson Guards"
 * - 24th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G
 * - 32nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D, E, G and H
 * - 38th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A and I
 * - 38th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D [also called Co. "G"]

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.

Other Records
Voting Registration
 * 1834-1981  at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * There are no 1867 voting registers available for Clarke 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
 * 1818-1832; 1832-1839 Images of Wills and Estates 1818-1825; 1825-1832; Guardianships, Estates, Wills, 1832-1839 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)

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

 * 1816 Inhabitants of Alabama in 1816. Broken Arrow Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, 1955. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Includes Clarke County.
 * 1865-1866 U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry $

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 $
 * 1809-1950 at FamilySearch.- How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1809-1920 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties) at Ancestry $
 * 1812-1891, 1899, 1918, 1920, 1929, 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry $
 * 1814-1900 "Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920"at Ancestry $. 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.
 * 1814-1891 McManus, Grace Kelly. Clarke County, Alabama, Marriage Records 1814-1891. 1955. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1816-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1818-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * Clarke County Marriages at ALGenWeb
 * To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry $

Death

 * 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
Website
 * Clarke Grove Hill Public Library 108 Dubose Avenue Grove Hill, AL 36451 Phone: 251-275-8157

Website
 * Thomasville Public Library 1401 Mosley Drive Thomasville, AL 36784 ​Tel: 334-636-5343 TvilleLibrary@gmail.com​ email

Museums

 * Clarke County Museum is housed at Alston-Cobb House 116 West Cobb St. Grove Hill, AL 36451 Phone: 251-275-8684 website and website

Societies

 * Clarke County Historical Society P.O. Box 388 116 West Cobb St. Grove Hill, AL 36451 251-275-2014 Bookstore 251-275-8684 Office Email: [mailto:museum@clarkemuseum.com museum@clarkemuseum.com] Facebook 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.
 * Clarke County ALGenWeb~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Clarke County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * – 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.
 * USGenWeb's Clarke County, Alabama Genealogy
 * United States Resources: Alabama
 * Al Gen Web