Lauderdale County, Mississippi Genealogy

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

Description
This county was named for James Lauderdale. Lauderdale County is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lauderdale County Courthouse 500 Constitution Ave 3rd Floor Meridian, MS 39301 Phone: 601-482-9756 Lauderdale County Website Clerk Chancery Court has divorce, probate and land records. Clerk Circuit Court has marriage and court records. County Health Department has birth and 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:

Bible Records

 * Bibles at MSGenWeb
 * Various Mississippi Bible Records at The Alford American Family Association

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 - Lauderdale County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1853 State Census Returns 1853 - Lauderdale County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes


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

Court Records

 * 1856-1890 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1856-1921 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & 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
 * 1936-1942 Ex-slave Narratives 1936-1942  Lauderdale County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * The Freedmen's Bureau Marriage Records at Mississippi Department of Archives and History - index and transcription

Funeral Homes

 * Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in Meridian.
 * Cedric D. Clark Memorial Funeral Home in Meridian.
 * E. E. McDonald Funeral Home in Meridian.
 * Robert Barham Family Funeral Home in Meridian.
 * Webb and Stephens Funeral Homes in Meridian.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Maps of Mississippi (1785-1918)
 * Family Maps of Lauderdale County, Mississippi Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1769-1951 Military grave registrations - Lauderdale County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1838-1845 Register of Military Commissions - Lauderdale County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1860 Register of Military Commissions - Lauderdale 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 -  Lauderdale County Collection at FamilySearch - images only


 * - 1st Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry Reserves
 * Company A - Reynold’s Company
 * - 2nd Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry
 * Company C - Lauderdale Cavalry
 * - 5th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry
 * Company G - Allen’s Company
 * - 5th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
 * Company C - Lauderdale Springs Greys
 * - 8th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
 * Company E - Tallahoma Hardshells (also listed as Co. H)
 * Company H - Southern Sentinels (also listed as Co. B)
 * Company I - Confederate Guards (also listed as Co. G)

Civil War Battle The following Civil War Battle was fought in Lauderdale County:
 * February 14-20, 1864 - Meridian.
 * Battles of the American Civil War maps - filter by state or by battle name.

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
 * 1849-1870 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1851-1858 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1852-1870 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1856-1890 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1868 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1858-1887 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1858-1891 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1908 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1858-1916 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1858-1931 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1868-1898 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — 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

 * 1835-1902 at FamilySearch - index/images - incomplete
 * 1835-1902 County Tax Rolls - Lauderdale County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Marriage

 * 1776-1935 Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935 at Ancestry $
 * 1800-1825 Mississippi, Compiled Marriages, 1800-1825 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 $
 * 1839-1916 Lauderdale County Marriage Books 1-15 and A-C Index 1839-1916 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1858-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Death

 * 1822-1921  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images/familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — 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

FamilySearch Centers

 * [Demopolis Alabama FamilySearch Center]
 * Meridian Mississippi FamilySearch Center


 * Forest Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Lauderdale Co. Dept. of Archives and History PO box 551 Meridian, MS 39302 Phone:601-482-9752 Email: [mailto:archives@lauderdalecounty.org archives@lauderdalecounty.org] website

Websites

 * Lauderdale County Mississippi Genealogy and History Network
 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb Lauderdale County, Mississippi project. Has maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Lauderdale County, MS Archives History, Inc. - Virtual Research Room!
 * – 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.