Caroline County, Maryland Genealogy

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

Description
Caroline County was named for Caroline Eden. The county is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Caroline County Courthouse P O Box 207 109 Market Street, Room 123 Denton, MD 21629 Phone: 410-479-1811 Caroline County Website Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, court and land records from 1774. Register of Wills has death and probate 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:

Census Records
Federal Census reports available 1800-1930 including slave and veterans schedules.

Church Records

 * 1668-1995 at FamilySearch — index- How to Use this Collection
 * Guide to Maryland Religious Institutions is not intended to be a complete listing of all Religious institutions in Maryland. It was originally based upon the churches recorded by the Federal Works Progress Administration during a records survey conducted from 1935 to 1941. It has been expanded by later acquisitions from religious organizations to the Maryland State Archives.

Church of England List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * St. John's Parish
 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1897-1952 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Genealogies

 * Barnes, Robert W., F. Edward Wright, Vernon L. Skinner and Henry C. Peden. Colonial Families of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. 23 vols. Westminster, Md.: Family Line, 1996-2003; Lewes, Del.: Delmarva Roots and Colonial Roots, 2007. ff. [Caroline County families appear in Vols. 7 and 11.]
 * Genn - Hillman, Ralph E. "James Genn of Northumberland County, Virginia, and Some of His Descendants," The American Genealogist, Vol. 72, No. 1 (Jan. 1997):32-38; Vol. 72, No. 2 (Apr. 1997):101-108.
 * Wright - Wright, Charles W. The Wright Ancestry of Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset and Wicomico Counties Maryland. Baltimore: Baltimore City Printing and Binding Co., 1907. Available at

Land and Property Records
Maryland State Archives has uploaded free images and indexes to the complete series of Caroline County Deed Books (1774-present). Visit their site to find the land records that interest you: A Digital Image Retrieval System for Land Records in Maryland. (Free registration is required.)

Local Histories

 * History of Caroline County, Maryland from its Beginning. 1920.  Federalsburg, Maryland : J.W. Stowell Printing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($);.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Revolutionary War
Caroline County men served in the 5th Maryland Regiment.


 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841. Digital version at Google Books et. al. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. See Maryland, Caroline County on page 127.

War of 1812

 * List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. See Vol. 5, Maryland, Caroline County, pp. 139-140. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.
 * Wright, F. Edward Caroline County (Maryland) militia in the War of 1812, (1977) pages 65.

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index- How to Use this Collection


 * - 1st Regiment, Maryland Eastern Shore Infantry, Company D, E, F, and G:

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers

 * Caroline County newspapers are identified in "Guide to Maryland Newspapers," available online, courtesy: Special Collections, Maryland State Archives.
 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * Maryland, Wills and Probate Records at findmypast - index
 * 1634-1777 Maryland, Index To Colonial Probate Records, 1634-1777 at findmypast - index
 * 1634-1777 Probate Records, Colonial Index, 1634-1777 online at Maryland State Archives website - free
 * 1635–1743 Maryland Calendar of Wills 1635-1743 at Ancestry — index and images $
 * 1635–1777 Maryland Wills and Probate Records 1635-1777 at Ancestry — index and images $
 * 1796–1940 at FamilySearch images - How to Use this Collection
 * Caroline County, Index to Will and Probate Records at Maryland Genealogical Society, index

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.

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

 * 1783 Caroline County Tax List of 1783: This is an alphabetical index to names to all property owners assessed. The index cards at the Maryland State Archives include county, hundred, names of tracts of land and whether individuals were paupers or single males as provided in the law.

Marriage

 * 1658-1940 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1666-1970 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1774-1815 Cranor, Henry Downes. "Marriage Licenses of Caroline County, Maryland, 1774-1815," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 1774-1778: Vol. 28 (1904):209-215; 1779-1799: Vol. 28 (1904):320-345; 1800-1815: Vol. 28 (1904):428-455. For free online access, see WeRelate.
 * Marriage Records - Maryland State Archives

Death

 * 1898-1944 Maryland Death Index 1898-1944

Family History Centers

 * Dover Delaware Family History Center
 * Winterthur Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Caroline County Public Library 100 Market Street Denton, MD 21629 Phone: 410-479-1343 Website Multiple locations

Societies
Caroline Historical Society The Museum of Rural Life Ridgely Historical Society 16 N. Second St. Denton, MD 21629 Phone: 410-479-2730 Email: [mailto:info@carolinehistory.org info@carolinehistory.org] Website Greensboro Historical Society 111 South Main Street Greensboro, MD 21639 Phone: 410-482-2100 Email: [mailto:gpnash1@gmail.com gpnash1@gmail.com] Website Facebook Preston Historical Society P.O. Box 661 167 Main Street Preston, MD 21655 Phone: 410-200-6547 Email: [mailto:prestonhistorical@gmail.com prestonhistorical@gmail.com] Website Facebook Upper Shore Genealogical Society of Maryland P.O. Box 275 Easton, MD 21601 Email: [mailto:USGSMD@yahoo.com USGSMD@yahoo.com] Website

Websites

 * The Caroline County MDGenWeb Project, a member of The MDGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
 * "Caroline Co.," in Genealogical Sources in Periodicals at The Maryland State Archives.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project, Caroline County
 * - 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