Jefferson County, Alabama Genealogy

Guide to Jefferson 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 Thomas Jefferson. The county is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Jefferson County has two official County seats - Birmingham and Bessemer.

Jefferson County Courthouses Birmingham Division 716 Richard Arrington Blvd. N., Rm 400 Birmingham, AL 35263 Phone:205-325-5355 Bessemer Division 1801 3rd Avenue Bessemer, AL 35020 Phone: 205-481-4110 Jefferson County Website Probate Judge has marriage records from 1818 Probate Records from 1870 and land records for 1820

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

Biographies

 * The Book of Birmingham and Alabama Birmingham, Ala.: The Birmingham Ledger Publishers, 1914. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Includes bios and photographs.
 * DuBose, John Witherspoon. Jefferson County and Birmingham Alabama, Historical and Biographical Birmingham, Ala.: Teeple and Smith, 1887. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Jefferson County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project

Census Records
State Census

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

Baptists
 * Hageness, MariLee Beatty. Mount Hebron Church Minutes 1819-1857. Leeds, Jefferson County, Alabama Anniston, Ala.: MLH Research, 1998.
 * Huey, Thomas E. Ruhama: The Story of a Church, 1819-1945 Birmingham, Ala.: Birmingham Print. Co., c1946. Digital version at Ancestry $

Episcopalians
 * McDavid, Mittie Owen. Church of the Advent: Its History and Traditions Birmingham, Ala.: Press of Birmingham Pub. Co., 1943. Digital version at Ancestry $

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * Birmingham
 * McCalla

Court Records
These records from the Jefferson County Circuit Court are loose papers pertaining to disputed estates and property. They also include some divorce records
 * 1870-1916   at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Directories

 * Jefferson County, Alabama Online Historical Directories - identifies historical city, county, business and other directories available online on both and pay-to-access websites.
 * 1888-1890 Birmingham, Alabama Directories, 1888-90 at Ancestry $

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1896-1935 in "Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950," at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images

Funeral Homes

 * 1906-1975 Ward, Fred and Christine Shaw Ward. Angwin Mortuary Center of Ensley, Birmingham, Alabama 1906-1975 Digital version at Birmingham Genealogical Society website

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

You can research land records in the Probate office of the Jefferson County, Alabama Courthouse. To learn more about accessing land records held in the Jefferson County Courthouse, see: Our genealogy journey to the Jefferson County, Alabama courthouse.
 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Jefferson County, Alabama: with Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Norman, Okla.: Arphax Pub. Co., 2007. This is a definitive work and can be used as an index to land grants. Arphax Publishing ($). Website includes surname index..

Local Histories

 * DuBose, John Witherspoon. Jefferson County and Birmingham Alabama, Historical and Biographical Birmingham, Ala.: Teeple and Smith, 1887. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Early Days in Birmingham: A Printing of the Original Papers of the Pioneers Club, Whose Members were Eye-witnesses to the Events of the Founding of the City Birmingham, Ala.: Birmingham Pub. Co., 1937. Digital version at Ancestry $

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * Family Maps of Jefferson County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * Jefferson County Historical Maps ~  can be viewed online as well as purchased.
 * Jefferson County MapStats ~  Alabama Dept. Archives and History.
 * 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
Multipal 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 and  image
 * 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
 * - 10th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B "Jefferson Volunteers"
 * - 18th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C (Cahaba Valley Rangers)
 * - 18th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G (Yancey Guards [or Yancey Rangers])
 * - 19th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C (Jefferson Warriors)
 * - 20th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C and G
 * - 28th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D, G and H
 * - 30th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K
 * - 43rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G
 * - 58th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C and D

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 — index and images - 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.
 * Obituary Index Birmingham Area Newspapers(Birmingham News, May 1929 - January 1980;Birminham World, September 1940 - December 1996; Methodist Christian Advocate / Alabama Christian Advocate, January 1929 - December 1979; Shelby County Reporter, January 1932 - December 1979)
 * Alabama Citizen - full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1913-1918
 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Obituaries
USGenWeb Archives Project - transcribed obituaries for Jefferson County.

Other Records
Voting Records 
 * 1834-1981 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index and images

Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Jefferson County has one book.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1753-1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1809-1985 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by county).
 * 1818-1840 Images of Loose Wills (and index) at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
 * 1818-1928 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1818-1912 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1830-1976  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1852-1936 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1856-1880 Wills (with index) 1856-1880 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
 * 1866-1928 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1868-1937 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1870-1948 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1870-1916 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1870-1954 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1870-1928 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1871-1881 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1871-1928 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1872-1891 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1885-1915 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1898-1933 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.

School Records

 * Birmingham Southern College: 1914-2008 (via the Internet Archive)
 * Howard College Student Catalogs (currently Samford University): 1847-1908 (via the Internet Archive)

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
Jefferson County Tax Payment Records ~  County of Jefferson (searchable database)


 * 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 $
 * 1808, 1815, 1818-1879, 1885, 1898, 1923, 1930, 1936-1969 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; images
 * 1818-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1818-1928 Jefferson County Marriage Books 1-28 Index 1818-1928 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1818-1845 Grant, Orena V. Orena V. Grant Genealogical Collection (Marriages and Cemetery Records): From Southeastern, North and South Central States Salt Lake City, Utah: The Society?, 1964. Digital version at Ancestry $
 * 1819-1875 Jefferson County, Alabama Marriages 1819 to 1875 at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1819-1875 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920" at Ancestry $
 * To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry $

Death

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

Archives
Birmingham Public Library, Archives & Manuscripts Dept 2100 Park Place Birmingham AL 35203 Phone: 205-226-3631 Website

Family History Centers

 * Bessemer Alabama Family History Center
 * Birmingham 2nd Alabama Family History Center
 * Birmingham Alabama Family History Center
 * Gardendale Alabama Family History Center
 * Leeds Alabama Family History Center

Libraries
Birmingham Public Library Southern History Department 2100 Park Place Birmingham, AL 35203 Phone: 205-226-3665

Societies
Birmingham Genealogical Society P. O. Box 2432 Birmingham, AL 35201 Email: [mailto:birminghamgenealogy@yahoo.com birminghamgenealogy@yahoo.com] Facebook Website Publication: Pioneer Trails

Birmingham Historical Society 1 Sloss Quarters, Birmingham, AL 35222 205-251-1880 Publication: Birmingham Historical Society Journal | Website Facebook

Hueytown Historical Society P. O. Box 3313 Hueytown, AL 35053 Website Facebook

West Jefferson County Historical Society P. O. Box 184 Bessemer, AL 35021-0184 205-426-1633 Email: [mailto:wjeffcohistsoc@gmail.com wjeffcohistsoc@gmail.com] Facebook Website

Birmingham African American Genealogy Group Street Address Town, State Phone Number E-mail: [mailto:info@baagginc.org info@baagginc.org] Website Facebook

Southeast Alabama Genealogical and Historical Society P. O. Box 246 Dothan, AL 36302-0246 Phone:334-794-8378 Publications: Wiregrass Roots SEAGHS Magazine

Alabama Genealogical Society - Samford University P. O. Box 2296 Birmingham, AL 35229 Website

Jefferson County Historical Commission 4700 7th Ct South Birmingham, AL 35222 205-592-6610 Website

Jefferson County Historical Association P.O. Box 130285 Birmingham, AL 35213-0285 (205) 226-3630 E-mail: [mailto:info@jeffcohistory.com info@jeffcohistory.com] 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.
 * Jefferson County, ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Jefferson County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Jefferson County AL Genealogy (Alabama Genealogy)
 * 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.