Rankin County, Mississippi Genealogy

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

Description
This county was named for Christopher Rankin. Rankin County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Rankin County Courthouse 211 E Government Street Brandon, MS 39042 Phone: 601-825-1469 Rankin County Website Clerk Chancery Court has divorce, probate, and land records from 1829.

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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Cemeteries

 * Rankin County, Mississippi cemetery records v. 1. 1824-1980 -- v. 2. 1980-1996.

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 $
 * 1841 State Census Returns 1841 - Rankin County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1845 State Census Returns 1845 - Rankin County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1853 State Census Returns 1853 - Rankin County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1866 State Census Returns 1866 - Rankin County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1880 State Census Returns 1880 - Rankin County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Church Records

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

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Baptist Brandon Baptist Church Crossgates Baptist First Baptist Church of Brandon Pinelake Baptist

Christian Community Christian Church New Life Christian Fellowship

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Brandon Ward

Episcopal St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Brandon


 * 1858-1927 St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Brandon, Baptism Index 1858-1927. Batch  at FamilySearch

Methodist Crossgates United Methodist Church

Pentecostal First United Pentecostal Church

Presbyterian Briarwood Presbyterian Church USA Lakeside Presbyterian Church, E.P.C.

Court Records

 * 1819-1882 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1841-1889 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1855-1950 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1856-1937 (*); 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 - Rankin County Collection at FamilySearch - images only Rankin County Collection] at FamilySearch - images only
 * The Freedmen's Bureau Marriage Records at Mississippi Department of Archives and History - index and transcription

Land and Property Records

 * Deed records, 1829-1936; index, 1824-1910 (Rankin County, Mississippi)

Local Histories

 * A History of Rankin County, Mississippi v. 1. Rankin County tax rolls, 1828, 1830 and 1840 census records ; v. 2. Lists of Civil War soldiers

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 Rankin County, Mississippi Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1838-1843 Register of military commissions - Rankin County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1848-1861 Register of military commissions - Rankin County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1846-1943 Military grave registrations -  Rankin 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 1936-1939 - Rankin County Collection at FamilySearch - images only


 * - 4th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry
 * Company E - Ramsey’s Company
 * - 10th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry (Old)
 * Company G - Rankin Rifles
 * - 10th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry (New)
 * Company H - Rankin Rifles (also listed as Co. A)
 * - 6th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
 * Company A - Rankin Rough &amp; Readies
 * Company B - New Guard
 * Company I - Rankin Greys

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

Newspapers

 * Clarion Ledgar

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
 * 1819-1882 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1828-1923 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1841-1905 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1847-1911 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1852-1912 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1855-1950 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1872-1894 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1906-1936 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1923 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & 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

 * 1828-1899  at FamilySearch - index and images - incomplete
 *  1828-1899 County Tax records  1828-1899 - Rankin County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1880-1889 Assessment rolls and consolidated tax books, 1880-1889 (Rankin County, Mississippi) Includes owner's name, description and location of property, number of acres taxable, value of land and improvements, amount of state tax, and remarks.'''

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 $
 * 1828-1923 Rankin County Marriage Books 1-15 and A-E Index 1828-1923 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 imagese images
 * 1912-1943  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1912-1943 Reclaim the Records: Mississippi Death Index at Archive - images of index

Divorce

 * 1855-1950 Estate and divorce files, 1855-1950 (Rankin County, Mississippi)

Libraries

 * Brandon Public Library Phone: 601-825-2692
 * Central Mississippi Regional Library System Phone: 601-825-0100
 * G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library Phone: 601-919-1911
 * Pelahatchie Public Library Phone: 601-854-8764
 * Reservoir Library Phone: 601-992-2539
 * Richland Public Library Phone: 601-932-1836

Societies
Rankin County Historical Society P.O. Box 841 Brandon, MS 39043 Facebook

Websites

 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Rankin County Mississippi Genealogy and History Network
 * Rankin County, Mississippi Genweb
 * – 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.