Cherokee County, Alabama Genealogy

Guide to Cherokee 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 for the Cherokee tribe of American Indians. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Cherokee County Courthouse 100 Main Street Centre, AL 35960 Phone: 256-927-3637 Cherokee County Website Probate Judge has marriage, probate, land and military discharge records from 1882.

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

Bible Records

 * Cherokee County, Alabama Bible Records at Ancestor Hunt

Biographies

 * Biographies of many notable residents of Cherokee County were published in Memorial Record of Alabama (1893). Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Begins on page 635.
 * Cherokee County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project

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 Cherokee County see:


 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Cherokee 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. Digital version at HistoryGeo.com ($). Website includes surname index..

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * Family Maps of Cherokee 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; ndex 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


 * - 4th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry (Russell's), Company B
 * - 7th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C
 * - 19th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D (Jake Curry Guards)
 * - 19th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E (Cherokee Guards)
 * - 19th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F (Davis Guards)
 * - 19th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G (Cherokee Mountaineers)
 * - 19th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H (Cherokees)
 * - 19th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company I (Cherokee Rangers)
 * - 22nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D
 * - 31st Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A and C
 * - 47th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E
 * - 48th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H

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
 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Other Records
 Voting Registration 
 * 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. Cherokee County has one book.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1753-1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1830-1976  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1881-1952  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Images; Includes Cherokee County Administration 1882-1907; Minutes 1882-1929; Probate Records 1881-1932; Wills 1881-1952.
 * 1882-1902 Apprentice Bonds 1882-1902 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)

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

 * 1865-1866 U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry ($). Cherokee County is in District 3.

Birth

 * 1881-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1930  at FamilySearch — index, and some images - 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 $
 * 1809-1920 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; index
 * 1818-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1821-1824, 1826–1837, 1841–1846, 1849, 1861, 1865–1872, 1874–1891, 1895–1898, 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry ($); Index.
 * To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry ($); Index Contains over 12,000 names.
 * 1836-1896 Alabama Marriages, 1809–1920at Ancestry ($); Index. Containing about 150,000 records and the names of nearly 300,000 men and women.
 * 1882-1930 Cherokee County Marriage Books A and C thru G Index 1882-1930 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

Death

 * 1881-1952 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry $ Index.
 * 1908-1959 Index to Deaths recorded by the state of Alabama at Ancestry ($) Index. The index includes name of the deceased, county and date of death, and state certificate number (volume and page).
 * 1908-1974 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;index

Archives

 * Alabama Department of Archives and History P.O. Box 300100 624 Washington Ave. Montgomery, AL 36130 (334) 242-4435 website

Libraries

 * Cherokee County Public Library 935 Coleman Street Heflin, AL 36264 Phone: 256-463-7125 Email: [mailto:cheahareglibrary@centurytel.net cheahareglibrary@centurytel.net] Website

Museums

 * Cherokee County Historical Museum 101 E. Main Street Centre, AL 35960 Phone: 256-927-7835 Fax: 256-266-1392 Email: [mailto:museumatcentre@gmail.com museumatcentre@gmail.com] Website

Societies

 * Historical Preservation Society of Cherokee County, Alabama P O Box 94 Centre, AL 35960 Facebook Blog
 * Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society Nichols Memorial Library 1 Cabot Ave Gadsden, AL 35902 Email: [mailto:neagslib@comcast.net neagslib@comcast.net] Website

Websites

 * Web Sites at RootsWeb - Cherokee AL
 * Alabama Genealogical and Historical Resources on the Net
 * 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.
 * Cherokee County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Cherokee County, Alabama Bible Records
 * Cherokee 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.