Charleston County, South Carolina Genealogy

Guide to Charleston County, South Carolina ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
The County of Charleston is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Charleston County Courthouse 100 Broad St., Suite 106 Charleston, SC 29401-2258 Phone: 843-958-5000 Charleston County Website

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:

History Timeline
Charleston District/County was first established in 1769 as Judicial District. Charleston County is the home to the city of Charleston (originally Charles Towne) which was first settled in 1670 by British and Africans from the Caribbean island of Barbados. Charleston was originally named in honor of King Charles II of England (1630-1685).

Charleston County of 1785 was small and it was abolished in 1791. The current Charleston County was created in 1800 when the Charleston County/District name was used again for a much larger county/district. This "version" was altered in 1878, by carving out the new Berkeley County. In 1897 Dorchester County was carved out, leaving the current boundaries of Charleston County. Learn more about the history of Charleston County from the South Carolina State Library or from Carolana.com.

Even though Charleston's jurisdictional names have changed many times over the years, for the Colonial Period (1670-1776), the changes really did not affect record keeping. Most of the colony's public records were kept in the City of Charleston up through the year 1785.

Biographies

 * Bentham - Simons, R. Bentham. "A Charleston Forty-Niner," [Life of Charles Mayrant Bentham] The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 57, No. 3 (Jul., 1956), pp. 156-178. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Boardman - Boardman, Timothy and Samuel Ward Boardman. Log-book of Timothy Boardman Kept on Board the Privateer Oliver Cromwell, During a Cruise from New London, Ct., to Charleston, S.C., and Return in 1778; also, a Biographical Sketch of the Author. Albany: J. Munsell's Sons, 1885. ; digital versions at Internet Archive; Project Gutenberg.
 * Egan - Walsh, Walter Richard. "Edmund Egan: Charleston's Rebel Brewer," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 56, No. 4 (Oct., 1955), pp. 200-204. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Freneau - Leary, Lewis. "Philip Freneau in Charleston," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 42, No. 3 (Jul., 1941), pp. 89-98. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Manigault - Crouse, Maurice A. "Gabriel Manigault: Charleston Merchant," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 68, No. 4 (Oct., 1967), pp. 220-231. Digital version at JSTOR ($). Republished in Vol. 101, No. 2 (Apr. 2000):98-109. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Ramsay - Ramsay, David. Memoirs of Martha Laurens Ramsay, Who Died in Charleston, S.C. on the 10th of June, 1811, in the 52d Year of Her Age. With Extracts from Her Diary, Letters, and Other Private Papers, and Also, From Letters Written to Her, By Her Father, Henry Laurens, 1771, 1776. Glasgow: Andrew and John M. Duncan, 1818. Digital version at Internet Archive.
 * Wells - Gould, Christopher. "Robert Wells, Colonial Charleston Printer," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 79, No. 1 (Jan., 1978), pp. 23-49. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Occupations
 * Calhoun, Jeanne A., Martha A. Zierden and Elizabeth A. Paysinger. "The Geographic Spread of Charleston's Mercantile Community, 1732-1767," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 86, No. 3 (Jul. 1985):182-220. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Hagy, James W. People and Professions of Charleston, South Carolina, 1782-1802. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Radford, John. "The Charleston Planters in 1860," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 77, No. 4 (Oct. 1976):227-235. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Stumpf, Stuart O. "Implications of King George's War for the Charleston Mercantile Community," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 77, No. 3 (Jul. 1976):161-188. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Walsh, Richard. "The Charleston Mechanics: A Brief Study, 1760-1776," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 60, No. 3 (Jul. 1959):123-144. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Cemeteries

 * 1762-1903 Charleston, SC: Inscriptions in Old Jewish Cemeteries, 1762-1903 at American Ancestors - index & images, ($)


 * National Cemetery Administration
 * See Charleston County, South Carolina Cemeteries for a detailed chart and a bibliography.

Census Records
Online Census Indexes and Records:
 * 1790 Hagy, James W. People and Professions of Charleston, South Carolina, 1782-1802. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1800 Hagy, James W. People and Professions of Charleston, South Carolina, 1782-1802. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1820 Manufactures The original manufactures schedules for South Carolina are kept at the NARA, Washington, D.C. FS Library copies: 1024517 - 1024518.
 * National Archives. Indexes to Manufacturers Census of 1820. 1920; reprint, Knightstown, Ind.: Bookmark, 1977..
 * 1829-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
 * 1840 Revolutionary War Pensioners 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. Washington, D.C.: Blair and Rives, 1841. 973 X2pc 1840;  2321; digital version at Google Books. See South Carolina, City of Charleston on page 142.
 * 1848 Chapman, Anne W. "Inadequacies of the 1848 Charleston Census," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 81, No. 1 (Jan., 1980), pp. 24-34. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Dawson, J.L. and H.W. DeSaussure. Census of the City of Charleston, South Carolina, for the Year 1848, Exhibiting the Condition and Prospects of the City, Illustrated by Many Statistical Details, Prepared Under the Authority of the City Council. Charleston, S.C.: J.B. Nixon, Printer, 1849. Digital version at Google Books. More of a statistical history rather than a list of names.
 * 1861 Ford, Frederick A. Census of the City of Charleston, South Carolina, for the Year 1861. Illustrated by Statistical Tables. Prepared Under the Authority of the City Council. Charleston, S.C.: Steam-Power Presses of Evans &amp; Cogswell, 1861. Digital version at Google Books.
 * 1890 Lost, but substitutes are available on Ancestry, see Directories.

Church Records
See Charleston County, South Carolina Church Records for details of various denominations and their records.

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records For a history about crime in Charleston, see:
 * Hall, John A. "'Nefarious Wretches, Insidious Villains, and Evil-Minded Persons': Urban Crime Reported in Charleston's City Gazette, in 1788," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 88, No. 3 (Jul. 1987):151-168. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Directories

 * 1782, 1785, 1790, 1794, 1796, 1801, 1802 Hagy, James W. People and Professions of Charleston, South Carolina, 1782-1802. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1803, 1806, 1807, 1813 Hagy, James W. City Directories for Charleston, South Carolina for the Years 1803, 1806, 1807, 1809, and 1813. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1816, 1819, 1822, 1825, 1829 Hagy, James W. Charleston, South Carolina City Directories for the Years 1816, 1819, 1822, 1825, and 1829. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1851-1852 Directory of the City of Charleston for the Year 1852. Digital version at Don's List - free.'''
 * 1859-1860 Hagy, James W. On the Eve of the Civil War: the Charleston, SC Directories for the Years 1859 and 1860. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1888 Charleston City Directory, 1888. Charleston, SC: Southern Directory and Publishing Co., 1888. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1889-1890 Charleston City Directory, 1889. Charleston, SC: Southern Directory and Publishing Co., 1889. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1890 Charleston City Directory, 1890. Charleston, SC: Southern Directory and Publishing Co., 1890. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Emigration and Immigration
Charleston is an important southern port. Some resources exist to identify the arrivals of immigrants in the area. See also South Carolina Emigration and Immigration.
 * at FamilySearch — images
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Correspondence with the American Colonies 1739-1782," The Genealogist, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 1998):108-128; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Fall 1998):189-205. [Overseas correspondence of residents of Charleston with the following surnames: Bull, Gaiden (?), Izard, and Laurens.] Available at FS Library.
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Intercepted Letters Relating to America 1777-1811," The Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Fall 2000):184-200; Vol. 15, No. 1 (Spring 2001):53-74. [Overseas correspondence of residents of Charleston with the following surname: Davies and Geyer.] Available at FS Library.
 * Holcomb, Brent H. Passenger Arrivals at the Port of Charleston, 1820-1829. 1994. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Li, Jian. "A History of the Chinese in Charleston," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 99, No. 1 (Jan., 1998), pp. 34-65. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Jones, Patricia K. Across the Ocean of Promise: The Irish of Charleston, South Carolina. Oakwood, Ga.: P.K. Jones, 2006.
 * Ott, Joseph K. "Rhode Islanders in Charleston: Social Notes," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 75, No. 3 (Jul., 1974), pp. 180-183. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Ravenel, Daniel. Liste des François et Suisses: From an Old Manuscript of French and Swiss Protestants Settled in Charleston, on the Santee and at the Orange Quarter in Carolina, Who Desired Naturalization, Prepared Probably about 1695-6. 1822; reprint, New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1888. ;.
 * Riley, Helene M. "Michael Kalteisen and the Founding of the German Friendly Society in Charleston," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 100, No. 1 (Jan. 1999):29-48. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Scott, Kenneth. British Aliens in the United States During the War of 1812. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1979. ; digital version at Ancestry ($). Identifies many British immigrants living in Charleston during the War of 1812.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans
 * See Charleston County, South Carolina African Americans for publications and other information on Slavery, Free Blacks, and Plantations.

Genealogies
For a large alphabetical bibliography, see Charleston County, South Carolina Compiled Genealogies


 * Surname indexes to Leonardo Andrea's Files | Folders | Resources are available online, courtesy: The Andrea Files: South Carolina Genealogical Research. [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] Learn more.
 * Andrea, Leonardo. Charleston Data. Typescript, microfilmed 1974. Item 5
 * Jordan, Laylon Wayne and Elizabeth H. Stringfellow. A Place Called St. John's: The Story of Johns, Edisto, Wadmalaw, Kiawah, and Seabrook Islands of South Carolina. Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint Co., 1998.
 * South Carolina Genealogical Society. Charleston Chapter. Charleston Chapter, South Carolina Genealogical Society: Surname Index. Charleston, S.C.: South Carolina Genealogical Society. Charleston Chapter, 2008.
 * Charleston County at Our Family Tree

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Land Record Books The original Charleston City and County land record books are kept at the county courthouse. Records dated 1719 to 1873 have been microfilmed: 23503 ff.
 * Charleston, South Carolina Property Owners is a database of selected references to property owners (included freedmen and freedwomen) extracted from Charleston County's inventory, appraisal and sales books 1863-1867. References include real estate descriptions, ownership of church pews, property destroyed by Union troops, and locations of refuge during the Civil War. Search by exact or partial names, sort columns and search any field or combination of fields.

Plats For State Land Grants 1784-1868 This series consists of recorded copies of plats for state land grants for the Charleston and the Columbia Series with their certificates of admeasurement or certification.All personal names and geographic features on these plats are included in the repository's On-line Index to Plats for State Land Grants The South Carolina Constitution of 1790 required the surveyor general to maintain offices in both the new capital at Columbia and in Charleston. The surveyor general began to use separate volumes for recording plats in his Columbia office in 1796. Before that, all plats were recorded in the set of volumes begun in Charleston in 1784. After 1796, most plats for land grants in the Upper Division of the state were recorded and filed in Columbia. The surveyor general chose to make the Columbia volumes a continuation of the state plat volumes begun in Charleston and gave the initial Columbia volume the number thirty-six to correspond with the number of the volume that had then been reached in the Charleston series. As a result, there are volumes numbered thirty-six through forty-three from each office, but the records in them are not duplicative. Also included are the Plan Books containing Plats and Plans.
 * Charleston residents who applied for Florida Land Grants in 1767 (record filed in the Scottish Land Office) South Carolina Pioneers
 * Smith, Henry A.M. "Charleston: The Original Plan and the Earliest Settlers," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Jan., 1908), pp. 12-27. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Smith, Henry A.M. "Charleston and Charleston Neck: The Original Grantees and the Settlements along the Ashley and Cooper Rivers," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Jan., 1918), pp. 3-76. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Local Histories
History
 * Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company. Short Sketch of Charleston, S.C., How It Fared in Two Wars and an Earthquake. 3rd ed. 1900. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Bailey, James Davis. History of Grindal Shoals and Some Early Adjacent Families (Ann Arbor, Michigan: University Microfilms International - Books on Demand, 1973), 85 pages. Historic incidents and folk-lore of Grindal Shoals. Book at and Other Libraries
 * Bridges, Anne B. St. James Santee Plantation Parish [South Carolina] History &amp; Records, 1685-1925 (Spartanburg, South Carolina The Reprint Co., c1997), 541 pages. Includes church records for St. James Santee, 1758-1788 (Church of England); previously unpublished records, 1846-1921 (assumed to be Episcopalian). Also includes cemetery records for the church and lists of French &amp; Swiss refugees &amp; inhabitants. Book found at FS Library  and Other Libraries.
 * Cardozo, Jacob N. Reminiscences of Charleston. Charleston S.C.: J. Walker, Stationer and Printer, 1866. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Charleston Chamber of Commerce. Historic and Picturesque Charleston South Carolina. 1904. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Duffy, John. "Yellow Fever in Colonial Charleston," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 52, No. 4 (Oct., 1951), pp. 189-197. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Hagy, James William.This Happy Land the Jews of Colonial and Antebellum Charleston (Tuscaloosa, Alabama University of Alabama Press, c1993), 450 pages. A full study of Judaism and Jewish life in Charleston before the Civil War. Book at and Other Libraries
 * Jackson, Melvin H.. Privateers in Charleston, 1793-1796. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1969. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Lesesne, Thomas Petigru. History of Charleston County, South Carolina: Narrative and Biographical.Charleston, S.C.: A.H. Cawston, 1931. 369 pages. The purpose of the book was to tell the story of Charleston County in the language of others. Events range from 1663 to 1929. and Other Libraries
 * Lesesne, Thomas Petigru. Landmarks of Charleston: Including Description of an Incomparable Stroll. Richmond Va.: Garrett &amp; Massie, 1932. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Mazyck, Arthur. Guide to Charleston Illustrated, Being a Sketch of the History of Charleston, S.C. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans &amp; Cogswell, 1875. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Prentiss, James Clayton. The Charleston City Guide: Containing a Full and Accurate Description of All Places of Interest in and Around the City, and Other Useful Matter. Charleston, S.C.: J.W. DeLano, Office of the Sunday Times, c1872. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Ravenel, Harriott Horry. Charleston: The Place and the People. New York: Macmillan Co., 1912, c1906. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Scott, Kenneth. "Sufferers in the Charleston Fire of 1740," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 64, No. 4 (Oct., 1963), pp. 203-211. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Simons, Katherine Drayton. Stories of Charleston Harbor. Columbia, S.C.: State Co., 1930. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Verner, Elizabeth O'Neill. Mellowed by Time: A Charleston Notebook. Columbia, S.C.: Bostick &amp; Thornley, 1941. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Yearbook 1910: City of Charleston, So. Ca. Charleston, S.C.: The Daggett Printing Company, 1910. Digital version at Google Books.

Historic Residences Has a history been written about the house or plantation where your ancestor lived? Real estate often stayed in the same family for multiple generations and learning about its ownership can help you reconstruct family trees. See also Charleston County, South Carolina Land and Property. Here are some examples:


 * Simons, Harriet P. and Albert Simons. "The William Burrows House of Charleston," Winterthur Portfolio, Vol. 3, (1967), pp. 172-203. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Smith, Alice R. Huger. The Dwelling Houses of Charleston, South Carolina. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1917. Digital versions at Ancestry ($).
 * Stoney, Samuel Gaillard. This is Charleston: A Survey of the Architectural Heritage of a Unique American City. Charleston, S.C.: Carolina Art Association for the Charleston Civic Services Committee, 1944. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Young, Rogers W. "Castle Pinckney, Silent Sentinel of Charleston Harbor," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 39, No. 1 (Jan., 1938), pp. 1-14. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Williams, George W. "Two Maps of Charleston in the Revolution," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 76, No. 2 (Apr., 1975), pp. 49-50. Digital version at JSTOR ($). Article includes map descriptions, but does not reproduce the maps themselves.
 * Maps for Charleston County at Library of Congress
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Charleston County for European settlers included:
 * Atlantic Ocean 1670
 * King's Highway about 1704
 * Fort Moore-Charleston Trail about 1716
 * Camden-Charleston Path 1732
 * Charleston-Savannah Trail late 1730s
 * Secondary Coast Road late 1730s
 * Old South Carolina State Road 1747
 * Charleston-Ft. Charlotte Trail about 1765

Military Records
General Bibliography
 * "Artillery companies moved to Charleston Harbor forts, Nov. 1832," Times, Spring 2006, Volume 21, Issue 2. Lee County Genealogical and Historical Society: Sanford, North Carolina.
 * "Castle Pinckney description, 1833," Times Spring 2006, Volume 21, Issue 2. Lee County Genealogical and Historical Society: Sanford, NC.
 * "Charleston's connection to Looe Key in Fl., name from HMS Loo, 1743," Carologue, Winter 2004, Volume 20, Issue 4. South Carolina Historical Society : Charleston, SC.
 * "Ja. Oglethorpe to Navy Commander, 1742," Georgia Historical Society Collections, 1873, Volume 3. Georgia Historical Society: Savannah, Georgia.

Revolutionary War
 * See Charleston County, South Carolina in the Revolutionary War for an extensive bibliography.

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 version at  Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, South Carolina, Charleston County, pp. 182-183. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)

See also Charleston County, South Carolina in the Civil War for battles and a lengthy list of regiments.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Hemperley, Marion R. "Federal Naturalization Oaths Charleston, South Carolina 1790-1860," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 66, No. 2 (Apr., 1965), pp. 112-124; Vol. 66, No. 3 (Jul., 1965), pp. 183-192; Vol. 66, No. 4 (Oct., 1965), pp. 218-228. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).

Newspapers
Eighteenth-century South Carolina newspapers contain a wealth of information about Charleston residents. The Early South Carolina Newspapers Database (ESCN Database) has created an every-name index to the three largest newspapers for the years 1732 to 1780. Using their free online Surname Database, researchers may order a list of specific newspaper references from the organization for a very reasonable rate. Another online newspaper index is:
 * Charleston County Post and Courier Newspaper Index
 * 1800s-1999 Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry ($)

Historic The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Charleston County, South Carolina on their Chronicling America website. For publication details, including dates of publication, frequency, preceding and succeeding titles, and to find out which libraries have holdings, click on the newspaper title.

See Charleston County, South Carolina Newspapers for a lengthy list.

Orphans and Orphanages

 * Jones, Newton B. "The Charleston Orphan House, 1860-1876," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 62, No. 4 (Oct., 1961), pp. 203-214. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Murray, John E. "Fates of Orphans: Poor Children in Antebellum Charleston," Journal of Interdisciplinary History, Vol. 33, No. 4 (Spring 2003):519-545. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Wates, Wylma Anne. "Charleston Orphans, 1790-1795," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 78, No. 4 (Oct., 1977), pp. 321-339. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.
Online Resources
 * 1803-1916 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images

Publications
 * Easterby, J.H. "Public Poor Relief in Colonial Charleston: A Report to the Common House of Assembly about the Year 1767," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 42, No. 2 (Apr. 1941):83-86. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Fraser, Walter J. "The City Elite, 'Disorder,' and the Poor Children of Pre-Revolutionary Charleston," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 84, No. 3 (Jul. 1983):167-179. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Klebaner, Benjamin Joseph. "Public Poor Relief in Charleston, 1800-1860," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 55, No. 4 (Oct., 1954), pp. 210-220. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Private Papers

 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Correspondence with the American Colonies 1739-1782," The Genealogist, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 1998):108-128; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Fall 1998):189-205. Overseas correspondence of residents of Charleston with the following surnames: Bull, Gaiden (?), Izard, and Laurens. Available at.
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Intercepted Letters Relating to America 1777-1811," The Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Fall 2000):184-200; Vol. 15, No. 1 (Spring 2001):53-74. Overseas correspondence of residents of Charleston with the following surname: Davies and Geyer. Available at.
 * Middleton, Alicia Hopton, Nathaniel Russell Middleton, and Annie E. Marston De Wolf. Life in Carolina and New England During the Nineteenth Century: As Illustrated by Reminiscences and Letters of the Middleton Family of Charleston, South Carolina, and of the De Wolf Family of Bristol, Rhode Island. Boston: D.B. Updike, The Merrymount Press, 1929. 1321276 Item

Periodicals
Tap into the minds of local experts. Editors of genealogical and historical periodicals publish unique sources that researchers new to their area may not encounter. Periodicals at various levels (county, region, state, and nation) may carry articles useful to research in this area. For this important city, see:
 * The American Genealogist
 * Carolina Genealogist
 * Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine
 * The English Historical Review
 * The Genealogist
 * Huguenot Society of South Carolina Transactions
 * The Journal of Negro History
 * The Journal of Southern History
 * National Genealogical Society Quarterly
 * Sons of the American Revolution Magazine
 * The South Carolina Historical Magazine
 * South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research
 * William and Mary Quarterly

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * Index to Wills of Charleston County, South Carolina, 1671-1868. Charleston, S.C.: n.p., 1950. ; digital versions at FamilySearch Digital Library and Ancestry ($).
 * Index to Charleston Wills 1740-1747; 1747-1752; 1757-1760; 1761-1762-1760-1771 South Carolina Pioneers
 * Miscellaneous Digital Images of Wills South Carolina Pioneers
 * Charleston, SC Estate Inventories, 1732-1872 and Bills of Sale, 1773-1872 (Restore the Ancestors Indexing Project: SC Estate Inventories), available online (in progress), courtesy: Footnote.
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. Includes wills of residents of St. Andrew's Parish, St. Bartholomew's Parish, St. Philip's Parish, Wappoo Creek, Charleston, and Charleston County proved in London, see place-name index. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.
 * 1670-1980 South Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1670-1980 at Ancestry.com — index & images, ($)
 * 1671-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images Only
 * 1732-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images Only
 * 1737-1964 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964 at Ancestry - images ($)
 * 1732-1844 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
 * 1782-1866 South Carolina, Will Transcripts 1782-1866 at Findmypast — index, ($) — $ 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

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * South Carolina Department of Archives and History tax lists for Charleston County.
 * 1732 Assessments of St. Paul's Parish, Edisto Island South Carolina Pioneers
 * The original 1732 tax return is kept at the New York Public Library (South Carolina-Charleston Co.-Edisto Island; Rare Books and Manuscripts Division).

 Published abstracts 
 * 1732 "1732 Tax Return for Edisto Island," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 18, No. 4 (Fall 1990):183-186.

Vital Records
Charleston County did start somewhat earlier than the state.

Birth
Charleston began recording birth records in 1877. Copies can be obtained from the Charleston County Public Library. Requests can be made through email or mail. The only cost is for copies. Copies can also be obtained from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History for a fee.

Births - Indexes and Records 
 * 1766-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
 * 1877-1901 South Carolina Delayed Births, 1766-1900 and City of Charleston, South Carolina Births, 1877-1901. - Available at Ancestry ($) - index and records


 * 1901-1926 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
 * 1877-1901 Births, 1877-1901, by Charleston, South Carolina Board of Health. Microfilm, - index and records
 * 1915-1917 South Carolina, U.S., Births, 1915-1917 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)

Marriage
The city of Charleston recorded marriage records for a short time from 1877 to 1887. Copies can be obtained from the Charleston County Public Library.Requests can be made through email or mail.The only cost is for copies. Copies can also be obtained from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History for a fee.

Online Marriage Records and Indexes
 * 1777-1788 Jervey, Elizabeth Heyward. "Marriage and Death Notices from The State Gazette of South-Carolina, of Charleston, S.C.," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 50, No. 3 (Jul. 1949):127-130; Vol. 50, No. 4 (Oct. 1949):204-208; Vol. 51, No. 1 (Jan. 1950):24-28; Vol. 51, No. 2 (Apr. 1950):97-102; Vol. 51, No. 3 (Jul. 1950):164-170. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1786-1790 Webber, Mabel L. "Marriage and Death Notices from the Charleston Morning Post and Daily Advertiser, and Its Successor The City Gazette," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Jan. 1919):52-56; Vol. 20, No. 2 (Apr. 1919):142-146; Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jul. 1919):213-219; Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct. 1919):260-263; Vol. 21, No. 1 (Jan. 1920):24-29. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1790 Jervey, Elizabeth Heyward. "Marriage and Death Notices from the City Gazette of Charleston, S.C.," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 4 (Oct. 1950):243-246. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1806 "Marriage and Death Notices from Charleston Courier for 1806"in The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine. Digital version at JSTOR ($) - abstracts from the newspaper
 * 1807 "The French Refugee Newspapers of Charleston" (1790s-1810s) in The South Carolina Historical Magazine.; Digital version at JSTOR ($) - abstracts from newspapers
 * 1811 Jervey, Elizabeth H. "Marriage and Death Notices from the Carolina Gazette, A Weekly Paper Printed in Charleston, S.C.," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 37, No. 1 (Jan. 1936):33-37; digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * 1813-1824 Jervey, Elizabeth H. "Marriage and Death Notices from the City Gazette (and Daily Advertiser) of Charleston, S.C.," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 38, No. 1 (Jan. 1937):43-48; Vol. 38, No. 2 (Apr. 1937):66-71; Vol. 38, No. 3 (Jul. 1937):95-98; Vol. 38, No. 4 (Oct. 1937):137-141; Vol. 39, No. 1 (Jan. 1938):42-45; Vol. 39, No. 2 (Apr. 1938):91-95; Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul. 1938):130-133; Vol. 39, No. 4 (Oct. 1938):168-172; Vol. 40, No. 1 (Jan. 1939):28-32; Vol. 40, No. 2 (Apr. 1939):65-69; Vol. 40, No. 3 (Jul. 1939):100-104; Vol. 40, No. 4 (Oct. 1939):151-155; Vol. 41, No. 1 (Jan. 1940):19-22; Vol. 41, No. 2 (Apr. 1940):69-73; Vol. 41, No. 3 (Jul. 1940):130-134; Vol. 41, No. 4 (Oct. 1940):157-161; Vol. 42, No. 2 (Apr. 1941):76-80; Vol. 42, No. 3 (Jul. 1941):141-145; Vol. 42, No. 4 (Oct. 1941):199-202; Vol. 43, No. 1 (Jan. 1942):47-49; Vol. 43, No. 3 (Jul. 1942):156-160; Vol. 43, No. 2 (Apr. 1942):98-102; Vol. 43, No. 4 (Oct. 1942):213-218; Vol. 44, No. 1 (Jan. 1943):11-16; Vol. 44, No. 2 (Apr. 1943):81-86; Vol. 44, No. 3 (Jul. 1943):148-154; Vol. 44, No. 4 (Oct. 1943):220-227; Vol. 45, No. 1 (Jan. 1944):23-29; Vol. 45, No. 2 (Apr. 1944):71-79; Vol. 45, No. 3 (Jul. 1944):137-145; Vol. 45, No. 4 (Oct. 1944):193-199; Vol. 46, No. 1 (Jan. 1945):15-24; Vol. 46, No. 2 (Apr. 1945):70-77; Vol. 46, No. 3 (Jul. 1945):132-139; Vol. 46, No. 4 (Oct. 1945):190-197; Vol. 47, No. 1 (Jan. 1946):21-28; Vol. 47, No. 2 (Apr. 1946):76-82; Vol. 47, No. 3 (Jul. 1946):143-149; Vol. 47, No. 4 (Oct. 1946):205-213; Vol. 48, No. 1 (Jan. 1947):12-19; Vol. 48, No. 2 (Apr. 1947):76-83; Vol. 48, No. 3 (Jul. 1947):134-140; Vol. 48, No. 4 (Oct. 1947):198-205; Vol. 49, No. 1 (Jan. 1948):15-22; Vol. 49, No. 2 (Apr. 1948):76-87; Vol. 49, No. 3 (Jul. 1948):155-162; Vol. 49, No. 4 (Oct. 1948):208-215; Vol. 50, No. 2 (Apr. 1949):71-76; Vol. 51, No. 1 (Jan. 1949):14-18; Vol. 52, No. 1 (Jan. 1951):48-51; Vol. 52, No. 2 (Apr. 1951):107-111; Vol. 52, No. 3 (Jul. 1951):180-182; Vol. 52, No. 4 (Oct. 1951):233-236; Vol. 53, No. 1 (Jan. 1952):48-50; Vol. 53, No. 2 (Apr. 1952):113-116; Vol. 53, No. 3 (Jul. 1952):172-175; Vol. 53, No. 4 (Oct. 1952):241-243; Vol. 54, No. 1 (Jan. 1953):54-56; Vol. 54, No. 2 (Apr. 1953):97-100; Vol. 54, No. 3 (Jul. 1953):159-163; Vol. 54, No. 4 (Oct. 1953):211-214; Vol. 55, No. 1 (Jan. 1954):48-51; Vol. 55, No. 2 (Apr. 1954):123-126; Vol. 55, No. 3 (Jul. 1954):170-173; Vol. 55, No. 4 (Oct. 1954):221-224; Vol. 56, No. 1 (Jan. 1955):50-52; Vol. 56, No. 2 (Apr. 1955):120-122; Vol. 56, No. 3 (Jul. 1955):178-180; Vol. 56, No. 4 (Oct. 1955):229-231; Vol. 57, No. 1 (Jan. 1956):54-56; Vol. 57, No. 2 (Apr. 1956):107-108; Vol. 57, No. 3 (Jul. 1956):182-184; Vol. 57, No. 4 (Oct. 1956):223-225; Vol. 58, No. 1 (Jan. 1957):48-50; Vol. 58, No. 2 (Apr. 1957):114-116; Vol. 58, No. 3 (Jul. 1957):183-185; Vol. 58, No. 4 (Oct. 1957):266-270; . Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * 1825 Griffin, Inez H. "Marriage and Death Notices from the City Gazette of Charleston 1825," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 60, No. 1 (Jan. 1959):43-47; Vol. 60, No. 2 (Apr. 1959):107-110; Vol. 60, No. 3 (Jul. 1959):170-172; Vol. 60, No. 4 (Oct. 1959):229-232; Vol. 61, No. 1 (Jan. 1960):51-54; Vol. 61, No. 2 (Apr. 1960):114-116. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1826 Griffin, Inez H. "Marriages and Death Notices from the City Gazette of Charleston 1826," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 62, No. 1 (Jan. 1961):55-57; Vol. 63, No. 1 (Jan. 1962):52-54; Vol. 63, No. 2 (Apr. 1962):112-114; Vol. 63, No. 3 (Jul. 1962):182-184. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1827 Griffin, Inez H. "Marriage and Death Notices from the City Gazette of Charleston 1827," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 64, No. 2 (Apr. 1963):114-116; Vol. 64, No. 4 (Oct. 1963):227-229. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1827-1845 - Marriage and Death Notices from the Charleston Observer 1827-1845 by Brent Holcomb. Book ; digital version at Ancestry ($) - abstracts from the newspaper
 * 1828 "Marriages and Death Notices from the Charleston Gazette, 1828," in The South Carolina Historical Magazine. Digital version at JSTOR ($) - abstracts from the newspaper
 * 1877-1887 - Charleston, South Carolina, Marriage Records, 1877-1887. Available at Ancestry ($) - index and records
 * 1879 to Present Charleston County Marriage
 * There are several online marriage indexes containing miscellaneous marriage records found in some counties of South Carolina listed on the South Carolina Vital Records page.
 * Charlestoncounty.org - online records - have index of marriages in Charleston County. Must list bride or groom.

Death
The city of Charleston began keeping death records in 1821. Copies can be obtained from the Charleston County Public Library.Requests can be made through email or mail.The only cost is for copies. Copies can also be obtained from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History for a fee.

Online Death Records and Indexes For an estimate of mortality rates in Colonial Charleston, see: A study of Charleston's early death records was written by Professor James Hagy:
 * 1821-1926 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
 * 1821-1969 South Carolina, U.S., Death Records, 1821-1969 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1915-1943 South Carolina, Deaths, 1915-1943 at MyHeritage - index & images, ($)
 * 1777-1788 Jervey, Elizabeth Heyward. "Marriage and Death Notices from The State Gazette of South-Carolina, of Charleston, S.C.," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 50, No. 3 (Jul. 1949):127-130; Vol. 50, No. 4 (Oct. 1949):204-208; Vol. 51, No. 1 (Jan. 1950):24-28; Vol. 51, No. 2 (Apr. 1950):97-102; Vol. 51, No. 3 (Jul. 1950):164-170. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1786-1790 Webber, Mabel L. "Marriage and Death Notices from the Charleston Morning Post and Daily Advertiser, and Its Successor The City Gazette," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Jan. 1919):52-56; Vol. 20, No. 2 (Apr. 1919):142-146; Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jul. 1919):213-219; Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct. 1919):260-263; Vol. 21, No. 1 (Jan. 1920):24-29. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1790 Jervey, Elizabeth Heyward. "Marriage and Death Notices from the City Gazette of Charleston, S.C.," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 4 (Oct. 1950):243-246. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1806 "Marriage and Death Notices from Charleston Courier for 1806"in The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine. Digital version at JSTOR ($) - abstracts from the newspaper
 * 1807 "The French Refugee Newspapers of Charleston," [1790s-1810s] in The South Carolina Historical Magazine. Digital version at JSTOR ($) - abstracts from these newspapers
 * 1813-1824 Jervey, Elizabeth H. "Marriage and Death Notices from the City Gazette (and Daily Advertiser) of Charleston, S.C.," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 38, No. 1 (Jan. 1937):43-48; Vol. 38, No. 2 (Apr. 1937):66-71; Vol. 38, No. 3 (Jul. 1937):95-98; Vol. 38, No. 4 (Oct. 1937):137-141; Vol. 39, No. 1 (Jan. 1938):42-45; Vol. 39, No. 2 (Apr. 1938):91-95; Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul. 1938):130-133; Vol. 39, No. 4 (Oct. 1938):168-172; Vol. 40, No. 1 (Jan. 1939):28-32; Vol. 40, No. 2 (Apr. 1939):65-69; Vol. 40, No. 3 (Jul. 1939):100-104; Vol. 40, No. 4 (Oct. 1939):151-155; Vol. 41, No. 1 (Jan. 1940):19-22; Vol. 41, No. 2 (Apr. 1940):69-73; Vol. 41, No. 3 (Jul. 1940):130-134; Vol. 41, No. 4 (Oct. 1940):157-161; Vol. 42, No. 2 (Apr. 1941):76-80; Vol. 42, No. 3 (Jul. 1941):141-145; Vol. 42, No. 4 (Oct. 1941):199-202; Vol. 43, No. 1 (Jan. 1942):47-49; Vol. 43, No. 3 (Jul. 1942):156-160; Vol. 43, No. 2 (Apr. 1942):98-102; Vol. 43, No. 4 (Oct. 1942):213-218; Vol. 44, No. 1 (Jan. 1943):11-16; Vol. 44, No. 2 (Apr. 1943):81-86; Vol. 44, No. 3 (Jul. 1943):148-154; Vol. 44, No. 4 (Oct. 1943):220-227; Vol. 45, No. 1 (Jan. 1944):23-29; Vol. 45, No. 2 (Apr. 1944):71-79; Vol. 45, No. 3 (Jul. 1944):137-145; Vol. 45, No. 4 (Oct. 1944):193-199; Vol. 46, No. 1 (Jan. 1945):15-24; Vol. 46, No. 2 (Apr. 1945):70-77; Vol. 46, No. 3 (Jul. 1945):132-139; Vol. 46, No. 4 (Oct. 1945):190-197; Vol. 47, No. 1 (Jan. 1946):21-28; Vol. 47, No. 2 (Apr. 1946):76-82; Vol. 47, No. 3 (Jul. 1946):143-149; Vol. 47, No. 4 (Oct. 1946):205-213; Vol. 48, No. 1 (Jan. 1947):12-19; Vol. 48, No. 2 (Apr. 1947):76-83; Vol. 48, No. 3 (Jul. 1947):134-140; Vol. 48, No. 4 (Oct. 1947):198-205; Vol. 49, No. 1 (Jan. 1948):15-22; Vol. 49, No. 2 (Apr. 1948):76-87; Vol. 49, No. 3 (Jul. 1948):155-162; Vol. 49, No. 4 (Oct. 1948):208-215; Vol. 50, No. 2 (Apr. 1949):71-76; Vol. 51, No. 1 (Jan. 1949):14-18; Vol. 52, No. 1 (Jan. 1951):48-51; Vol. 52, No. 2 (Apr. 1951):107-111; Vol. 52, No. 3 (Jul. 1951):180-182; Vol. 52, No. 4 (Oct. 1951):233-236; Vol. 53, No. 1 (Jan. 1952):48-50; Vol. 53, No. 2 (Apr. 1952):113-116; Vol. 53, No. 3 (Jul. 1952):172-175; Vol. 53, No. 4 (Oct. 1952):241-243; Vol. 54, No. 1 (Jan. 1953):54-56; Vol. 54, No. 2 (Apr. 1953):97-100; Vol. 54, No. 3 (Jul. 1953):159-163; Vol. 54, No. 4 (Oct. 1953):211-214; Vol. 55, No. 1 (Jan. 1954):48-51; Vol. 55, No. 2 (Apr. 1954):123-126; Vol. 55, No. 3 (Jul. 1954):170-173; Vol. 55, No. 4 (Oct. 1954):221-224; Vol. 56, No. 1 (Jan. 1955):50-52; Vol. 56, No. 2 (Apr. 1955):120-122; Vol. 56, No. 3 (Jul. 1955):178-180; Vol. 56, No. 4 (Oct. 1955):229-231; Vol. 57, No. 1 (Jan. 1956):54-56; Vol. 57, No. 2 (Apr. 1956):107-108; Vol. 57, No. 3 (Jul. 1956):182-184; Vol. 57, No. 4 (Oct. 1956):223-225; Vol. 58, No. 1 (Jan. 1957):48-50; Vol. 58, No. 2 (Apr. 1957):114-116; Vol. 58, No. 3 (Jul. 1957):183-185; Vol. 58, No. 4 (Oct. 1957):266-270; . Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * 1816-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1821-1914 South Carolina Death Records, 1821-1955, Available at Ancestry ($) - includes Charleston City death records, 1821-1914; index and records
 * 1825 Griffin, Inez H. "Marriage and Death Notices from the City Gazette of Charleston 1825," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 60, No. 1 (Jan. 1959):43-47; Vol. 60, No. 2 (Apr. 1959):107-110; Vol. 60, No. 3 (Jul. 1959):170-172; Vol. 60, No. 4 (Oct. 1959):229-232; Vol. 61, No. 1 (Jan. 1960):51-54; Vol. 61, No. 2 (Apr. 1960):114-116. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1826 Griffin, Inez H. "Marriages and Death Notices from the City Gazette of Charleston 1826," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 62, No. 1 (Jan. 1961):55-57; Vol. 63, No. 1 (Jan. 1962):52-54; Vol. 63, No. 2 (Apr. 1962):112-114; Vol. 63, No. 3 (Jul. 1962):182-184. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1827 Griffin, Inez H. "Marriage and Death Notices from the City Gazette of Charleston 1827," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 64, No. 2 (Apr. 1963):114-116; Vol. 64, No. 4 (Oct. 1963):227-229. Digital versions at JSTOR ($).
 * 1827-1845 Marriage and Death Notices from the Charleston Observer 1827-1845 by Brent Holcomb. ; digital version at Ancestry ($) - index
 * 1828 "Marriages and Death Notices from the Charleston Gazette, 1828," in The South Carolina Historical Magazine. Digital version at JSTOR ($) - Abstracts from the newspaper
 * 1871-1889 Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina Black Deaths 1871-1889 Available at Ancestry ($) - Index
 * 1915-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
 * State-wide South Carolina Death Indexes. There are several online death indexes covering all of South Carolina listed on the South Carolina Vital Records page.
 * Coclanis, Peter A. "Death in Early Charleston: An Estimate of the Crude Death Rate for the White Population of Charleston, 1722-1732," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 85, No. 4 (Oct. 1984):280-291. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Hagy, James W. "The Death Records of Charleston," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 91, No. 1 (Jan., 1990), pp. 32-44. Digital version at JSTOR ($).

Family History Centers

 * Charleston South Carolina Family History Center

Libraries

 * Charleston Archives, Libraries and Museums CouncilCALM. This is a council of repositories, mostly in the Charleston area that represent a variety of disciplines. Purposes that promote family history include preserving historic and contemporary materials and providing a supportive environment for the exchange of ideas and information. For more information about CALM, click here. Website
 * Charleston County Public Library Charleston County's main library is the home of the Charleston Archive and the South Carolina Room. The SC Room houses local history and genealogy materials and resources, focusing on the history and genealogy of SC, with special emphasis on Charleston and the Lowcountry.Their collection also includes a microfilm copy of early birth (starting in 1877) and death (starting in 1821) registers for Charleston.You can search these records onsite or a staff libarian will make a search of these records for you for the price of copy fees.You can contact them through email or mail.The main library is located at 68 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC. For additional information about the library and its services click here.Website
 * College of Charleston: Special Collections located on the third floor of the Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library acquires, evaluates, and preserves rare printed and archival material. These include books, manuscripts, maps and artwork. One of its largest collections is the Spoleto Festival Archive, the Jewish Heritage Collection (which includes the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection and Papers), the L. Mendel Rivers Collection, and the Burnet R. Maybank Senatorial Papers. For more information about the collection Click Here.Website

Societies
Charleston Chapter South Carolina Genealogical Society P.O. Box 20266 Charleston SC 29413-0266 Website
 * Charleston Chapter of the SC Genealogical Society P.O. Box 31395 Charleston, SC 29417 E-mail: [mailto:charlestonchapterscgs@gmail.com charlestonchapterscgs@gmail.com] Website Facebook
 * Charleston Historical Society 100 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-723-3225
 * The Charleston Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society was organized in 1974. The society usually holds meetings at 2:30 pm on the 3rd Sunday of the month. There are no meetings in July or August. We have a new home at The Masonic Center, 1285 Orange Grove Rd., Charleston. Members have undertaken several research projects including creating inventories of cemeteries in the county and collecting information about the county's churches.

South Carolina Historical Society The Society was established in 1855. LOCATION 100 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC. LIBRARY HOURS: Tues-Fri, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Sat, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.; closed Sundays &amp; holidays. In addition, on Tuesday evenings by appointment from 4:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. PARKING: The South Carolina Historical Society does not have its own parking facility. Metered street parking is available. ACCESS: Members may use the library free of charge. There is a ($)5.00 daily fee for non-members. The Society offers three types of research services for fee: (1) straightforward photocopy requests; (2) requests on historical matters related to South Carolina; and (3) inquiries related to genealogical research. Request forms and corresponding fees are on the Society's Website (under Photocopy and Research Services). Keep in mind that the search is restricted to the holdings of the Society only and may not uncover the information sought. If an individual did not spend a significant amount of time in South Carolina, the Society may not have information pertaining to him or her. The average search takes six to eight weeks. The Society is a repository for private papers and manuscripts pertaining to the state of South Carolina, with large amounts of materials on families of the Midlands and the Lowcountry. It does not have the censuses of South Carolina in its holdings and only abstracts from newspapers. An on-line library catalog is available (under Search the SCHS Catalog).

Websites

 * Charleston County S.C. Genealogy Research Contains information for researching genealogy in Charleston County South Carolina, Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
 * Charleston County, South Carolina Genealogy and Family History in Linkpendium, an aggregation of links to Internet sites about Charleston County genealogy arranged by topic.
 * Charleston County, USArchives SC
 * US SC GenWeb/
 * SCIWAY large, comprehensive list of Internet links for Charleston County history, images, maps, historic sites, and historic preservation.
 * South Carolina Pioneers South Carolina Pioneers
 * – 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.

Research Guides

 * Côté, Richard N. The Genealogists' Guide to Charleston County, S.C. Ladson, S.C.: Coté Genealogical Publications, 1978.
 * South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Charleston County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.