Bay County, Florida Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for St. Andrews Bay. The County is located in the North West area of the state.

County Courthouse
Bay County Courthouse 300 E 4th St; PO Box 2269 Panama City, FL 32402 Phone: 850-763-9061 Bay County Website

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, probate, divorce, land records from 1913.

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:

Biographies

 * Index to Bay County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)

Census Records

 * 1783 Spanish Census USGenWeb
 * 1821 Census/Tax List Index USGenWeb
 * 1823 Census/Tax List Index USGenWeb
 * 1880 Census African Born Blacks and Mulattos USGenWeb
 * 1885 includes sex, age, relationship, occupation, place of birth of each family member and parents. Also census for agriculture, manufacture and mortality. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1935 1935 Florida State Census at MyHeritage - index ($))
 * Federal Census Information from National Archives USGenWeb
 * State Census Information from Florida State Archives USGenWeb
 * Census of Pensioners Revolutionary Military Service USGenWeb

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places


 * USGenWeb First Baptist Church of Southport History
 * thecatholicdirectory.net Catholic Churches in Bay County Florida
 * Church Angel Florida Churches by City

Court Records

 * 1913-1924 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * USGenWeb Florida African American Griots Project
 * Afrigeneas - African Genealogy

Land and Property Records

 * Florida Territorial Land Records USGenWeb

Military Land Grants

 * Some Military Land Grants In Bay County Florida For Soldiers Of The War Of 1812 (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Some Military Land Grants In Bay County Florida For Soldiers Of The Indian Wars (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Some Military Land Grants In Bay County Florida For Soldiers Of The Mexican War/Unknown (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1821-1997 Maps of Florida
 * 1870 Gray's Atlas Panhandle Portion of StateUSGenWeb
 * 1882 Rand McNally Panhandle Portion of StateUSGenWeb
 * Exploring Florida, FCIT Maps University of South Florida
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Indian Wars War of 1812 Mexican War
 * Florida State Military Files USGenWeb
 * Florida state pension records from various wars Pension Transcriptions USGenWeb
 * Some Military Land Grants In Bay County Florida For Soldiers Of The Indian Wars (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Some Military Land Grants In Bay County Florida For Soldiers Of The War Of 1812 (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Some Military Land Grants In Bay County Florida For Soldiers Of The Mexican War/Unknown (USGenWeb Archives)

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free)
 * 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free)
 * 1885-1955 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War I
 * Bay County, Florida-1917-18 Civilian Draft Registration, Surnames A-F (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Bay County, Florida-1917-18 Civilian Draft Registration, Surnames G-O (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Bay County, Florida-1917-18 Civilian Draft Registration, Surnames P-Z (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1917-1920 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War II
 * Bay County FlArchives Military Records.....Army Enlistees Names AARON - CAULEY (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Bay County FlArchives Military Records.....Army Enlistees Names CHAFFEE - FOY (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Bay County FlArchives Military Records.....Army Enlistees Names FRAGGER - IVEY (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Bay County FlArchives Military Records.....Army Enlistees Names JACKSON - MC TIGHE (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Bay County FlArchives Military Records.....Army Enlistees Names MCLEOD - RAINS (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Bay County FlArchives Military Records.....Army Enlistees Names RAMIREZ - SYPERT (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Bay County FlArchives Military Records.....Army Enlistees Names TAIT - ZION (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Bay County World War II Honor Roll of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Korean War
 * Florida Casualties in the Korean Conflict distantcousin.com
 * Bay County, Florida Korean War Casualties (Genealogy Trails)

Vietnam War
 * Florida Casualties in the Vietnam War distantcousin.com

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Florida Digital Newspaper Library at George A. Smathers Libraries
 * Early Florida Newspapers at the Florida State Library USGenWeb

Obituaries

 * Bay County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Bay County Obituary Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Probate Records
Online Indexes and Records
 * 1784-1990 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1827-1950 Florida, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1827-1950 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1913-1936 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — 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.

Vital Records
Florida Public Records Search - Florida State Archives - website$

Birth

 * 1880-1935 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Marriage

 * 1802-1998 - Florida, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
 * 1822-1875 and 1927-2001 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1830-1957 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1830-1993 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1837-1974 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1970-1999 - Florida, Marriages, 1970 - 1999 at MyHeritage - index ($))

Death

 * 1877-1939 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1877-1998 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1900-1921 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1915 - Bay County Deaths for the year 1915 (Genealogy Trails)

Divorce

 * 1927-2001 - Ancestry.com $ Florida, Divorce Index, 1927-2001
 * 1970-1999 - Florida, Divorces, 1970 - 1999 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Voter Records

 * 1867-1868 Web: Florida, U.S., Voter Registration Rolls, 1867-1868 at Ancestry - index ($)

Family History Centers

 * Mexico Beach Florida Family History Center
 * Panama City Florida Family History Center
 * Baker Block Museum - an affiliate library.
 * Franklin County Public Library - multiple branches - an affiliate library.

Societies
Bay County Genealogical Society PO Box 662 Panama City, FL 32402-0662 Email: [mailto:mkpcbeach@gmail.com mkpcbeach@gmail.com] Facebook Website Bay County Historical Society 133 Harrison Ave. Panama City, FL 32402 Phone: 850-818-0964 Email: [mailto:baycohistory@gmail.com baycohistory@gmail.com] Facebook Website

Websites

 * Bay County (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Bay County, Florida Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Bay County (FLGenWeb)
 * Bay County, Florida (Genealogy Trails)
 * Bay County FL Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * – 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.