Shelby County, Alabama Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Probate Judge has marriage probate and land records from 1824

Description
The County was named in honor of Isaac Shelby, Governor of Kentucky. The County has Columbiana as its seat and the County was created February 7, 1818. The County is located in the central area of the state.

History


The county is named after Kentucky's First Governor Isaac Shelby (1750-1826).

Parent County
1818--Shelby County was created 7 February 1818 from Montgomery County. County seat: Columbiana

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Alabama county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Alabama County Boundary Maps" (1799-1980) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

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 Shelby County:

Neighboring Counties

 * Bibb
 * Chilton
 * Coosa
 * Jefferson
 * Saint Clair
 * Talladega

Biography

 * Shelby County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project - free.

Cemeteries
The following web site has additional information on Shelby county cemeteries.


 * Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.


 * Additional Shelby County cemeteries maybe included in Alabama Cemetery Records at FamilySearch Books Online - free.

Census
State Census


 * 1866 - at FamilySearch — index

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


 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Shelby 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 free surname index..

Maps

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Civil War
Civil War service men from Shelby County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Shelby County.


 * - 2nd Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company B
 * - 7th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company E
 * - 10th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C "Cahaba Valley Boys"
 * - 18th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company I (Curry Guards)
 * - 20th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G
 * - 24th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H "Steele Guards"
 * - 25th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C
 * - 30th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D and K
 * - 31st Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G and K
 * - 44th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D and E

Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 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)
 * 1871-1880 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927 - at FamilySearch — images

World War I

 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch — index

Probate Records

 * 1818-1841 Index to Will Book B at USGenWeb.org
 * 1841-1846 Index to Will Book D at USGenWeb.org
 * 1846-1851 Index to Will Book E at USGenWeb.org
 * 1856-1867 Index to Will Book H at USGenWeb.org
 * 1849-1854 Index to Will Book K at USGenWeb.org
 * 1896-1925 Index to Will book I at USGenWeb.org
 * 1871-1899 Index to Record of Estates and Incorporations Book A at USGenWeb.org
 * 1818-1915 Probate Estate Files Index at USGenWeb.org

Online Probate Records
 * 1753 – 1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1809 – 1985 at FamilySearch — images
 * Images of Estates, Book B, 1821-1839; 1828-1841 (and index); Vol. D, 1841-1856 (and index). Southeastern Genealogy ($)

Taxation

 * 1865-1866 - U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry ($). Shelby County is in District 2.

Vital Records
See also How to order Alabama Vital Records

Birth Records

 * 1824-1876 - Shelby County Birth Index 1824-1876. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1881 – 1930 at FamilySearch.org — index

Marriage Records

 * 1733-2013 - Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $


 * To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry – ($); Index. contains over 12,000 names. Each entry includes groom, bride, marriage date, county, and state. Every name is indexed so you can search for one name, or two names that are linked.


 * 1811, 1818-1827, 1833-1834, 1837-1869, 1876, 1888, 1893, 1898 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry – ($); Index. This collection is comprised of indexes created by several agencies - the Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research, and Hunting For Bears.


 * 1824-1876 - Shelby County Marriage Index 1824-1876. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1824-1868 "Alabama Marriages, 1809–1920" at Ancestry – ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage records from the state. Researchers will find the names of both bride and groom along with the marriage date. The county where the ceremony was performed is also provided. Containing about 150,000 records and the names of nearly 300,000 men and women.


 * 1876-1895 - Shelby County Marriage Index 1876-1895. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1890-1898 - Hageness, MariLee Beatty. Marriages 1890-1898 Shelby County, Alabama. Anniston, Ala.: MLH Research, 2000. Digital version at - free.


 * 1900-1905 - Thompson, Don and Mary Thompson. Marriage Records of Shelby County Alabama 1900-1905. Columbiana, Ala.: Shelby County Historical Society, Inc., n.d. Digital version at - free.


 * 1809 – 1950 at FamilySearch.org — index/images


 * 1816 – 1957 at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1800 – 1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry.com — index $


 * 1809 – 1920 [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4192 Alabama Marriages,


 * 1809-1920 (Selected Counties)] at Ancestry.com — index $

Death Records

 * 1881–1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry – ($); Index. Volunteers extracted the details in this index from microfilmed copies of church, civil, family, and other records of Alabama deaths and burials. details vary depending on the original record. Note that the number of available records can vary widely by county, and this database does not necessarily represent a comprehensive set of death records for the state during this time.


 * 1902-1914 - Shelby County Death Index 1902-1914 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1908–1959 Index to Deaths Recorded by the State of Alabama at Ancestry – ($); Index. The index includes name of the deceased, county of death, date of death, and the state certificate number (volume and page).


 * 1908-1974 - at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - free.


 * 1881 – 1952 at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1908 – 1974 at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1881 – 1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry.com — index $


 * 1908 – 1959 [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5188 Alabama Deaths,


 * 1908-59] at Ancestry.com — index $

Societies and Libraries

 * List of Alabama Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Societies
Shelby County Historical Society Museum &amp; Archives 1854 Old Courthouse P.O. Box 457 Columbiana, Alabama 35051 Telephone: 205-669-3912 Collections include the old county courthouse records, books, periodicals, family folders, and more.

Libraries
Shelby County Public Library 50 Lester St. Columbiana, Alabama 35051 Telephone: 205-669-3910

Family History Center

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Columbiana Alabama Family History Center
 * 190 Egg and Butter Rd Columbiana, Shelby, Alabama


 * Phone: 205-669-0250 Hours: T, Th, Sat, 10am-2pm; W 6pm-8pm ::Closures: First Saturday in April and Oct; last two weeks in Dec

Family History Centre Locator

Shelby County Alabama Genealogy Websites

 * Shelby County, AL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * 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.
 * Shelby County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Shelby County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Shelby County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)