Sumter County, Alabama Genealogy

Guide to Sumter 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 in honor of General Thomas Sumter, of South Carolina. The county is located in the west-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Sumter County Courthouse 115 Franklin St PO Box 936 Livingston, AL 35470 Phone: 205-652-2291 Fax: 205-652-1010 Sumter County Website Probate Judge has a few birth records from 1888-1918, marriage and probate record from 1833, land records and historical voters maps

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

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

Court Records
Alabama, Sumter County Circuit Court Files, 1840-1950 The collection consists of circuit court civil case files for the years 1840 to 1950. A wiki article describing an online collection is found at: Alabama, Sumter County Circuit Court Files - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * 1840-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by county)
 * 1840-1950 Sumter County, Alabama, U.S., Circuit Court Files, 1840-1950 at Ancestry — images, ($)

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1867-1895 Sumter County Colored Marriage Books 2-7 Index 1867-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

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


 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Sumter 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 Sumter 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 - How to Use this Collection; index 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


 * - 5th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B
 * - 5th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F "Cahaba Rifles"
 * - 36th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A
 * - 40th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A and C

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
Voter Registration
 * 1834-1981 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1753–1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry
 * 1809–1985  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1830-1976  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

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

Birth

 * 1881–1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1913-1919  Sumter County Marriage Index 1913-1919 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * Dec 1916–May 1918 Index for White Birth Records in the Alabama State Archives found at ALGenWeb

Marriage

 * 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
 * 1800–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 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
 * 1833-1895 Sumter County Marriage Books 1-6 Index 1833-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1833-1838, 1847-1901, 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry– ($)
 * 1847-1900 "Alabama Marriages, 1809–1920" at Ancestry– ($)      Containing about 150,000 records and the names of nearly 300,000 men and women.
 * Marriages at ALGenWeb
 * To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry– ($)  Contains over 12,000 names.

Death

 * 1881–1952 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry– ($)copies of church, civil, family, and other records of Alabama deaths and burials. varies depending on the original record. incomplete
 * 1908-1959 Index to Deaths Recorded by the State of Alabama at Ancestry– ($)
 * 1908-1974 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1913-1918 - Sumter County Death Index 1913-1918 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * Sumter County Deaths at ALGenWeb

Libraries
Hightower Memorial Library 630 Ave. A York, Alabama 36925 Phone: 205-392-2004 Facebook

Julia Tutwiler Library UWA Station 12 Livingston, Alabama 35470 Phone: 205-652-3613 Website

Ruby Pickens Tartt Public Library 201 Monroe St. Livingston, Alabama 35470 Phone: 205-652-2349 Website

Societies
Sumter County Historical Society P.O. Box 213 207 N Washington St Livingston, Alabama 35470 Phone: 205-652-4015 Facebook

Websites

 * 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.
 * Sumter County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Sumter 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.