Hillsborough County, Florida Genealogy

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

County Courthouse


Hillsborough County Courthouse 419 N Pierce Street Tampa, FL 33602 Phone: 813.276.8100

County Judge has marriage and probate records. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and land records. Hillsborough County has a number of addresses for their Clerks of the Circuit Court

Clerk of Circuit Court George E. Edgecomb Courthouse 800 Twiggs Street Tampa, FL 33602 Monday - Friday (8 AM - 5 PM)

Clerk of Circuit Court Tax Deeds George E. Edgecomb Courthouse 800 Twiggs Street Room #103 Tampa, FL 33602 Monday - Friday (8 AM - 5 PM)

Clerk of Circuit Court Marriage License, Recording, Records Library, Passports 419 Pierce Room 140 Tampa, FL 33602 Monday - Friday (8 AM - 5 PM)

Clerk of Circuit Court Annex Tower Tampa, FL 33602 Monday - Friday (8 AM - 5 PM)

Clerk of Circuit Court County Center 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33602 Monday - Friday (8 AM - 5 PM)

Brandon Office

Clerk of Circuit Court Brandon Regional Service Center 311 Pauls Drive Suite 110 Brandon, FL 33511 Monday - Friday (8 AM - 5 PM) Maps and Directions

SouthShore Office

Clerk of Circuit Court SouthShore Regional Service Center 410 30th St. S.E. Ruskin, FL 33570 Monday - Friday (8 AM - 5 PM)

Plant City Office

Clerk of Circuit Court Plant City Courthouse 302 North Michigan Avenue Plant City, FL 33563 Monday - Friday (8 AM - 5 PM)

History
A brief history of Hillsborough County is given on this website, along with links to other sources.

Parent County
1834--Hillsborough County was created 25 January 1834 from Alachua County. County seat: Tampa

Description
The county was named for Wills Hill, the Earl of Hillsborough, who served as British Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1768 to 1772. The County Seat is Tampa and the county was created January 25, 1834. The County is located in the West central area of the state.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Florida county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Florida County Boundary Maps" (1821-1997) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
Hillsborough County Courthouse, a small log cabin, was burned by Native Americans during the Second Seminole War.

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:

Neighboring Counties
Hardee • Manatee •  Pasco •  Pinellas •  Polk

African American

 * USGenWeb African American Griots Project
 * Afrigeneas - African Genealogy

Cemeteries
The following web site may have additional information on Hillsborough County cemeteries.


 * Interment.net Florida cemetery records

Census

 * 1783 Spanish Census USGenWeb
 * 1821 Census/Tax List Index USGenWeb
 * 1823 Census/Tax List Index USGenWeb
 * 1880 Census African Born Blacks and Mulattos USGenWeb
 * Federal Census Information from National Archives USGenWeb
 * State Census Information from Florida State Archives USGenWeb
 * Census of Pensioners Revolutionary Military Service USGenWeb

Church
There are over 300 Hillsborough Churches listed on this website, with their location indicated

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


 * Tampa

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1944 - 1945 at FamilySearch — images

Maps



 * 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

Military

 * Hillsborough County Military Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Florida State Military Files USGenWeb
 * Florida state pension records from various wars Pension Transcriptions USGenWeb

Civil War

 * 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)
 * 1883 - Hillsborough County Pensioners on the Roll as of January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1885 - 1955 - at FamilySearch — images only

World War I

 * Index to Hillsborough County Civilian Draft Registration by Surname - Scroll down to WWI. (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * Index to Hillsborough County Army Enlistees by Surname - Scroll down to WWII. (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Korean War

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

Vietnam War

 * Hillsborough County Vietnam War Casualties (Genealogy Trails)
 * Florida Casualties in the Vietnam War distantcousin.com

Newspapers

 * Early Florida Newspapers at the Florida State Library USGenWeb

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1784 – 1990 Florida Probate Records 1784-1990
 * 1810 – 1974 Ancestry.com $ Florida Wills and Probate Records 1810-1974


 * Florida State Archives $

Vital Records
University of South Florida Tampa. Some Hillsborough County marriage records

Hillsborough County Vital Records Office

Birth Records

 * 1880 - 1935 - at FamilySearch — index

Death Records

 * 1877 - 1939 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1900 - 1921 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1877 - 1998 - at FamilySearch — index

Divorce Records

 * 1927 - 2001 - Florida, Divorce Index, 1927-2001 at Ancestry.com $

Marriage Records

 * 1802 - 1998 - Florida, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1837 - 1974 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1830 - 1993 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1830 - 1957 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1822 - 1875 and 1927 - 2001 - at FamilySearch — index

Societies and Libraries

 * Random Acts of Kindness List of Florida Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical Genealogical Societies
 * FamilySearch Find a Family History Center
 * Florida Historical Society
 * Florida State Genealogical Society

Public Libraries
The following libraries in Hillsborough County have collections of particular interest to genealogists.


 * John F. Germany Public Library 900 N. Ashley Dr. Tampa, Florida 33602-3788 Telephone: (813) 273-3652 The Hillsborough County Library History and Genealogy Department has a large collection with emphasis on Florida, the southeast region, the original thirteen colonies and all other states bordering on the Mississippi River.

Websites

 * Hillsborough County, FLGenWeb Project
 * Hillsborough County, FL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Florida Genealogical Society, Inc. (Tampa)
 * Hillsborough County, Florida Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Hillsborough County, FLGenWeb Project, Inc.
 * Hillsborough County Genealogy (Florida Genealogy)
 * Hillsborough County, Florida Genealogy Trails
 * Hillsborough County, USGenWeb Archives
 * Hillsborough County FL Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Hillsborough County FL Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)