Lee County, Florida Genealogy

Guide to Lee 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 Robert E. Lee, general in the American Civil War. The County is located in the Southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lee County Courthouse 2115 2nd St; Fort Myers, FL 33901 Phone: 941-335-2283 Lee County Website Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate court and land records.

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:

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

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

Land and Property Records
Florida Territorial Land Records

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1821-1997 Maps of Florida
 * 1870 Gray's Atlas Panhandle Portion of StateUSGenWeb
 * 1882 Rand McNally Panhandle Portion of StateUSGenWeb
 * Lee County Florida maps University of Southern Florida.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Lee 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 - 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
 * 1917-1918 - Lee County Civilian Draft Registration (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1917-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * Lee County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Abram - Evans (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lee County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Farabee - Kurtz (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lee County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Lamb - Rutledge (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lee County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Sadler - Yuhant (USGenWeb Archives)

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

Vietnam War
 * Lee County Vietnam War Casualties (Genealogy Trails)
 * Distantcousin.com Florida Casualties in the Vietnam War

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Florida Digital Newspaper Library at George A. Smathers Libraries
 * News-Press 2442 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33901 Telephone: 239-335-0200
 * Microfilm for the Fort Myers News-Press from 1884 to the present can be found at the Fort Myers Regional Library 2450 First Street Fort Myers, Florida 33901
 * USGenWeb Archives Early Florida Newspapers at the Florida State Library

Obituaries

 * Florida Obituaries USGenWeb Archives Obituary transcriptions from Florida counties
 * 1930 and 1997 - Obituary Index Online searchable database. Lee County Genealogical Society volunteers will be happy to help you with your request for an obituary copy.

Voting Records
1885-1909 - "Voter Registration Records, Town of Fort Myers and Lee County, Florida 1885-1909".'' A limited printing was done with copies being donated to the Fort Myers Regional Library, the Southwest Florida Museum of History, the Southwest Florida Historical Society, the State Library of Florida, and the Lee County Genealogical Society.

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 ($)
 * 1889-1925 (*); County Judge's Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1913-1928 (*); County Judge's Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & 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.

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
 * 1887-1924 - Lee County, Florida Marriages 1887-1924 (Lee County Genealogical Society)
 * Collier County Marriages (Florida GenWeb Project)
 * 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

Divorce

 * 1927-2001 Florida, Divorce Index, 1927-2001 at Ancestry - index $
 * 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
Fort Myers Regional Library 2450 First Street Ft Myers FL 33901 Phone: 239-533-4626 website
 * As of December 2017, The Fort Myers Regional Library has been upgraded to the status of a Family History Library Affiliate.

Libraries
Fort Myers Regional Library 2450 First Street Ft Myers Florida 33901 Phone: 239-533-4626 website
 * The Lee County Library System has 14 libraries and branches throughout the county. Visit the main library website for locations and address's.

Societies
Lee County Genealogical Society, Inc. P.O. Box 60732 Fort Myers, FL 33906 E-mail: [mailto:GenHelp@LCGSFL.org GenHelp@LCGSFL.org] Website

Southwest Florida Historical Society PO Box 1381 Fort Myers, FL 33902-1381 Website

Websites

 * Lee County (FLGenWeb)
 * State of Florida
 * Lee County, Florida (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lee County, Florida Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Lee County (FLGenWeb Project, Inc.)
 * My Florida Roots
 * Lee County, Florida (Genealogy Trails)
 * Lee 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.