Winston County, Mississippi Genealogy

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

Description
This county was named for Louis Winston (1784-1824), a colonel in the militia, a prominent lawyer, and a judge of the Mississippi Supreme Court. Winston County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Winston County Courthouse P.O. Box Drawer 69 Louisville, MS 39339 Phone: 662-773-3631 Winston County Website Clerk Chancery Court has court, probate and land records from 1834. Clerk Circuit Court has marriage 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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Bible Records

 * Bible Record of William and Lydia Harper Taber at The Rainwater Collection

Cemeteries

 * Winston County, Mississippi, cemeteries Index

Census Records
Federal Census
 * 1660-1820 U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820 at Ancestry $
 * 1850  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1850 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1860 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

State Census
 * 1792-1866 Mississippi, State and Territorial Census Collection, 1792-1866 at Ancestry $
 * 1805-1890 Mississippi, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1805-1890 at Ancestry $
 * 1837 State Census Returns 1837 - Winston County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1853 State Census Returns 1853 - Winston County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Church Records

 * 1910-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1834-1866 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1834-1873 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1835-1875 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1837-1869 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1856-1924 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1856-1927 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1925 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1860-1932 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1874-1880 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1874-1931 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1892-1964 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans 
 * 1863-1866  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * The Freedmen's Bureau Marriage Records at Mississippi Department of Archives and History - index and transcription

Funeral Homes

 * Beck Funeral Homes and Cremation Services in Louisville.
 * Nowell-Massey Funeral Home in Louisville.
 * Porter Funeral Home in Louisville.
 * Taylor's Funeral Home in Louisville.

Land and Property Records

 * 1834-1912 Deed records, 1834-1901; index, 1834-1912

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Maps of Mississippi (1785-1918)
 * Family Maps of Winston County, Mississippi Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1812-1951 Military grave registrations - Winston County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1837-1844 Register of military commissions - Winston County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1860 Register of military commissions 1860 - Winston County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Mexican-American War 
 * 1846-1848  How to Use this Collection;  at FamilySearch — index and images

Civil War 
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images at partner site
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images at partner site
 * 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
 * 1889-1942  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1900-1974  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1936-1939 Civil War records 1936-1939 - Winston County Collection at FamilySearch - images only


 * - 5th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
 * Company D - New Prospect Greys
 * Company E - Pettus Rebels
 * Company F - Winston Rifles
 * - Perrin's Battalion, Mississippi State Cavalry
 * Company C - Metts’ Company
 * Company D - Perkins’ Company
 * - 11th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry
 * Company D - Metts’ Company

World War I 
 * 1917-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1917-1918  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1836-1941 Naturalization index take-off cards - Winston County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Other Records
 State Archives
 * 1820-1951   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images - incomplete - Topics covered: Ex Slave Narratives, list of military veterans,  Military grave registrations, Naturalizations and some Land records.

Voter List
 * 1871-1967 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1780-1982 Mississippi Wills and Probate Records 1780-1982 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1781-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1834-1866 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1834-1873 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1835-1875 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1848-1851 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1856-1924 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1880 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1929 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1859-1870 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1860-1929 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1860-1932 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1881-1891 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images

School Records

 * 1850-1892; 1908-1957   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

 * 1835-1868  at FamilySearch - index and images - incomplete
 * 1835-1868 County Tax records 1835-1868- Winston County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Marriage

 * 1776-1935 Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935 at Ancestry $
 * 1800-1825 Mississippi Marriages to 1825 at Ancestry$
 * 1800-1911 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1826-1850 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-50 at Ancestry $
 * 1826-1900 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-1900 at Ancestry $
 * 1834-1908 Marriage records of Winston County, Mississippi v. I. 1834-1880 - v. II. April 21, 1880 - January 15, 1908
 * 1834-1925 Winston County Marriage Books 1-13 Index 1834-1925 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1858-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Death

 * 1822-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images


 * 1912-1943 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1912-1943 Reclaim the Records: Mississippi Death Index at Archive - images of index

FamilySearch Centers

 * Jackson Mississippi FamilySearch Center
 * Meridian Mississippi FamilySearch Center
 * Philadelphia Mississippi FamilySearch Center
 * Raytown Mississippi FamilySearch Center


 * Forest Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Winston Historical Society P.O. Box 166 Carthage, MS 39051 Email: [mailto:drghsociety@yahoo.com drghsociety@yahoo.com]

Winston County Genealogical and Historical Society P.O. Box 387 Louisville, MS 39339 website

Websites

 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Mississippi GenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Winston County Mississippi Genealogy and History Network
 * – 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.