DeKalb County, Alabama Genealogy
Guide to DeKalb County, Alabama ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named is in honor of Major General Baron Johan DeKalb, a hero of the American Revolution.[2]The county is located in the northeast area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
DeKalb County Courthouse
300 Grand Ave South
PO Box 681149
Fort Payne, AL 35968
Phone: 256-845-8525
Fax: 256-845-8535
DeKalb County Website
Probate Judge has marriage, divorce, probate and land records. County Health Department has birth, death and burial records. Clerk Circuit Court has court records.[4]
DeKalb County, Alabama Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1885 | 1836 | 1885 | 1836 | 1835 | 1848 | 1816 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in DeKalb County:[7]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator.
| Cities | ||
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| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Biographies of many notable residents of DeKalb County were published in Memorial Record of Alabama (1893). Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Begins on page 929.
- DeKalb County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web site has additional information on DeKalb county cemeteries.
- Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 5,929 | — |
| 1850 | 8,245 | 39.1% |
| 1860 | 10,705 | 29.8% |
| 1870 | 7,126 | −33.4% |
| 1880 | 12,675 | 77.9% |
| 1890 | 21,106 | 66.5% |
| 1900 | 23,558 | 11.6% |
| 1910 | 28,261 | 20.0% |
| 1920 | 34,426 | 21.8% |
| 1930 | 40,104 | 16.5% |
| 1940 | 43,075 | 7.4% |
| 1950 | 45,048 | 4.6% |
| 1960 | 41,417 | −8.1% |
| 1970 | 41,981 | 1.4% |
| 1980 | 53,658 | 27.8% |
| 1990 | 54,651 | 1.9% |
| 2000 | 64,452 | 17.9% |
| 2010 | 71,109 | 10.3% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Alabama denominations, view the Alabama Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Alabama Land and Property for additional information about early Alabama land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.
To place a grant or deed on a map within context of DeKalb County see:
- Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of DeKalb 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 ($). Website includes surname index. FHL Book 976.166 E7b.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for DeKalb County. The histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Alabama Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
- Family Maps of DeKalb County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Alabama Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 Alabama Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 Civil War Service Database at [https://archives.alabama.gov/ Alabama Department of Archives and
- 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 Alabama, Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1880-1930 - Alabama, Confederate Pension Applications, ca. 1880-1930's at FamilySearch — index and images- How to Use this Collection
- 1907, 1921, 1927 Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
Regiments. Men in DeKalb County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a large regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in DeKalb County:
- - 10th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company I
- - 12th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E "DeKalb Invincibles"
- - 48th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B
- - 49th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D and G
- - 54th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G (formerly Co. "C", 1st AL, TN, and MS Infantry)
- - 54th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K (formerly Co. "K", 40th TN Infantry)
World War I
- 1917-1919 Alabama, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 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 - Alabama, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images- How to Use this Collection
- 1940-1966 Alabama Active Military Service Reports at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
A collection of obituaries and death notices from various funeral homes in the DeKalb County area has been put together by GenealogyBuffs.com.
- 1881-1952 Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1881-1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry.com $
- 1908-1959 Alabama Deaths, 1908-59 at Ancestry $
- 1908-1974 Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- DeKalb County, Alabama Obituary and Death Notices Collection
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voting Records[edit | edit source]
- 1834-1981: Alabama Voter Registration and Poll Tax Cards, 1834-1981 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index and images
Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. DeKalb County has one book.
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Records
- 1753-1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry $
- 1809-1985 Alabama Probate Records, 1809-1985 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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[edit | edit source]
Alabama tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Alabama Taxation.
- 1865-1866 U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry $
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Alabama State Department of Health , the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred or order electronically online $.
For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Alabama.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1881-1930 Alabama Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1881-1930 - Alabama, County Birth Registers, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch — index, and some images- How to Use this Collection
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast ($)
- 1800-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry ($)
- 1809-1920 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties) at Ancestry ($)
- 1809-1950 Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1816-1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry ($) ]. 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.
- 1836-1916 Duff, Dorothy Smith. DeKalb County, Alabama Marriage Index, 1836-1916. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2003. Digital version at Ancestry $
- 1850-1858, 1862-1901, 1936-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry ($) ].
- 1850-1900 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 at Ancestry ($).
- DeKalb County Marriages - partial at ALGenWeb
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1881-1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry ($)
- 1908-1959 Index to Deaths recorded by the state of Alabama at Ancestry ($)
- 1908-1974 Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974 FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - How to Use this Collection
- DeKalb County Deaths (partial) at ALGenWeb
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in DeKalb County. For state-wide library facilities, see Alabama Archives and Libraries.
DeKalb DeKalb County Public Library
256-845-2671
Rainsville Public Library
941 East Main St
Rainsville, Alabama 35986
256-638-3311
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Collinsville Historical Association
P. O. Box 849
Collinsville, AL 35967
256-524-2323
website
DeKalb County Genealogical Society
P. O. Box 681087
Fort Payne, AL 35968-1612
Facebook
Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society
P. O. Box 8268
Gadsden, AL 35902
website
Publication: Northeast Alabama Settlers
Landmarks of DeKalb County
P. O. Box 680518
Fort Payne, AL 35968-0518
256-845-6888
website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- 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.
- DeKalb County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
- DeKalb County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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.
- DeKalb County
- Dekalb Co. AL
- United States Resources: Alabama
- Al Gen Web
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “DeKalb County, Alabama Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ala/dekalb/ 06/05/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "DeKalb, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeKalb_County,_Alabama 06/05/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "DeKalb County, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeKalb_County,_Alabama, accessed 11 October 2018.
