Charles County, Maryland Genealogy

United States   Maryland   Charles County

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

Charles County, Maryland
Map
Map of Maryland highlighting Charles County Location in the state of Maryland, United States Genealogy
Location of Maryland in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	13 April, 1658
County Seat	La Plata
Courthouse
Address	Charles County Courthouse P.O. Box B 200 Baltimore Street La Plata, MD 20646 Phone: 301-645-0550 Charles County Website

Courthouse

Beginning Dates for Charles County, Maryland Genealogy Government Records
Birth	Marriage	Death	Census	Land	Probate
1898		1898	1775	1658	1665

 
Clerk of the Circuit Court has marriage records from 1865; divorce and court records from 1796.
Register of Wills has probate records.
State Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland has land records from 1658.

History

Charles Calvert

• Named for Charles Calvert, third Lord Baltimore.

Parent County

• Created 13 April 1658 from Colonial lands by the order in Council, likely much of remaining portion of old Charles County that was created 1650 and dissolved 1653.

Boundary Changes

For animated maps illustrating Maryland county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Maryland County Boundary Maps" (1637-1997) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss

Most early papers of the county court have been lost.
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:

• Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle.
• When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog.
• Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.

Places/Localities

Populated Places

Towns

Indian Head

La Plata

Port Tobacco Village

Census Districts

Bennsville Bryans Road

Hughesville Potomac Heights

Saint Charles Waldorf

Communities

Bel Alton Benedict Bryantown Cobb Island Dentsville Faulkner

Ironsides Issue Malcolm Marbury Morgantown Mount Victoria

Nanjemoy Newburg Pisgah Pomfret Popes Creek Pomonkey

Ripley Rison Rock Point Swan Point Welcome White Plains

Neighboring Counties

Maryland counties:

• Calvert
• Prince George's
• St. Mary's

Virginia counties:

• Fairfax
• King George
• Prince William
• Stafford
• Westmoreland

Resources

Cemeteries

Latter-day Saint Cemetery Records

Vol. 21

• New Saint Peters Cemetery - page 85
• Old Saint Peters Cemetery - page 97

Vol. 24

• Trinity Parish Episcopal Church Cemetery - page 100

Census

"Constable's Census of Charles County, 1775-1778 (1800 Persons): Including Durham Parish; Benedict Hundred; Port Tobacco; West Hundred; Upper Hundred; East Hundred, Newport; Port Tobacco, Upper Hundred; Port Tobacco, Town Hundred; Port Tobacco, East Hundred; Pomonkey; Newport, West Hundred; William and Mary, Lower Hundred; Bryan Town Hundred," is available online, see pages 297-312 and index in:

• Brumbaugh, Gaius Marcus. Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources. Vol. 1. Baltimore, Md.: Williams & Wilkins Company, 1915. Digital version at Google Books.

Federal Census reports available 1790-1940 including slave and veterans schedules. For tips on accessing Charles County, Maryland Genealogy census records online, see: Maryland Census.

Church

• 1668-1995 Maryland, Church Records, 1668-1995 at FamilySearch — index
• Guide to Maryland Religious Institutions is not intended to be a complete listing of all Religious institutions in Maryland. It was originally based upon the churches recorded by the Federal Works Progress Administration during a records survey conducted from 1935 to 1941. It has been expanded by later acquisitions from religious organizations to the Maryland State Archives.
• Protestant Episcopal (Church of England), Trinity Church, Trinity Parish (includes parish register 1729-1797, vestry minutes 1750-1795, 1840-1922, and various treasurer's accounts 1790s-1860s)

Church of England

See also Durham Parish
See also Piccawaxen Parish
See also Port Tobacco Parish
See also Trinity Parish
See also William and Mary Parish

Court

Genealogy

It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:

• Locate publications about direct ancestors
• Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
• Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]

Bibliography

• [A'Gambra] Russell, George Ely. "Portuguese and Spanish Colonists in Seventeenth-Century Maryland," The American Genealogist, Vol. 76, No. 1 (January 2001):50-60; Vol. 77, No. 1 (Apr. 2001):138-147. FHL 973 D25aga v. 76
• [Addison] Kennedy, Mary Selden. Seldens of Virginia and Allied Families. New York: Frank Allaben Genealogical Co., c1911. Digital versions of Vol. 1 at Google Books; Internet Archive | Vol. 2 at FamilySearch Digital Library;Internet Archive; FHL Book 929.273 Se48k.
• [Baptista] Russell, George Ely. "Portuguese and Spanish Colonists in Seventeenth-Century Maryland," The American Genealogist, Vol. 76, No. 1 (January 2001):50-60; Vol. 77, No. 1 (Apr. 2001):138-147. FHL 973 D25aga v. 76
• [Boarman] Thomas, C.F. and Emily Emerson Lentz. The Boarmans. Washington, D.C.: C.F. Thomas, 1934. FHL Film 1011838 Item 5.
  
• [Boughton] Dorman, John Frederick. Adventurers of Purse and Person Virginia 1607-1624/5. 3 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2005. See Volume 2. FHL Book 975.5 H2j v. 2.
• [Brown] Horner, Frederick. The History of the Blair, Banister and Braxton Families Before and After the Revolution: With a Brief Sketch of Their Descendants. Philadelphia: J.P. Lippincott, 1898. FHL Film 1550788 Item 7; digital versions at Google Books - free and Internet Archive - free.
• [Brown] Kennedy, Mary Selden. Seldens of Virginia and Allied Families. New York: Frank Allaben Genealogical Co., c1911. Digital versions of Vol. 1 at Google Books; Internet Archive | Vol. 2 at FamilySearch Digital Library;Internet Archive; FHL Book 929.273 Se48k.
• [Brown] Copeland, Pamela C. and Richard K. MacMaster. The Five George Masons: Patriots and Planters of Virginia and Maryland. Lorton, Va.: The Board of Regents of Gunston Hall, 1989. FHL Book 929.273 M381cm.
  
• [Burford] Lomax, E.L. Genealogy of the Virginia Family of Lomax. Chicago: Rand McNally and Co., 1913. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
• [Chilton] Dorman, John Frederick. "The Chilton Families of Virginia and Maryland," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 11, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1967):71-78; Vol. 11, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1967):121-125; Vol. 11, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1967):167-174; Vol. 12, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1968):15-18; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1968):83-86; Vol. 12, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1968):109-113; Vol. 12, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1968):169-175; Vol. 13, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1969):32-36; Vol. 13, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1969):65-71; Vol. 13, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1969):177-180; Vol. 14, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1970):15-22; Vol. 14, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1970):75-82; Vol. 14, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1970):123-128; Vol. 14, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1970):165-168; Vol. 15, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1971):32-41; Vol. 15, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1971):122-124; Vol. 15, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1971):259-264; Vol. 16, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1972):301-306. To locate digital pages use search form at American Ancestors ($); first select Virginia Genealogist, The from the Database list. Then select Volume number. FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 11 - v. 16.
• [Compton] King, Larry. Blue Ridge Mountain Kinfolks: A Record of Ancestors, Descendants and Relatives of the Author and Wife, Including Fisher - Gilbert - Hall - Hartley - Hill - King - Kirby - Lawson Families. Manchester, Tenn.: King, 1976. FHL Book 929.273 K58ki.
  
• [Covert] King, George Harrison Sanford. "Maryland Coverts Become Virginia Colverts, Colberts and Calverts," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1970):3-10; Vol. 14, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1970):65-70. To locate digital pages use search form at American Ancestors ($); first select Virginia Genealogist, The from the Database list. Then select Volume number. FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 14 (1970).
• [Doughty] Dorman, John Frederick. Adventurers of Purse and Person Virginia 1607-1624/5. 3 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2005. See Volume 2. FHL Book 975.5 H2j v. 2.
• [Douglass] Thompson, Neil D. "The Douglass Family of Charles County, Maryland," The American Genealogist, Vol. 49, No. 4 (Oct. 1973):193-202; Vol. 50, No. 1 (Jan. 1974):45-51. FHL 973 D25aga v. 49
• [Douglass] Thompson, Neil D. "The Douglass Family of Charles County, Maryland: Some Further Observations," The American Genealogist, Vol. 53, No. 2 (Apr. 1977):76-78. FHL 973 D25aga v. 53
• [Eaton] Dorman, John Frederick. Adventurers of Purse and Person Virginia 1607-1624/5. 3 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2005. See Volume 2. FHL Book 975.5 H2j v. 2.
• [Fernando] Russell, George Ely. "Portuguese and Spanish Colonists in Seventeenth-Century Maryland," The American Genealogist, Vol. 76, No. 1 (January 2001):50-60; FHL 973 D25aga v. 76 Vol. 77, No. 1 (Apr. 2001):138-147. FHL 973 D25aga v. 77
• [Forbes] Gordon, John Steele. "Who Was the Wife of James Forbes, Member of the Continental Congress from Maryland?," The American Genealogist, Vol. 76, No. 1 (Jan. 2001):29-35. FHL 973 D25aga v. 76
• [Fowke] Copeland, Pamela C. and Richard K. MacMaster. The Five George Masons: Patriots and Planters of Virginia and Maryland. Lorton, Va.: The Board of Regents of Gunston Hall, 1989. FHL Book 929.273 M381cm.
  
• [Gambra] See A'Gambra.
• [Glaze] Harris, Gale Ion. "John Glaze, Planter, of Charles County, Maryland: With Notes on Other Early Glaze Families in America," The Genealogist, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Spring 2003):37-60.
• [Hawley] Hawley, Laura. Hawley, Halley, Holley and Families of Similar Surnames Found in Early Records of England, Maryland and Virginia. Bowie, Md.: Willow Bend Books, 2003.
• [Higdon] Coone, Lucille Barco and Robert S. Higdon. Colonial Higdons and Some of Their Descendants. Rev. ed. Manassas, Va.: L.B. Coone, 1978. FHL Film 1307612 Item 1.
• [Hoskins] Russell, George Ely. "Colonel Philip Hoskins (c1650-1718) of Port Tobacco, Charles County, Maryland," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 51, No. 1 (Mar. 1963):26-31, 248. FHL Collection 973 B2ng v. 51
• [Hoskins] "Colonel Philip Hoskins of Charles County, Maryland Addenda," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 51, No. 4 (Dec. 1963):248. FHL Book 973 B2ng v. 51.
• [Lamar] Lamar, William Harmong, "Thomas Lamar of the Province of Maryland, and a Part of His Descendants," Publications of the Southern History Association, Vol. 1, No. 3 (Jul. 1897):203-210. Digitized by Internet Archive.
• [Lewis] Cook, Michael L. "Major William Lewis," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 28, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1984):243-250. To locate digital pages use search form at American Ancestors ($); first select Virginia Genealogist, The from the Database list. Then select Volume number. FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 28 (1984).
• [Lomax] Thompson, Neil D. "English Origins of the Lomax Family of Charles County, Maryland," The American Genealogist, Vol. 45, No. 3 (Jul. 1969):153-156. FHL 973 D25aga v. 45
• [Lumbrozo] Russell, George Ely. "Elizabeth (Wiles) (Lumbrozo) (Browne) Robinson of Charles Co., Maryland, 1662," The American Genealogist, Vol. 55 (1979):174-177. FHL 973 D25aga v. 55
• [Lumbrozo] Russell, George Ely. "John Lumbroso Jr. (1666-1744) of Pasquotank County, North Carolina," The American Genealogist, Vol. 59, No. 1 (Jan. 1983):32. FHL 973 D25aga v. 59
• [Lumbrozo] Russell, George Ely. "Portuguese and Spanish Colonists in Seventeenth-Century Maryland," The American Genealogist, Vol. 76, No. 1 (January 2001):50-60; Vol. 77, No. 1 (Apr. 2001):138-147. FHL 973 D25aga v. 76
• [Mills] Hackett, John Davis and Kathryn Dickerson Shannon. "Mills Families of Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 35, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1991):215-228; Vol. 35, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1991):284-296; Vol. 36, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1992):34-48; Vol. 36, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1992):109-119. To locate digital pages use search form at American Ancestors ($); first select Virginia Genealogist, The from the Database list. Then select Volume number. FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 35 (1991)-v. 36 (1992).
• [Render] Smith, Pearl O. Renders and Their Relatives; Joshua Render of Charles County, Maryland, and Orange County, Virginia, and His Descendants, 1720-1985. Arlington, Va.: P.O. Smith, 1985. FHL Book 929.273 R293s.
  
• [Stonestreet] Newman, Harry Wright. Stonestreet Family of Maryland, 1538-1958. Typescript, 1953. FHL Fiche 6019079.
  
• [Stonestreet] Skidmore, Warren. Thomas Stonestreet of Birchden, Withyham, East Sussex, and of "Birchden" in Charles County, Maryland, with His Posterity Down to the Sixth Generation. Akron, Ohio: W. Skidmore, 1983. FHL Book 929.273 St72sw.
• [Story] Thompson, Neil D. "Walter Story of Charles County, Maryland, Father and Son," The American Genealogist, Vol. 51, No. 3 (Jul. 1975):147-150. FHL 973 D25aga v. 51
• [Swann] Joy, Charles Austin. "Descendants of Jonathan Swann of Charles County, Maryland, and Caroline County, Virginia," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 70 (1982):271-281.
• [Wheeler] Ball, Walter V. The Wheeler Family of Charles County, Maryland. Chevy Chase, Md.: W.V. Ball, 1966. FHL Book 929.273 W561b.
  

Gazetteers

Charles County Boundary Map.jpg

 

Immigration

The New Early Settlers of Maryland database is a great place to start searching for immigrants who had arrived in the colony by the 1680s. The database "comprises 34,326 entries from Gust Skordas' Early Settlers of Maryland and Carson Gibb's Supplement to the Early Settlers of Maryland." Available online, courtesy: Maryland State Archives.

Other Charles County immigration resources include:

• List of imported servants and convicts from Europe who served labor terms in Colonial Charles County, Maryland (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database. [Includes Richard J. Cox's abstracts of Maryland Gazette runaways.]

Land

Through a Joint eGovernment Service of the Maryland Judiciary and the Maryland State Archives, free images and indexes of the complete series of Charles County Deed Books (1658-present) have been uploaded to their website: A Digital Image Retrieval System for Land Records in Maryland. (Requires free registration.)

Local Histories

Maps

Military

Revolutionary War

• A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital version at Google Books. 1967 reprint: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. [See Maryland, Charles County on page 127.]

War of 1812

• List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FHL Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Maryland, Charles County, p. 145. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

• 1861-1865 - Maryland, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
• 1861-1865 - Maryland, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

Newspapers

• Charles County newspapers are identified in "Guide to Maryland Newspapers," available online, courtesy: Special Collections, Maryland State Archives.

Probate

• Probate Records, Colonial Index, 1634-1777 online at Maryland State Archives website - free

Online Probate Records

• 1604 – 1878 Maryland Wills and Probate Records 1604-1878 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
• 1635 – 1743 Maryland Calendar of Wills 1635-1743 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
• 1796 – 1940 Maryland Probate Estate and Guardianship Files , 1796-1940 at FamilySearch images

Taxation

• [1642-1673] Rent Rolls Index, Charles County, Maryland 1642-1673. Digital version at The USGenWeb Archives - free.
• [1678, 1681] 1678 and 1681 Charles County tax lists, available online, courtesy: MDGenWeb.
• [1733] 1733 Charles County Tax Lists, available online, courtesy: The Combs-Coombs &c. Research Group.
• [1758] 1758 Charles County Tax Lists, available online, courtesy: The Combs-Coombs &c. Research Group. [Not all lists for 1758 survive.]
• [1783] Charles County Tax List of 1783: This is an alphabetical index to names to all property owners assessed. The index cards at the Maryland State Archives include county, hundred, names of tracts of land and whether individuals were paupers or single males as provided in the law.

Vital Records

Birth

Marriage

• 1658 - 1940 Maryland County Marriages, 1658-1940 at FamilySearch — index
• 1666 - 1970 Maryland Marriages, 1666-1970 at FamilySearch — index
• Maryland Marriage References by Robert Barnes - free.
• Marriage Records - Maryland State Archives

Death

• 1898 - 1944 Maryland Death Index 1898-1944.

Societies and Libraries

Charles County Maryland Genealogical Society
LDS Family History Center
4560 Padgett Road
White Plains, Charles County, Maryland
P.O. Box 1537
White Plains, Md. 20695-1537
E-Mail: ccmdgs@yahoo.com
Website

Family History Centers

Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center.

• Introduction to Family History Centers
• White Plains Maryland Family History Center

Web Sites

• Charles County, Maryland Genealogy, History and Facts (Genealogy Inc)
• The Charles County MD GenWeb Project, a member of The MDGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
• "Charles Co.," in Genealogical Sources in Periodicals at The Maryland State Archives.
• The USGenWeb Archives Project for Charles County.
• The USGenWeb Archives Project for Charles County. (Backup site)
• FamilySearch Catalog, Charles County

References

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.