Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy

United States

Kentucky

Fayette County

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

Kentucky Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Lexington Organized: May 1, 1780 Parent County(s): Kentucky County (VA) Neighboring Counties Bourbon  • Clark  • Jessamine  • Madison  • Scott  • Woodford See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption Adopt-a-wiki page This page adopted by: KYGenWeb Project who welcome you to contribute. Adopt a page today

Old Fayette County Courthouse

County Information

Description

Fayette County was named for Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. The county is located in the northeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse

Fayette County Courthouse
162 E Main Street
Lexington, KY 40507-1363
Phone: 859.253.3344
Fayette County Website

Fayette County, Kentucky Record Dates

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.

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1852	1795	1852	1787	1794	1794	1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1911. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss

In 1803 the courthouse burned, along with "most of the records of the Court of Quarter Sessions and the County Court" that were kept at the home of Levi Todd. "It was believed that the fire was deliberately set in order to destroy land claims." The next Courthouse was built 1806. Then the next in 1884. This one burned in 1897. The "present day Courthouse was begun on September 5, 1898, on the same site as the previous three." 1803--A disaster resulted in some record loss. 1897--Fayette County Courthouse destroyed by fire on May 14, 1897.  Records were either carried out of the burning building or stored in a fireproof safe.

Boundary Changes

1780--Fayette County was created on 1 May 1780 as a Virginia county when Kentucky County (Virginia) was abolished to form Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln counties. See County Formations Database (Kentucky Land Office) County seat: Lexington Early Years: During the early years 1780 -1840, Kentucky was growing to be much more than a backwoods farming state. To emigrants, Lexington was considered the “Athens of the West”. It was known first to be a place with ample fertile farmland and then a place with a rich culture. Horse racing became a major event, universities were founded and the opera performed, the social and cultural life of Lexington was becoming truly Antebellum during this time period. For animated maps illustrating Kentucky county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Kentucky County Boundary Maps" (1776-1939) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Populated Places

On 1 January 1974, Fayette County and the City of Lexington consolidated their governments into one single entity with a chief executive. Since the formation of the Lexington-Fayette County Government, residents of cities in Fayette county also became citizens of the newly expanded Metro. However, none of the incorporated places dissolved in the process. Therefore, several "cities within a city" exist today in Fayette County. 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 Jefferson County:

Cities
Lexington
Unincorporated communities
Andover Forest Andover Hills Athens Clays Ferry	Colby Liberty Heights Little Texas	South Elkhorn Spears Todds Station
Census-designated places
Brier Hill Bryan Station Chilesburg Dog Fennel Donerail East Hickman Fort Spring	Greendale Jacks Creek Kirklivington McChord Russell Cave Richmond Pike	Sandersville South Elkhorn Sullivans Store Versailles Pike Walnut Hill Wickliff

Historically African-American Hamlets

• Bracktown
• Cadentown
• Jimtown
• Smithtown
• Little Georgetown
• Pralltown

History Timeline

Additional Information

Marquis de Lafayette

The county is named after Revolutionary War hero, the Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834).

Resources

Biographies

• KY Biographies

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Fayette, Kentucky online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Findagrave.com KYGenWeb KYGenWeb Archives Tombstone Project Kentucky Gravestones Billion Graves
TombstoneTranscriptions in Print (Often more complete)	Family History Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com Billion Graves Kentucky Cemeteries FamilySearch Places
See Kentucky Cemeteries for more information

The following web sites have additional information on Fayette county cemeteries.

• Interment.net, Kentucky cemetery records by county.
• The Old Union Church Cemetery inscriptions and images for Fayette County.
• Cemetery Junction, Links to cemetery transcriptions
• Naming the Forgotten, The Eastern State Hospital Project
• Lexington, Kentucky, Lexington National Cemetery, 1868-2010 at Ancestry ($)

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	18,410	—
1800	14,028	−23.8%
1810	21,370	52.3%
1820	23,250	8.8%
1830	25,098	7.9%
1840	22,194	−11.6%
1850	22,735	2.4%
1860	22,599	−0.6%
1870	26,656	18.0%
1880	29,023	8.9%
1890	35,698	23.0%
1900	42,071	17.9%
1910	47,715	13.4%
1920	54,664	14.6%
1930	68,543	25.4%
1940	78,899	15.1%
1950	100,746	27.7%
1960	131,906	30.9%
1970	174,323	32.2%
1980	204,165	17.1%
1990	225,366	10.4%
2000	260,512	15.6%
2010	295,803	13.5%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

For tips on accessing Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy census records online, see: Kentucky Census.

1790 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.

• Kentucky Census Transcriptions 1850-1930, USGenWeb
• Census Images, USGenWeb
• KY Census Online, Links to online census records

Church Records

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 Kentucky denominations, view the Kentucky Church Records wiki page.

• The Old Union Church Cemetery inscriptions and images for Fayette County.
• Kentucky Christian Church Directory, ChurchAngel
• Catholic Parishes in the Diocese of Lexington
• Catholic Parishes in the Archdiocese of Louisville

Baptist

• Boone's Creek aka Boggs Fork. Church minutes and membership lists (1795-1886) are available online.
• Bryan's Station. Church minutes (1786-1901) are available at the Kentucky Historical Society: Finding Aid.
• David's Fork. Church minutes and membership lists (1802-1900) have been published: Description.
• Forks of Elkhorn. Church minutes excerpts (1800-1817) are available online.
• Marble Creek. Church minutes (1787-1842) are available at the Kentucky Historical Society. (now located in Jessamine County)
• South Elkhorn. Church minutes (1821-1857) are available at the Kentucky Historical Society: Description.
• Tate's Creek. Church minutes (1793-1824) are available at the Kentucky Historical Society: Description.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Court Records

• Abstracts of Early Kentucky Supreme Court Cases, KYGenWeb
• Kentucky Court of Justice Research & Reference

Directories

• Polk's Lexington (Kentucky) city directory, 1931-32 : vol. XVI : containing an alphabetical directory of business concerns and at Ancestry ($)
• Inventory of the county archives of Kentucky: Fayette County at Ancestry ($)

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African Americans

More information about African American resources in Kentucky can be found on the African American Resources for Kentucky and the United States African Americans Wiki pages.

• African American Genealogy (US) has more information about the kinds of records available
• The African American Griots Project
• Kentucky Cultural Groups has information specific to Kentucky African Americans.
• Sandi Gorin's Tips, Hangings in Kentucky 1792-1900
• Garrison, Gwendolyn. Black Marriage Bonds of Fayette County, Kentucky. 11866-1876. - Lexington, Ky.:Kentucky Tree-Search. 1985. - 59 p. FHL 976.947 V2g. F457.F2 G37 1985

Genealogies

• [Allen] Bauman, William A. Harry Raymond and Ethel May (McHatton) Allen of Fayette County, Kentucky and a Genealogy of Their Ancestors Including the Allen, Boone, Bryan, Craig, Embry, Gayheart, Goodwin, Graves, Grimes, Hager, Massie, McHatton, McNamara, Murphy, Reynolds, and Stinnett Families. Winter Park, Fla.: W.A. Bauman, 2002. FHL Book 929.273 AL53bw
• [Arnold] McNamara, Elizabeth W. Weakley, Scearce, Arnold Families of Kentucky, Their Descendants and Ancestral Families. Baltimore, 1980. FHL Book 929.273 W371m.
• [Asbury] Holtzclaw, B.C. "Asbury of Westmoreland County, Virginia," Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Jul. 1967):55-65; Vol. 5, No. 4 (Oct. 1967):77-87; Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jan. 1968):10-26. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• [Ball] Buford, Marcus Bainbridge. A Genealogy of the Buford Family in America, With Records of a Number of Allied Families. San Francisco, Calif., 1903. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
• [Beeler] Pappas, Carolyn H. "Christopher Beeler, 1705-1775," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 43, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1999):243-255; Vol. 44, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2000):18-30; Vol. 44, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2000):115-125. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg.
• [Berry] Garrett, Pamela Hutchison. Ancestors and Descendants of Doctor Reuben Bell Berry, Fayette County, Kentucky. Oklahoma City, Okla.: P.H. Garrett, 2003. FHL Book 929.273 B459g.
• [Bird] Wylie, William Bird. Bird Genealogy. St. Louis, Mo.: W.B. Wylie, 1903. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library; FHL Book 929.273 B532w.
• [Blackwell] Ridenour, Melvin Otho. Brown and Related Families: Family History Data and Lineage Chart. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.: M.O. Ridenour, 1991. FHL Film 1697577 Item 17.
• [Bryan] Cooper, J.R. Bryan County [Family] of Fayette County, Kentucky. Typed transcript of a series of ten articles published in the Lexington Herald, Lexington, Kentucky, beginning Sunday, February 27, 1927, Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Ind. Microfilmed 1971: FHL Film 873506 Item 3 another version, found at the National Library, D.A.R., Washington, D.C. Microfilmed 1971: FHL Film 872856 Item 1
• [Cary] Harrison, Fairfax. The Virginia Carys. New York: De Vinne Press, 1919. Digital version at Internet Archive - free; FHL Film 1011836 Item 3.
• [Catlett] Peters, Norman R. "Benjamin Robinson of Caroline County, VA. But Not the Clerk!" The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 48, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2004):57-75; Vol. 48, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2004):120-139. Digital version at American Ancestors ($).
• [Clay] Smith, Zachary F. and Mary Rogers Clay. The Clay Family. Louisville, Ky.: John P. Morton and Company, 1899. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
• [Coleman] Curtis, Oscar F. Colman--Fitzpatrick Research File. MSS. Microfilmed 1989: FHL Film 1638368 Item 29.
• [Craven] Craven, Patricia. The Craven Clan of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Various Kentucky Counties Nelson, Washington, Marion, Boone, Fayette, Jessamine, Henry. Chicago, Ill.: P. Craven, 1988. FHL Book 929.273 C855cr.
• [Eads] Kademan, Janet Money and Alvis Money Magill. The Families of Johnathan Eads (1753-1806) of Harrison County, Kentucky and David Eads (1797-1872) of Davies County Missouri and Some of Their Descendants. Davenport, Iowa: J.M. Kademan, 1992. FHL Book 929.273 Ea25k.
• [Eads] Kademan, Janet Money. Supplement to the Families of Jonathan Eads (1753-1806) of Harrison County, Kentucky, and David Eads (1797-1872) of Daviess County, Missouri: and Some of Their Descendants: Being a Continuation of Chapters Three through Seven (with Index). Davenport, Iowa: J.M. Kademan, 1993. FHL Book 929.273 Ea25k supp..
• [Flournoy] Rivers, Flournoy. "The Flournoy Family," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Jul. 1894):81-90; Vol. 2, No. 2 (Oct. 1894):190-213; Vol. 2, No. 3 (Jan. 1895):318-327; Vol. 2, No. 4 (Apr. 1895):437-447; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jul. 1895):67-79; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Apr. 1896):414-416; Vol. 4, No. 1 (Jul. 1896):97-101. Digitized by JSTOR - free.
• [Frye] Wylie, William Bird. Bird Genealogy. St. Louis, Mo.: W.B. Wylie, 1903. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library; FHL Book 929.273 B532w.
• [Hart] Smith, Zachary F. and Mary Rogers Clay. The Clay Family. Louisville, Ky.: John P. Morton and Company, 1899. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
• [Henderson]Nichols, Elizabeth L. and Melanie Marie Springer. White, James (1754-1817) and His Wife Jeney/Jane McHatton (1768-1850) and Their Family with Emphasis on Their Second Daughter, Margaret (Peggy) White (1786-1860), Who Married 17 Mar 1807 in Fayette County, KY to James Henderson (1786-1862), Who are Ancestors to the Compilers; and Their Eldest Son, John McHatton White (1793-1866), Who Married 3 Sept 1816 in Greene County, OH to Tabitha McFarland (1797-1874), Daughter of Joseph McFarland and Margaret White. Salt Lake City, Utah: E.L. Nichols, 2005. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library; FHL Book 929.273 W584n.
• [Horn] Fuhlhage, Dorothy V. Horn, Eaton-Powell, Smothers-Meadows. MSS. Microfilmed 1994: FHL Film 1750771 Item 19.
• [Hurst] Pappas, Carolyn H. "Christopher Beeler, 1705-1775," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 43, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1999):243-255; Vol. 44, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2000):18-30; Vol. 44, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2000):115-125. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg.
• [Ireland] Reed, Beatrice Moore Caffey and Mary A. Browning. Genealogies of the Caffey, Iseley & Ireland Families of Rockingham, Guildford & Almance counties in North Carolina. High Point, N.C.: B.M.C. Reed, 1981. FHL Book 929.273 C116r.
• [Johnson] Buford, Marcus Bainbridge. A Genealogy of the Buford Family in America, With Records of a Number of Allied Families. San Francisco, Calif., 1903. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
• [Keen] Moore, Robert P. Keen/Keene of Virginia and Kentucky. Lexington, Ky.: R.P. Moore, 1996. {{FHL|835256|item|disp=FHL Film
• [McDonald] McDonald Family, Fayette County, Kentucky. Typescript. Microfilm: FHL Film 165997
• [McHatton] Bauman, William A. Harry Raymond and Ethel May (McHatton) Allen of Fayette County, Kentucky and a Genealogy of Their Ancestors Including the Allen, Boone, Bryan, Craig, Embry, Gayheart, Goodwin, Graves, Grimes, Hager, Massie, McHatton, McNamara, Murphy, Reynolds, and Stinnett Families. Winter Park, Fla.: W.A. Bauman, 2002. FHL Book 929.273 AL53bw
• [McKee] Hoffman, David R. Samuel McKee and His Family Notes on the Life of Samuel McKee Who Died in Fayette County, Kentucky, in 1813, on His Children, and on the Descendants of His Sons William, David and Samuel McKee, Jr. and His Daughter Jane McKee Story. Harrisburg, Pa.: D.R. Hoffman, 2006. FHL Book 929.273 M194hd
• [McKinnie] The Descendants of Lewis McKinnie. Typescript, 1940s. FHL Film 1405248.
• [Mansell] [George Mansell] Court Records, Fayette County, Kentucky. FHL Film 165997.
• [Muir] Vallentine, John F. and John Douglas Roberts. The Roberts-Orme Ancestry. 2 vols. Dunedin, New Zealand: J.D. Roberts, 1994-. Digital version at: FamilySearch Digital Library-Vol. 1, FamilySearch Digital Library-Vol. 2; FHL Book 929.273 R541v v. 1-v. 2.
• [Owens] Sone, Guy M. Genealogy of Rogers, Peyton, Owens, Sone, Marrs, Jennings, Jouett and Allied Families. Jefferson City, Mo.: G.M. Sone, 1958. FHL Film 875358 Item 4
• [Robinson] Peters, Norman R. "Benjamin Robinson of Caroline County, VA. But Not the Clerk!" The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 48, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2004):57-75; Vol. 48, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2004):120-139. Digital version at American Ancestors ($).
• [Sageser] Knouf, Osee Johnson and John Russell Sageser. Sageser Genealogy: Descendants of Jacob Sageser, Whose Will was Probated on August 6, 1821 in Fayette County, Kentucky. Decorah, Iowa: Anundsen, 1978. FHL Book 929.273 Sa18k
• [Shipp] Sanders, Walter R. The Shipp Genealogy from Essex, Caroline, Faquier Counties, Virginia, to Green, Taylor, Woodford, Jefferson, Fayette, Christian, Bourgon, Scott, Owen, Counties, Kentucky, and Johnson Counties, Indiana. Typescript. Microfilmed 1971. FHL Book 929.273 Sh64s; FHL Film 875372 Item 5
• [Stone] Calhoun, Logan E. John and Janetta Moore Stone of Fayette Co. Kentucky. Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 1900, 2000. FHL Book 929.273 St71cLe
• [West] Andrews, Ella Smith Johns. The Family of Edward West and Sarah Browne. Sarasota, Fla.: E.S.J. Andrews, 1983. FHL Book 929.273 W52ae.
  
• [White] Nichols, Elizabeth L. and Melanie Marie Springer. White, James (1754-1817) and His Wife Jeney/Jane McHatton (1768-1850) and Their Family with Emphasis on Their Second Daughter, Margaret (Peggy) White (1786-1860), Who Married 17 Mar 1807 in Fayette County, KY to James Henderson (1786-1862), Who are Ancestors to the Compilers; and Their Eldest Son, John McHatton White (1793-1866), Who Married 3 Sept 1816 in Greene County, OH to Tabitha McFarland (1797-1874), Daughter of Joseph McFarland and Margaret White. Salt Lake City, Utah: E.L. Nichols, 2005. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library; FHL Book 929.273 W584n.
• [Winn] Winn, James French. Winn Memoirs: Jesse Durrett Winn, His Family and Descendants. Cynthiana, Ky.: Hobson Press, 1942. FHL Film 1421482.

Land and Property Records

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 Kentucky Land and Property for additional information about early Kentucky land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.

• The KY Land Office
• Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Fayette County land records. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:

1. Record Book 1: 1794-1796

• Michael L. Cook, C.G. and Bettie A. Cumming Cook, C.G., Fayette County Kentucky Records Vol 2 (Evansville, Indiana : Cook Publications, 1985) FHL US/CAN Book 976.947 P2c. District Court Deed Book from 1803 to 1807.

It is of note that Fayette County has County Court Deed Books AND District and Circuit Court Deed Books. "The recording period of the Fayette District Court began in 1794, and continued until in 1802. The District Court was abolished, and replaced by the Fayette Circuit Court."

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories see the wiki page section Kentucky Local Histories.

• History of Fayette County, Kentucky. 1882. By Robert Peter ; edited by William Henry Perrin. Chicago, Illinois : O.L. Baskin. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Google Books; At various libraries (WorldCat).

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• KYGenWeb compiled list of maps
• Click on the county to go to the KYGenWeb site
• FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records

• Military Resources, Revolutionary War through Civil War
• Revolutionary War pensions of soldiers who settled in Fayette County, Kentucky at Ancestry ($)

War of 1812

Online Records

• 42nd Militia of 1811 Kentucky Pioneers ($)
• Paymaster Records from War of 1812 Kentucky Pioneers ($)
• 42nd Militia of 1813 Kentucky Pioneers ($)

Civil War

Online Records

• 1861-1865 - Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1861-1865 - Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; 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)
• 1912-1950 - Kentucky Confederate Pension Applications 1912-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Regiments. Men in Fayette County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
Confederate Soldiers

- 6th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry. Companies A, C, E, and G.

- 9th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry. Companies A, C, E, and G.

Union Soldiers

- 23rd Regiment, Kentucky Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.

- 27th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Company G.

- 16th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Company F.

- 10th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies B and C.

- 11th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies B and C.

- 12th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Company G.

- 13th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies A and L.

- 14th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies F, G, H, I, K, L and M.

- 1st Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies B, C, H and I.

- 24th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I.

- 30th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Company K.

- 37th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Company K.

- 40th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Company C and K.

- 4th Regiment, Kentucky Mounted Infantry (Union), Companies B, D and I.

- 53rd Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Companies G and H.

- 6th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Company A.

- 7th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Company D.

World War I

• Fallen Soldiers in WWI from KY

Korean War

• Korean War Memorial, Korean War Memorial for Soldiers from KY, KYGenWeb

Newspapers

• USNPL, Kentucky, Kentucky newspaper index with links
• World-Newspapers, Kentucky, Kentucky newspaper index with links
• Kentucky Newspapers on Microfilm

Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Do a Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).

Obituaries

• Kentucky Footsteps Archives, KYGenWeb
• Kentucky Obituary Sources, KYGenWeb

• Browning Genealogy Database, Compiled by Charles Browning.
• Kentucky Obituaries, USGenWeb
• Afrigeneas, African American death notices, obituaries and funeral programs compiled by users from current newspapers and historical sources
• Obituary Depot, Kentucky Newspaper Citations
• Obituary Daily Times, Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries (Ancestry)

Other Records

• Kentucky Postcards, USGenWeb

Probate Records

Probate records are held by the Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy Courthouse. Microfilmed records can be found online at Kentucky, Probate Records, 1792-1977 for Caldwell, Henry, Hickman, Russell and Trimble counties. See the wiki page Kentucky Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.

Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.

Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, and adoptions.

Online Probate Records

• 1774–1999 Kentucky Wills and Probate Records 1774-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
• 1793-1808 Kentucky Pioneers ($) Images of Wills, Estates, Inventories, Bk A
• 1809-1813 Kentucky Pioneers ($) Images of Wills, Estates, Inventories, Bk B
• 1819-1824, 1881-1894 - Will Books E and F (1819-1824) and 6 and 7 (1881-1894) digitized by FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1794-1818 - Fayette County, Kentucky Wills 1794-1818 at Ancestry.com ($)

Social Security Records

• 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

Taxes were levied on free white males over 21 and slaves aged 21 to 60. These persons are referred to as "polls." Tax listings, or digests, of a county generally list the taxable landowners and other polls and the amount of tax. The records for each county are divided by militia district. For more background information and state-wide resources see the wiki page Kentucky Taxation.

• 1787 - Fothergill, Augusta B. and John Mark Naugle. Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-87, Other Than Those Published by the United States Census Bureau. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1978. Online at FamilySearch - free; FHL [1787 personal property tax list of Fayette County.]
• 1787 - Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 & 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 & Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle & Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. Available through the FamilySearch Catalog FamilySearch; FHL. [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Fayette County is included in Vol. 1.]
• 1788 - Stewart, Robert Armistead. "Personal Tax List of Fayette County (Kentucky), 1788," The Researcher: A Magazine of History and Genealogical Exchange, Vol. 1, No. 4 (Jul. 1927):239-241. Available at FHL. [Only part of the list was published.]
• 1789 - Heinemann, Charles B. "First Census" of Kentucky 1790. Washington, D.C.: n.p., FHL US/CAN 976.9 X2ph 1981; digital version at Kentucky Kinfolks. [Includes "5 volumes of 1789, with some duplication of names."]
• 1800 - 1800 Tax List of Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy is included in Clift's Second Census of Kentucky 1800, digitized by Ancestry ($).
• Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records, Ancestry ($)

Vital Records

Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Although Kentucky enacted a statute in 1852-1862 requiring registration of births and deaths,many counties did not comply. A second law was written in 1874-1879, and 1892-1910 but, again, was not always followed. By 1911, the law was more clearly defined and kept by 1920. Any existing births 1852-1960 and death records 1852-1953 can be accessed online. See How to Find Kentucky Birth Records and How to Find Kentucky Death Records for links to indexes and images.

Original marriage records are held at the office of the Fayette County Clerk, with divorce records 1849-1958 located with the Fayette County Circuit Court. For more information see How to Find Kentucky Marriage Records. For Kentucky divorce records see the wiki page Kentucky Vital Records.

Birth

• 1839-1960 - Kentucky Births and Christenings, 1839-1960 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1852-1861 - Fayette County Birth Index 1852-1861. Batch C517311 at FamilySearch
• 1911-1912 - Searchable KY Birth Index
• 1911-1999 Kentucky Births, 1911-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Marriage

• 1609-2016 - Kentucky, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
• 1785-1979 - Kentucky Marriages 1785-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1795-1801 - Kentucky Pioneers ($) Marriages - Book 1
• 1797-1954 - Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
  
• 1803-1814 - Fayette County, Kentucky Marriage Records, 1803-14 at Ancestry ($)
• 1803-1850 - Kentucky Pioneers ($) Marriages - Book 1
• 1820-1841 - Kentucky Pioneers ($) Marriages - Misc
• 1854-1861 - Fayette County Marriage Index 1854-1861. Batch M517311 at FamilySearch
• 1973-2000 - Searchable KY Marriage Records
• 1973-2000 - Kentucky Marriage Records 1973-2000
• 1960-1993 Kentucky Marriages, 1960-1993 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death

• 1843-1970 - Kentucky Deaths and Burials 1843-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1911-1965 - Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1911-2000 - Searchable KY Death Index
• 1900-1999 Kentucky Deaths, 1900-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index
• United States Social Security Death Index - How to Use this Collection
• The Kentucky Vital Records Project, Transcriptions and Images of Kentucky Death Certificates

Divorce

• 1973-1993 - Kentucky Divorces 1973-1993, University of Kentucky Vital Records Databases

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Fayette County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.

• Archives of Appalachia
  East Tennessee State University
  Website

Family History Centers

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.

• Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• Lexington Kentucky Family History Center

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Fayette County. For state-wide library facilities, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.

Societies

Listed below are societies in Fayette County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Kentucky Societies.

• Fayette County Genealogical Society
  P.O. Box 8113
  Lexington, KY 40533-8113
  Website
  
  

• Links and addresses to Kentucky genealogical and historical societies

Websites

• Fayette County, KY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
• Fayette County KYGenWeb
• Fayette County USGenWeb Archives
• KYGenWeb project. Has maps, name indexes, history or other information for each county. Select the county.
• State of Kentucky Website
• USGenWeb Kentucky Archives
• The USGenWeb project May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
• Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
• Fayett County Photos
• Fayette County KY Genealogy (Kentucky Genealogy)
• FamilySearch Catalog . Free - 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

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

Family History Library