Beaufort County, South Carolina Genealogy

United States

South Carolina

Beaufort County

Guide to Beaufort County, South Carolina ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

South Carolina Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Beaufort Organized: April 16, 1868 Parent County(s): Beaufort District Neighboring Counties Colleton  • Hampton  • Jasper See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption This page is available for adoption

County Information

Description

The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse

Beaufort County Courthouse
100 Ribaut Rd
Beaufort, SC 29902
Telephone: 843-521-5050
Beaufort County Website

County Pronunciation
Hear it spoken.

Beaufort County, South Carolina 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
1915	1911	1915	1865	1865	1865	1790
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1915. General compliance by 1918.

Record Loss

Beaufort suffered a major loss in February 1865 after records had been removed to Columbia for safety and subsequent losses during Reconstruction. Deed books in particular have suffered heavy losses. 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. List of counties in the United States with Record Loss

Boundary Changes

Parent Counties: Created from Beaufort District (eliminated), April 16, 1868. County seat: Beaufort, Interactive Map of South Carolina County Formation History (1790-1897) - animated maps illustrating South Carolina county boundary changes Beaufort County, South Carolina Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library

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:

Cities
Beaufort	Hardeeville
Towns
Bluffton Hilton Head Island	Port Royal Ridgeland	Yemassee
Unincorporated communities
Brighton Beach Dale Frogmore Lady Island	Lobeco Parris Island Pocotaligo Pritchardville	Sheldon Sun City Hilton Head Seabrook
Census-designated places
Burton	Laurel Bay	Shell Point
Historic communities
Daufuskie Island
Islands
Callawassie Island Fripp Island Hilton Head Island	Lady's Island Parris Island Port Royal Island	Saint Helena Island Spring Island

Resources

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Beaufort County, South Carolina online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find A Grave SCGenWeb USGenWeb Archives Interment.net BillionGraves
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	Family History Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find A Grave FamilySearch Places
See South Carolina Cemeteries for more information.

• To view a list, see Beaufort County, South Carolina Cemeteries.
• National Cemetery Administration

Census Records

For all existing and online Federal population schedules of South Carolina, see South Carolina Census. See also USGenWeb Census Project, South Carolina, including links to transcribed files.

• 1829-1920 South Carolina, State and Territorial Censuses, 1829-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	18,753	—
1800	20,428	8.9%
1810	25,887	26.7%
1820	32,199	24.4%
1830	37,032	15.0%
1840	35,794	−3.3%
1850	38,805	8.4%
1860	40,053	3.2%
1870	34,359	−14.2%
1880	30,176	−12.2%
1890	34,119	13.1%
1900	35,495	4.0%
1910	30,355	−14.5%
1920	22,269	−26.6%
1930	21,815	−2.0%
1940	22,037	1.0%
1950	26,993	22.5%
1960	44,187	63.7%
1970	51,136	15.7%
1980	65,364	27.8%
1990	86,426	32.2%
2000	120,937	39.9%
2010	162,233	34.1%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1790

• Jarrell, Lawrence E. Early Beaufort South Carolina Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. FHL Collection 975.79 X2jL

1800

• Jarrell, Lawrence E. Early Beaufort South Carolina Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. FHL Collection 975.79 X2jL

1810

• Jarrell, Lawrence E. Early Beaufort South Carolina Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. FHL Collection 975.79 X2jL

1820

• Jarrell, Lawrence E. 1820 Beaufort District, South Carolina Census. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 1998. FHL Collection 975.799 X2j 1820

1839

• "The 1839 State Census of Beaufort District," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 36, No. 3 (Summer 2008):139-143; Vol. 36, No. 4 (Fall 2008):193-195; Vol. 37, No. 1 (Winter 2009):29-31; Vol. 37, No. 2 (Spring 2009):89-91; Vol. 38, No. 2 (Spring 2009):89-91. FHL Books 975.7 B2sc v. 36-v. 38 Abstract of SCDAH microfilm CN 656B.

1850

• Caldwell, Betsy McIntosh, Ann Kirkland Laffitte, and Lucy Keating Cobb. The 1850 Census of St. Luke's Parish, Beaufort County, South Carolina. Bluffton, S.C.: Bluffton Historical Preservation Society, 1984. FHL Collection 975.799 X2c 1850
• Jarrell, Lawrence E. 1850 Beaufort District, South Carolina Census Complete Transcription of the Free Schedule, U.S. Federal Census; Current Counties of Beaufort, Hampton, Jasper and Parts of Allendale, South Carolina. High Point, N.C.: Alligator Creek Genealogy Publications, 2000. FHL Collection 975.799 X2j 1850

Church Records

For documents of early residents in this area, look in:

• St. Helena's Parish since 1712
• Prince William Parish since 1745
• St. Peter's Parish since 1747
• St. Lukes Parish since 1767

The following Beaufort County church records have been indexed on the International Genealogical Index:

Church	Baptisms	Batch	Marriages	Batch
Prince William's Parish (Sheldon Church)	1825-1873	C506571	1826-1876	M506571
St. Helena's Parish	1683-1822	C506581	1683-1822	M506581
Stoney Creek (Independent Congregational Church)	1744-1756	C506591	1744-1756	M506591

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African Americans
Beaufort County, South Carolina African Americans

• For a list of known plantations see: South Carolina Plantations.

Genealogies

• [Albergotti] Albergotti, William Greer. The Chronicles of the Albergotti Family in the Colony of South Carolina, 1732-1776, the State of South Carolina, 1776-1978. Anderson, S.C.: W.G. Albergotti, 1979. FHL Collection 929.273 AL14aw
• [Bedon] Bedon Family. No publication information. FHL Collection 929.273 B391bed
• [Black] D.A.R. Charlevoix Chapter (Blytheville, Arkansas). Black: Transcript of Bible Records, 1798-1962. FHL Collection 929.273 B561bLa
• [Box] Koonce, Herbert F. Paternal Genealogy of the Box Family. [Ala.?]: H.F. Koonce, 1971. FHL Collection 1027881 Item 2
• [Bradley] Drake, Charles E.F. "Benoni Bradley of Beaufort: A Connecticut Yankee in the Low Country," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Reseach, Vol. 33, No. 3 (Summer 2005):127-132. FHL Book 975.7 B2sc v. 33
• [Breler] Slaymaker, Susan Clark. The Ancestry of Susan Clark Slaymaker Anderson, Aultman, Beattle, Bellote, Blount, Breland, Bryant, Calcoat, Carruth, Clark, Cowan, Credille, Crenshaw, Durant, Earnest, Eldridge, Floyd, Franklin, Johnson, Kelly, Kirland, Kittrell, McKee, Morris, Odom, Osborne, Ousley, Perry, Pipkin, Powell, Rowland, Savell, Slocumb, Steen, Thompson, Waller, Willis/Willix, Wilson. Gold River, Calif.: S.C. Slaymaker, 1988. FHL Collection 929.273 A1 no. 2312
• [Breler] Slaymaker, Susan Clark. Southern Born and Southern Bred Family Group Sheets of the Anderson Altman/Aultman, Beatty, Bellote, Blout, Breland/Brealer, Bryant, Carruth, Clark, Cocke, Earnest, Floyd, Franklin, Gulley/Gully, Harris, Hart, Hinnant, Hodges, Hooks, Houston, Johnson, Kirkland, Kittrell, Odom, Osborne, Ousley/Owsley, Perry, Sanders/Saunders, Savell, Slocumb, Steen, Tully, Waller, West, Willis/Willix, Wilson ancestors of Susan Clark Slaymaker. Gold River, Calif.: S.C. Slaymaker, 1990. FHL Collection 6334341; 1991 Supplement: FHL Collection 6334444
• [Cole] Long, Mary Cole Farrow. Stranger in a Strange Land, from Beaufort, South Carolina, to Galveston Island, Republic of Texas, a Biography of Judge James Pope Cole (1814- 1886). Belton, Texas: Bear Hollow Publishers, 1986. FHL 921.73 C675L
• [DeLoach] DeLoach, Harry R. DeLoach Families, 1630-1980 William, William I, William II, Hardy: Descendants of Hardy DeLoach, First DeLoach Settler in Georgia. Claxton, Ga.: H.R. DeLoach, 1981. FHL Collection 929.273 D382d
• [Dixon] Mann, Jean Anne Dixon. Dixon: A Pioneer Family in Florida. Fernandina Beach, Fla.: J.D. Mann, 1992. FHL Collection 929.273 D643m
• [Donehue] Andrea, Leonardo. Donehue. Typescript, 1949. FHL Collection 1033991 Item 33
• [Durling] Durling, Fred Albert. Durling - Rohrmoser Pedigrees, 1628-1972. Typescript. Microfilmed 1983. FHL Collection 6018729; Spanish version: FHL Collection 929.27287 D935d
• [Durling] Durling, Fred Albert. Genealogy and History of the Durling Family in the United States and Panama. Typescript. 1983-1988. FHL Collection 1033938 Item 30; revised edition: 1320635 Item 37, revised edition (1988): 1320836 Item 7
• [Heyward] Leach, Frank Willing. "Thomas Heyward, Jr., 1745-1809," Genealogy of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Vol. 20 (year):6047-6185. FHL Collection 1756
• [Hogg] Howard, John Webb. Record of the Hogg and Howard Families of St. Luke's Parish, Beaufort District, South Carolina. MSS., South Carolina Historical Society, Charleston, S.C. FHL 22795 Item 5
• [Howard] Howard, John Webb. Record of the Hogg and Howard Families of St. Luke's Parish, Beaufort District, South Carolina. MSS., South Carolina Historical Society, Charleston, S.C. FHL 22795 Item 5
• [Jenkins] Webber, Mabel L. "Descendants of John Jenkins, of St. John's Colleton," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct., 1919), pp. 223-251. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
• [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.
• [Lendegreen] "Sweat Family Bible Records, 1806-1865." FHL Collection 376973 Item 11
• [Lendegreen] "Sweat Family Bible Records, 1764-1871." FHL Collection 203240 Item 3
• [Norton] "Norton Family Bible Records, ca. 1783-1881." FHL Collection 203240 Item 3
• [Redding] Dewees, Mary Adelaide Redding. Record of the Descendants of George Redding and Elizabeth Holdcombe Redding. Oak Hill, Fla.: M.A.R. Dewees, 1984. FHL Collection 929.273 R248d
• [Robert] Stafford, George Mason Graham. Three Pioneer Rapides Families: A Genealogy. New Orleans, La.: Pelican Pub. Co., 1946. FHL Collection 929.273 R541sg
• [Smalls] Billingsley, Andrew. Yearning to Breathe Free: Robert Smalls of South Carolina and His Families. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, 2007. FHL Collection 921.73 Sm18b
• [Smart] Davis, Johnna Josey. From Coosawhatchie to Liberty: The Descendants of Reverend James Smart and Levi Long. Knoxville, Tenn.: Tennessee Valley Pub., 1995. FHL Collection 929.273 Sm27d
• [Stoney] Stoney, William Shannon. Genealogy of the Stoney Family. n.p.: W.S. Stoney, 1932. FHL Collection 929490
• [Tanner] Stafford, George Mason Graham. Three Pioneer Rapides Families: A Genealogy. New Orleans, La.: Pelican Pub. Co., 1946. FHL Collection 929.273 R541sg
• [Tattnall] Smith, D.E. Huger. "An Account of the Tattnall and Fenwick Families of South Carolina," South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1913). FHL Collection 1465567 Item 2
• [Thomson] "A Thomson Genealogy," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Summer 2000):123-136; Vol. 28, No. 4 (Fall 2000):186-191; Vol. 29, No. 1 (Winter 2001):25-38. FHL Book 975.7 B2sc v. 28-29
• [Tillman] Lowther, Luella. Tillman. Visalia, Calif.: L. Lowther, 1991. FHL Collection 929.273 T466LL.
• [Tuten] Holland, Mary Ketus Dean and Allen Vernon Tuten. The Tutten Family. 3 vols. 1980. FHL Collection 1035971 Item 4
• [Ulmer] Ulmer, Lawrence H. and Marsha Lee Ulmer. Our Ulmer Heritage. Hemingway, S.C.: Three Rivers, [1996]. FHL Collection 929.273 UL5u
• [Warnell] Hargrett, Felix. The Warnell Family of Liberty County, Georgia a Sketch: With Notices of the Allied Families, Smart and Stubbs. Athens, Ga.: F. Hargrett, 1984. FHL Collection 929.273 A1 no. 4431
• [Wigg] Elvey, Gerald. The Wigg Family. Chichester, England: Phillimore, 1989. FHL Collection 929.273 W638wi
• [Wilder] Wilder Family: Notable Careers of Captain E.B. Wilder and and William H. Wilder. Typescript. Microfilmed 2001. FHL Collection 1425343 Item 37

Land and Property Records

Because South Carolina was an agricultural state, many residents owned land. For earliest records, search 1) Charleston District, 2) your ancestor’s residential district, 3) neighboring districts, 4) the residential county, 5) neighboring counties. Not all districts and counties kept records. See also South Carolina Land and Property.

Online Land Indexes and Records
The following chart shows where you may best expect to find land records.

Tracing Land Currently in Beaufort County with Parent Counties and Districts

Date	Government Office
1868-present	Beaufort County
1865-1868	Beaufort District
1769-1865	Records Lost *
1710-1769	Charleston District
1670-1710	Proprietary Land Grants

• Beaufort District records destroyed by fire
• Plats For State Land Grants 1784-1868 For information about the State Land Grants, see State Land Grants
• Sherrard, Thomas H. A Working Plan for Forest Lands in Hampton and Beaufort Counties, South Carolina. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1903. Digital version at Google Books.

Local Histories

The county was named for Henry Somerset, second Duke of Beaufort (1684-1714), one of the Lord Proprietors of South Carolina. Beaufort was once home to a both a French Fort (built 1562) and a Spanish fort (built 1566), neither of which survived. Learn more about the history of Beaufort County from the South Carolina State Library or from Carolana.com.

• Dabbs, Edith M.Sea Island Diary a History of St. Helena Island (Spartanburg, South Carolina Reprint, 1983, c1983), 285 pages. History of Penn School and St. Helena Island, showing the inseparably interwoven heritage of blacks and whites together. Book at FHL 975.799 H2d and Other Libraries
• Johnson, Guion Griffis.A Social History of the Sea Islands With Special Reference to St. Helena Island, South Carolina (New York, New York Negro Universities Press, 1969), 245 pages. Sea Islands during the Federal Occupation throughout the Civil War and Negro culture on St. Helena Island. Book at FHL 975.799 H2j and Other Libraries
• Marscher, Fran Heyward. Remembering the Way it was at Hilton Head, Bluffton, and Daufuskie(Charleston, South Carolina The History Press, c2005-c2007), 190 pages. A collection of oral histories. Book at 975.799 H2m v.1 and Other Libraries.
• Marscher, Fran Heyward. Remembering the Way it was at Beaufort, Sheldon and the Sea Islands(Charleston, South Carolina The History Press, c2006), 126 pages. A collection of oral histories. Book at FHL 975.799 H2mf and Other Libaries
• Pearson, Elizabeth Ware. Letters from Port Royal, 1862-1868 (New York, New York Arno Press, Inc., 1969), 345 pages. Letters from Port Royal written at the time of the Civil War. Experiment in freedom for 10,000 slaves. Book at FHL 975.799 F2L , Other Libraries
• Rowland, Lawrence S. The History of Beaufort County, South Carolina(Columbia, South Carolina University of S.C., c1996), 521 pages. Three historians of the Palmetto State recount more that three centuries of Spanish and French exploration, English and Huguenot agriculture and African slave labor. Book (Vol.1) at FHL 975.799 H2rand Other Libraries.
• Smith, Henry A.M. "Beaufort: The Original Plan and the Earliest Settlers," The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3 (Jul. 1908):141-160. FHL Collection 975.7 B2s v. 9 (1908); digital version at JSTOR ($).
• Todd, John Reynard and Francis Marion Huston. Prince William's Parish and Plantations (Richmond [Virginia] Garrett & Massie, c1935), 265 pages. This book portrays the physical development & transition of the Prince William's Parish section of South Carolina from the earliest days to the present and to preserve the old records. Book at 975.799 H2m v.1 Other Libraries

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration

Early migration routes to and from Beaufort County for European settlers included:

• Atlantic Ocean about 1670
• Charleston-Savannah Trail (an extension of the King's Highway) late 1730s

Military Records

General

• "Court-martial at Black Mingo for neglect of military duty, 1809," Three Rivers Chronicle, Summer 2004, Volume 25, Issue 2. Three Rivers Historical Society Hemingway, SC.
• "Charlesfort revisited," Huguenot Society of South Carolina Transactions, 1985, Volume 26, Issue 90. Huguenot Society of North Carolina Charleston, SC. FHL Collection Book 975.7 C4h
• "Port Royal Sound, French and Spanish forts," Huguenot Society of South Carolina Transactions, 1936, Volume 7, Issue 41. Huguenot Society of South Carolina Charleston, SC.FHL Collection Book 975.7 C4h
• "Charles fort, Parris Island, dedication," Huguenot Society of South Carolina Transactions, 1926, Volume 5, Issue 31. Huguenot Society of South Carolina Charleston, SC.FHL Collection Book 975.7 C4h
• "Charles fort, Parris Island, 1562," Huguenot Society of South Carolina Transactions, 1924, Volume 5, Issue 29. Huguenot Society of South Carolina Charleston, SC.FHL Collection Book 975.7 C4h
• "Ribaults Fort," Huguenot Society of South Carolina Transactions, 1907, Volume 2, Issue 14. Huguenot Society of South Carolina Charleston, SC.FHL Collection Book 975.7 C4h

Revolutionary War

• Barnwell, Robert. An Oration, Delivered before the Philomathean Society and Inhabitants of Beaufort, South Carolina, on Monday, July 4, 1803, In Commemoration of American Independence. Charleston, S.C.: John J. Evans & Co., 1803. Digital version at Google Books.
• "Battle of Port Royal note, 1779," Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, February 2001, Volume 135, Issue 2. Daughters of the America Revolution Washington, D.C. FHL Collection 973 B2dar Films 1294343-48, 1697390 and 2055446.

Civil War

• 1861-1865 South Carolina Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
• 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)

Regiments. Civil War service men from Beaufort County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies and regiments that were specifically formed of men from Beaufort County.

- 1st Battalion, South Carolina Sharpshooters, Company B - (also known as the Sumter Guards)

- 1st Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (McCreary's) (1st Provisional Army), Company H - (also known as Haskell's Rifle Corps)

- 1st Regiment, South Carolina Mounted Militia,

- Barnwell's Company (also known as Palmetto Hussars)

- Blakewood's Company (also known as Hardeeville Guerrillas)

- Bostick's Company (also known as Allendale Guards)

- Fripp's Company (also known as St. Helena Mounted Riflemen)

- Kirk's Company (also known as May River Troop or Bluffton Troop)

- Martin's Company (also known as Calhoun Minute Men or Red Oak Rangers

- Screven's Company (also known as Beaufort District or Coosawhatchie Guerrillas)

- 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (2nd Palmetto Regiment), Company I (also known as Palmetto Guards)

- 2nd Battalion, South Carolina Cavalry Reserves,

- Company B

- Ashley Dragoons or Ashley Rangers (also known as Captain Colcock's Company, South Carolina Cavalry)

- Beaufort District Troop (also known as Captain J. H. Howard's Company)

- 2nd Regiment, South Carolina State Troops (6 months 1863-64), Company E and Company K

- 2nd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Company B (also known as Beaufort Detachment, Hampton Legion, Beaufort District Troop, Beaufort Dragoons)

- 3rd Battalion, South Carolina Light Artillery (Palmetto Battalion), Company F (also known as the Chestnut Light Artillery)

- 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry,

- Company C (also known as the Beaufort District Troop and Captain John H. Howard's Company, South Carolina Cavalry)

- Company H (also known as the Ashley Dragoons or Rangers)

- Company I (also known as the Rebel Troops)

- 4th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Rutledge's), Company D

- 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry , Company G

- 7th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry , Company B

- 8th Battalion, South Carolina Reserves (Stalling's), Company C

- 9th Battalion, South Carolina infantry (Smith's) (Pee Dee Legion), Company D

- 9th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves,, Company K

- 11th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (9th Volunteers),

- Company A

- Company D

- Company E

- Company F

- 11th Regiment, South Carolina Reserves(90 days 1862-63), Company F and Company L

- 24th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company D

Other Resources

• Staudenraus, P.J. "Occupied Beaufort, 1863: A War Correspondent's View," The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 64, No. 3 (Jul. 1963):136-144. Digital version at JSTOR (($)).
• Pearson, Elizabeth Ware, Letters from Port Royal, 1862-1868 (New York, New York: Arno Press, Inc., 1969), 345 pages. Letters from Port Royal written at the time of the Civil War. Experiment in freedom for 10,000 slaves. Book at FHL 975.775 H2t , Other Libraries
  
• Johnson, Guion Griffis. A Social History of the Sea Islands With Special Reference to St. Helena Island, South Carolina (New York, New York;: Negro Universities Press, 1969), 245 pages. Civil War pages start on 154. Sea Islands during the Federal Occupation throughout the Civil War and Negro culture on St. Helena Island. Book at FHL 975.799 H2j and Other Libraries

Newspapers

Eighteenth-century South Carolina newspapers contain a wealth of information about residents from many counties. The Early South Carolina Newspapers Database (ESCN Database) has created an every-name index to the three largest newspapers for the years 1732 to 1780.

• 1800s-1999 Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry ($)

Historic
The Library of Congress has identified the following historic newspapers for Beaufort County, South Carolina on their Chronicling America website. For publication details, including dates of publication, frequency, preceding and succeeding titles, and to find out which libraries have holdings, click on the newspaper title.

• Beaufort County News (Beaufort, S.C.) 1939-1939.
• Beaufort County Times (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1872.
• Beaufort Republican (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873.
• Beaufort Times (Beaufort, S.C.) 1940-1940.
• Hilton Head Report (Hilton Head Island, S.C.) 1983-1988.
• Hospital Sentinel (Hilton Head, S.C.) 186?-186?.
• Hilton Head Sun (Hilton Head, S.C.) 1988-????.
• Port Royal Commercial and Beaufort County Republican (Port Royal, S.C.) 1873-1874.
• Port Royal Standard and Commercial (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876.
• The Beaufort Enterprise (Grahamville, Beaufort District, S.C.) 1860-1860.
• The Beaufort Gazette ([Beaufort, S.C.]) 1828-18??.
• The Beaufort Gazette (Beaufort, S.C.) 1897-current.
• The Beaufort-Jasper News (Beaufort, S.C.) 1939-1939.
• The Beaufort Republican and Sea Island Chronicle (Beaufort, S.C.) 1869-1871.
• The Beaufort Times (Beaufort, S.C.) 1944-1946.
• The Beaufort Tribune and Port Royal Commercial (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879.
• The Camp Kettle (Camp Kalorama, Washington, D.C.) 1861-186?.
• The Camp Kettle (Beaufort, S.C.) 1861-186?.
• The County Democrat (Beaufort, S.C.) 1910-1912.
• The Crescent (Beaufort, S.C.) 1879-1881.
• The Free South (Beaufort, S.C.) 1863-1864.
• The Hospital Transcript (Hilton Head, S.C.) 1865-1865.
• The Hospital Transcript (Hilton Head, S.C.) 1865-186?.
• The Island Packet (Hilton Head Island, S.C.) 1970-current.
• The Lowcountry Ledger (Beaufort, SC) 1988-1992.
• The New South (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1866.
• The New South (Beaufort, S.C.) 188?-189?.
• The Palmetto Herald (Port Royal, S.C.) 1864-1864.
• The Palmetto Post (Port Royal, S.C.) 1882-1906.
• The Sea Island News (Beaufort, S.C.) 1879-1888.
• The Southern Standard (Beaufort, S.C.) 1872-1873.
• The Tribune (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876.

University of South Carolina Library Catalog

• Historical Newspapers of South Carolina at University of South Carolina Libraries - not complete

Current

• Island Packet (Hilton Head, S.C.) Online edition.
• The Beaufort Gazette (Beaufort, S.C.) Online editon.

Obituaries

Beaufort County Obituary Indexes

The Beaufort County Library has created a Newspaper Obituary Index. The Index is drawn from the library's microfilmed collection. Also included are some local newspapers that were started in 2006--Beaufort Today, Bluffton Today, and Hilton Head Island Today--these are not in the microfilm archives, they are just published in an online version as the source.

Currently, the obituary index contains 18,794 records from 18 Beaufort County newspapers from 1862 and May 15, 1984 and October, 2007 to the present. This is an ongoing project and records are being added on a regular bases. The site includes instructions on how to secure copies if you locate your ancestor. This index has been compiled independently by volunteers and the staff at the Beaufort County Library! T What a great asset to those doing research in Beaufort County.

Periodicals

Tap into the minds of local experts. Editors of genealogical periodicals publish unique sources that researchers new to their area may not encounter. Periodicals at various levels (county, region, and state) may carry articles useful to research in this area. For more information and links, see South Carolina Periodicals.

Probate Records

Various types of records are created throughout the probate process of settling estates and property, usually after death. These may include, wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions. For further information see probate records in South Carolina Probate Records.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1670-1980 South Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1670-1980 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
• 1671-1977 South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images Only
• 1732-1964 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images Only
• 1782-1866 South Carolina, Will Transcripts 1782-1866 at Findmypast — index, ($) — $, index

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

Tax Records

Tax-related records are kept by the offices of the county Assessor, Auditor, Sheriff, and Treasurer. Taxes were levied on real and personal property and can help establish ages, residences, and relationships. See South Carolina Taxation for online resources and suggestions.

Online Tax Indexes and Records

• South Carolina Department of Archives and History tax lists for Beaufort County.
  

An interesting article about the intersection of free blacks and tax collecting in the county was published in 2006:

• Free Negroes Prohibition on Collecting Taxes, 1821-1841, Carolina Herald and Newsletter, Vol. 34, No. 3 (Jul. 2006).

Published abstracts

• 1816 Aggregate of Poor Tax for St. Peters in 1816, South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 35, No. 2 (Spring 2007).

Vital Records

Birth, marriage, and death records were not recorded by South Carolina until the 1900s, thus leaving a lack of vital records created by Civil authorities. See South Carolina Vital Records for online resources and suggestions.

Birth

State-wide birth registration did not begin until 1915. For records after 1915, see the South Carolina Vital Records page.

• 1766-1900 South Carolina, Delayed Birth Certificates, 1766-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
• 1915-1917 South Carolina, U.S., Births, 1915-1917 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

Marriage

In South Carolina, Probate Courts issued and still keep marriage licenses from 1 July 1911 to the present. Licenses were not required before 1911. In the 1700s, the Church of England parish churches were required to record all marriages - even if the couple were not members of the denomination. Statewide registration of marriages started in July, 1950. See South Carolina Vital Records for indexes and more information.

Marriages - Indexes

• There are several online marriage indexes containing miscellaneous marriage records found insome counties of South Carolina listed on the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Death

State-wide death registration began in 1915. For information and online records, see the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Deaths and Substitutes - Indexes and Records

• 1816-1990 South Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1816-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1821-1969 South Carolina, U.S., Death Records, 1821-1969 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• 1862-1984; 2007-2011 - Newspaper Obituary Index, 1862- May 1984; Oct 2007 to Present by Beaufort County Library - index
• 1915-1943 South Carolina, Deaths, 1915-1943 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
• 1915-1965 South Carolina Deaths, 1915-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index & Images
• State-wide South Carolina Death Indexes. There are several online death indexes covering all of South Carolina listed on the South Carolina Vital Records page.

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Beaufort County. For state-wide library facilities, see South Carolina Archives and Libraries.

Family History Centers

Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries

• 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

• Beaufort South Carolina Family History Center
• Charleston South Carolina Family History Center
• Ridgeland South Carolina Family History Center
• Savannah Georgia Family History Center
• Statesboro Georgia Family History Center

• Heritage Library Foundation - an affiliate library
• International African American Museum - an affiliate library
• Live Oak Public Libraries - an affiliate library

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Beaufort County. For state-wide library facilities, see South Carolina Archives and Libraries.

Libraries
Beaufort County Public Library
Address:
311 Scott St.
Beaufort, SC 29902
Telephone: (843) 255-6456
FAX: (843) 470-6541
Hours: Monday - Thursday: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM; Frriday - Saturday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Sunday: CLOSED

Collections: Beauford District Collection preserves, maintains and makes accessible a research collection of permanent value that records the history of the area of lowcountry South Carolina known as the old historic Beaufort District. It is intended to be used by customers who perform their own research. TheBDC Research Room provides access to some of its materials and services through the “Virtual BDC,” the BDC web pages, the Online Obituary Index, the Phosphate, Farms, and Family digital collection, and the Connections blog.

They present programs about local history, archaeology, and our coastal environment, including the occasional instructional session about how to perform historical and/or genealogical research
. The BDC Research Room welcomes all visitors and researchers over the age of 12 years. It has space for up to 6 researchers at a time. Group visits must be scheduled in advance realizing they may not be able to accommodate a request.
Website

• Heritage Library Foundation
  Address:
  852 William Hilton parkway
  2nd Floor, Suite A-2
  Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States
  Telephone: 843-686-6560
  Email: Info@heritagelib.org
  Hours: Monday, Thursday, Fririday, Saturday 10:00 am-3:00 pm, Closed: Saturday in July and August
  Fee: ($)10.00 per day
  
  Services: Microfilm readers, computers, high-speed Web service, major online databases at Ancestry.com, Genealogy.com, and HeritageQuest.com through the Library’s network. The Library offers educational programs and publishes The Heritage Observer, a newsletter, and Glimpses,The library is a certified branch facility of the Family History Library.
  
  The Heritage Library is a private reference library and research center which is open to the public. It is one of the most comprehensive libraries of its kind in the region, with and collections of books, microfilm, microfiche, CD-ROM, manuscripts, periodicals, video tapes, audio tapes, and maps. South Carolina materials account for about 10 percent of the holdings. The balance covers other states and many countries.
  Online catalog
  
  Collections: Collections include the records of The Hilton Head Island Historical Society containing a wealth of historical information, old photographs, and maps of Hilton Head Island and the Low Country. Also included is census data collected by the State of South Carolina immediately following the Civil War. The Library has a continually-growing collection of histories of the plantations that existed on the island, and such ongoing projects as indexing maps, land certificates and indentures, and the collection of material on Colored Troops from pension and other records

Societies

Listed below are societies in Beaufort County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see South Carolina Societies.

• Beaufort County Genealogical Society
  P.O. Box 5492
  Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
• Beaufort County Historical Society
  P.O. Box 55
  Beaufort, SC 29901
  Website Facebook
• Bluffton Historical Preservation Society
  P.O. Box 742
  Bluffton SC 29910
  (843) 757-2960
  Email: info@heywardhouse.org
  Website Facebook
• Parris Island Historical and Museum Society
  Bldg. 111
  Marine Corps Recruit Depot
  Parris Island SC 29905
  Website

Websites

• Beaufort County, SCGenWeb
• Beaufort County, South Carolina 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.

Research Guides

• South Carolina Archives Summary Guide: Beaufort County, available online, courtesy: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

FamilySearch affiliate libraries may have access to center-only databases, but do not always have all services normally provided by a family history center.