Polk County, Florida Genealogy
Guide to Polk County, Florida ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named in honor of former US President James K. Polk, whose 1845 inauguration was on the day after Florida became a state. It is located in the central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Polk County Courthouse
255 N Broadway Ave
Bartow, FL 33830-3912
Phone: 863-534-4540
Polk County Website
Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, court, and land records from 1861. [3]
Polk County, Florida 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 |
| 1892 | 1861 | 1899 | 1861 | 1861 | 1861 | 1830 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
| |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1870 | 3,169 | — |
| 1880 | 3,181 | 0.4% |
| 1890 | 7,905 | 148.5% |
| 1900 | 12,472 | 57.8% |
| 1910 | 24,148 | 93.6% |
| 1920 | 38,661 | 60.1% |
| 1930 | 72,291 | 87.0% |
| 1940 | 86,665 | 19.9% |
| 1950 | 123,997 | 43.1% |
| 1960 | 195,139 | 57.4% |
| 1970 | 227,222 | 16.4% |
| 1980 | 321,652 | 41.6% |
| 1990 | 405,382 | 26.0% |
| 2000 | 483,924 | 19.4% |
| 2010 | 602,095 | 24.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing census records online, see: Florida Census.
- 1783 Spanish Census USGenWeb
- 1821 Census/Tax List Index USGenWeb
- 1823 Census/Tax List Index USGenWeb
- 1880 Census African Born Blacks and Mulattos USGenWeb
- 1885 Florida State Population Census includes sex, age, relationship, occupation, place of birth of each family member and parents. Also census for agriculture, manufacture and mortality. - How to Use this Collection
- 1935 1935 Florida State Census at MyHeritage - index ($))
- Federal Census Information from National Archives USGenWeb
- State Census Information from Florida State Archives USGenWeb
- Census of Pensioners Revolutionary Military Service USGenWeb
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 Florida denominations, view the Florida Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1893-1922 Minutes, 1893-1916; Index to Judgements, 1893-1922(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1897-1926 General Index to Chancery Docket, 1897-1926(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
- NARA Ships Passenger Lists - These passenger lists cover:
- 1834-1897 - Immigration of Russians to the United States
- 1/12/1846-12/31/1851 - Irish Famine
- 1850-1897 - Germans to the United States
- 1855-1900 - Italians to the United States
- 1834-1897 - Immigration of Russians to the United States
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African-Americans[edit | edit source]
- USGenWeb Florida African American Griots Project
- Afrigeneas - African Genealogy
- Heritage and History in Polk County
- Willow Lawn Cemetery, African American obituaries
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Alexander Funeral Home in Winter Haven
- Cannon Funeral Home LLC in Lakeland
- Coney Funeral Home in Lakeland
- Cremation Services of Polk County, LLC in Winter Haven
- David Russell Funeral Home in Lakeland
- Epps Memorial Funeral Home in Lake Wales
- Gause Funeral Home in Bartow
- Gentry Morrison Funeral Homes in Lakeland
- Heath Funeral Chapel and Crematory in Lakeland
- Holmes Funeral Directors in Haines City
- Johnell Caver Your Home for Funerals, Inc. in Lake Wales
- Johnson-Nelson-Gill Funeral Home and Crematory in Lake Wales
- Kersey Funeral Home in Auburndale
- Lakeland Funeral Home in Lakeland
- Lanier Funeral and Cremation Services in Lakeland
- Marion Nelson Funeral Homes and Crematory in Lake Wales
- Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Haines City and Winter Haven
- Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home in Winter Haven
- Richard Funeral Services in Haines City
- Seigler Funeral Home. Inc. in Mulberry
- Steele's Family Funeral Services in Winter Haven
- Whidden-McLean Funeral Home and Crematory in Bartow
- Williams Funeral Home in Bartow
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 Florida Land and Property for additional information about early Florida land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for most counties. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories see the wiki page section Florida Local Histories.
- M. F. HETHERINGTON (1928). History Of Polk County, Florida (The Record Company Printers, Saint Augustine, FL) hosted at Digital Collections. digital library
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- 1821-1997 Maps of Florida
- 1870 Gray's Atlas Panhandle Portion of StateUSGenWeb
- 1882 Rand McNally Panhandle Portion of StateUSGenWeb
- Exploring Florida, FCIT Maps University of South Florida
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- Florida State Military Files USGenWeb
- Florida state pension records from various wars Pension Transcriptions USGenWeb
Civil War
- 1861-1865 - Florida Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 - Florida Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free)
- 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free)
- 1885-1955 - Florida Confederate Veterans and Widows Pension Applications, 1885-1955 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
World War I
- 1917-1920 - Florida, World War I Navy Card Roster, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
World War II
- 1940-1945 - Florida, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Korean War
- Florida Casualties in the Korean Conflict distantcousin.com
Vietnam War
- Distantcousin.com Florida Casualties in the Vietnam War
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- Florida Digital Newspaper Library at George A. Smathers Libraries
- Early Florida Newspapers at the Florida State Library USGenWeb
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- USGenWeb Obituaries Project Obituary transcriptions from Florida counties
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Indexes and Records
- 1784-1990 Florida Probate Records, 1784-1990(*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
- 1827-1950 Florida, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1827-1950 at Ancestry ($)
- 1854-1899 Probate Packets, 1854-1899 approx(*); County Judge's Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1860-1877 Probate Record, 1860-1877, Marriage Licenses, book A(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1861-1936 Probate Records, 1861-1936(*); County Judge's Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1861-1975 Probate Docket, 1861-1929; Index, 1861-1975(*); County Judge's Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
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 information see the wiki page Florida Taxation.
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 Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Florida State Archives, or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1880-1935 - Florida, Births and Christenings, 1880-1935 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1802-1998 - Florida, United States Marriages at Findmypast $
- 1822-1875 and 1927 - 2001 - Florida, Marriage Index, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1830-1957 - Florida, County Marriages, 1830-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1830-1993 - Florida, Marriages, 1830-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1837-1974 - Florida, Marriages, 1837-1974 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1862-1881 - Marriages 1862-1881 at Southeasterngenealogy.com $
- 1970 - 1999 Florida, Marriages, 1970 - 1999 at MyHeritage - index ($))
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1877-1939 - Florida, Deaths, 1877-1939 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1877-1998 - Florida, Death Index, 1877-1998 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1900-1921 - Florida, Deaths and Burials, 1900-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1927-2001 - Florida, Divorce Index, 1927-2001 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 1970 - 1999 Florida, Divorces, 1970 - 1999 at MyHeritage - index ($))
Voter Records[edit | edit source]
- 1867-1868 Web: Florida, U.S., Voter Registration Rolls, 1867-1868 at Ancestry - index ($)
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Polk County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Florida Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
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
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Polk County. For state-wide library facilities, see Florida Archives and Libraries.
Polk County Library Cooperative
2150 South Broadway Avenue
Bartow, FL 33830
Phone: 863-534-0131
Website
- There are thirteen Libraries throughout the county. Please check the website for locations and address.
- There are thirteen Libraries throughout the county. Please check the website for locations and address.
Bartow County Historical Genealogical Library
100 East Main Street
Bartow, FL 33830
Phone: 863-534-4380
website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Polk County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Florida Societies.
Imperial Polk Genealogical Society
PO Box 10
Kathleen, FL 33849
Email: ipgs1981@gmail.com
Website Facebook
Polk County Historical Association
P O Box 2749
Bartow, FL 33831-2749
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Polk County, Florida Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Polk County (FLGenWeb Project, Inc.)
- 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[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Florida.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia, “Polk County, Florida Genealogy and History”, [1] accessed 01/15/2020.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Florida.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Florida.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ WorldCat 50140092 FHL Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.] (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002)
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Polk County County, Florida," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia accessed Feb 1 2018.
