Sumter County, Florida Genealogy
Guide to Sumter 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 for General Thomas Sumter, a general in the American Revolutionary War. The County is located in the central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Sumter County Courthouse
209 N Florida Street
Bushnell, FL 33513-9402
Phone: 352-793-0200
Sumter County Website
Clerk Circuit Court has marriage and land records from 1853, probate records from 1856, divorce records from 1900, court records from 1913 and delayed birth records 1943-1972 [3]
Sumter 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 |
| 1943 | 1853 | 1899 | 1913 | 1853 | 1856 | 1830 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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A courthouse fire in 1909 destroyed nearly all the contents.[5]
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Sumter County, Florida Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 1,549 | — |
| 1870 | 2,952 | 90.6% |
| 1880 | 4,686 | 58.7% |
| 1890 | 5,363 | 14.4% |
| 1900 | 6,187 | 15.4% |
| 1910 | 6,696 | 8.2% |
| 1920 | 7,851 | 17.2% |
| 1930 | 10,644 | 35.6% |
| 1940 | 11,041 | 3.7% |
| 1950 | 11,330 | 2.6% |
| 1960 | 11,869 | 4.8% |
| 1970 | 14,839 | 25.0% |
| 1980 | 24,272 | 63.6% |
| 1990 | 31,577 | 30.1% |
| 2000 | 53,345 | 68.9% |
| 2010 | 93,420 | 75.1% |
| 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]
- 1855-1901 Foreign Judgments, 1855-1901(*); Circuit, County Judge's Court, etc. at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1877-1930 Sumter Co., Florida Index to Chancery Orders, Circuit Court, 1877-1930(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1893-1927 Sumter Co., Florida, Index to Circuit Court Minutes, 1893-1927(*); Probate 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 American
- USGenWeb Florida African American Griots Project
- Afrigeneas - African Genealogy
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Beyers Funeral Home and Crematory in Bushnell
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.
Florida Territorial Land Records
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.
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 ($)
- 1856-1933 General Index to Records, 1856-1933(*); County Judge at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1856-1974 Probate Records, 1856-1933; Index, 1856-1974(*); County Judge's Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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
- 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 Sumter 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 Sumter County. For state-wide library facilities, see Florida Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Sumter County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Florida Societies.
Sumter County Historical Society
217 N. Market St.
Bushnell, FL 33513
352-793-3962
Email: sumterhistoricalsocietyfl@gmail.com
Website
The Villages Genealogical Society
2322 Wilton Way
The Villages, FL 32162
352-751-6966
Email: info@vgsfl.org
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- State of Florida
- Sumter County FlGenWeb
- USGenWeb Project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- Sumter County, Florida Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Sumter 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 contributors, " Sumter County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia 04/26/2017.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Sumter County Florida, County Courthouse, sumter county accessed 18 January 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.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "sumter County, Florida," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia accessed 12 February 2019.
