Harrison County, Mississippi Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for William Henry Harrison. The County has Biloxi and Gulfport as its seat and the County was created 1841. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse


Harrison County Courthouse P.O. Box 998 Gulfport, MS 39502 Phone: 228-865-4051 Fax: 228-865-4099



Harrison County Courthouse District 2 P.O. Box 235 Biloxi, MS 39533 Phone: 228-435-8233 Fax: 228-435-8270

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage records from 1841 and court records. Clerk Chancery Court has divorce, probate and land records.

Parent County
1841--Harrison County was created 5 February 1841 from Hancock and Jackson County. County seat: Gulfport

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Mississippi county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Mississippi County Boundary Maps" (1785-1918) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
1916--Some records were lost.

Populated Places

 * Biloxi

Neighboring Counties

 * Hancock
 * Jackson
 * Pearl River
 * Stone

Census

 * 1845 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.


 * 1870 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.


 * 1805 - 1890 Mississippi, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1805-1890 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1660 - 1820 U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1792 - 1866 Mississippi, State and Territorial Census Collection, 1792-1866 at Ancestry.com — index $

Church Records
LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Biloxi

Maps

 * Maps of Mississippi (1785-1918)

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.org — index/images
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.org — 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)
 * 1889-1942 - at FamilySearch — images
 * 1900-1974 - at FamilySearch — images


 * Men from Harrison County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Harrison County.


 * - 3rd Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
 * Company E - Biloxi Rifles, aka Biloxi Rifle Guards
 * Company H - Dahlgren Guards
 * - 9th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry
 * Company C - Mayers’ Company
 * - 17th Battalion, Mississippi Cavalry
 * Company C - Evans’ Rangers
 * Company E - Mayers’ Company

Naturalization

 * Certificates of naturalization, 1925-1933 Index

Probate Records
Online Records
 * 1780 – 1982 Mississippi Wills and Probate Records 1780-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1781 – 1930 at FamilySearch — images

Taxation

 * 1846-1899 -, courtesy: FamilySearch - free.

Marriage

 * 1800 - 1911 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1776 - 1935 Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1826 - 1900 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-1900 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1826 - 50 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-50 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * to 1825 Mississippi Marriages to 1825 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1841-1895 - Harrison County Marriage Books 1-11 Index 1841-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

Divorce

 * 1916-1964 Divorce case files, 1916-1964; index, 1916-1950, 1916-1964 Viewable

Vital Record Substitutes

 * Enumeration of educable children of Harrison County, 1885, 1890, 1892, 1896, 1900, 1902, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1927, 1885-1927 Viewable

Genealogy Societies and Libraries
See also a List of Mississippi Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Family History Centers

 * Gulfport Mississippi Family History Center

Websites

 * -county/ Harrison County, MS History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb Harrison County, Mississippi project. Has maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.