Lauderdale County, Alabama Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named in honor for Colonel James Lauderdale of Tennessee. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lauderdale County Courthouse 200 South Court Street Florence, AL 35631 Phone: 256-760-5710 Fax: 256-760-5727 Lauderdale County Website Probate Judge has marriage and probate records

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator.

Biographies

 * Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land, 1888. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Lauderdale County begins on page 90.
 * Lauderdale County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project

Census Records
State Census


 * 1855   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1866  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * 1831-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * County Circuit Court record book for 1843-50 - can be viewed online at the website of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library website.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Land and Property Records
To place a grant or deed on a map within context of Lauderdale County see:


 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Lauderdale County, Alabama: with Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Norman, Okla.: Arphax Pub. Co., 2006. This is a definitive work and can be used as an index to land grants. Digital version at HistoryGeo.com ($). Website includes surname index..

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * Family Maps of Lauderdale County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Alabama Maps and Blueprints Collection at Alabama Department of Archives and History – maps can be browsed by location or subject

Military Records
Mulatipal Wars
 * ca.1918-ca.1962  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
 * 1861-1865 Civil War Service Database at Alabama Department of Archives and History - index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry $
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry $
 * 1871-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
 * - 10th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B "Jefferson Volunteers"
 * - 18th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C (Cahaba Valley Rangers)
 * - 18th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G (Yancey Guards [or Yancey Rangers])
 * - 19th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C (Jefferson Warriors)
 * - 20th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C and G
 * - 28th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D, G and H
 * - 30th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K
 * - 43rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G
 * - 58th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C and D

World War I
 * 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Service Records at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
 * 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Gold Star Files at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images

World War II
 * 1940-1945  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1940-1966 Alabama Active Military Service Reports at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images

Newspapers

 * Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Obituaries

 * 1952-1975 Florence Herald Obituaries, by Billy Joe Sledge at Natchez Trace Genealogical Society website.

Other Records
Voter Registration
 * 1834-1981  at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and some images

Periodicals

 * Valley Leaves. 1966–. Published by the Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1568, Huntsville, Alabama 35807. . Website identifies articles relating to Lauderdale County (click "Search by County").

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1753-1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1809-1985  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1825-1832 Images of Wills 1825-1832 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
 * 1830-1976  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014  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

 * 1865-1866 U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry $

Birth

 * 1881-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1930   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images

Marriage

 * 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast ($)
 * 1800-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1809-1920 Alabama, Compiled Marriages from Selected Counties, 1809-1920 Ancestry ($)
 * 1809-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1816-1957  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1818-1902, 1910, 1923,1935-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 Ancestry ($)]
 * 1818-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1820-1929 Lauderdale County Marriage Books 1-33 Index 1820-1929 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * To 1825 Index to Marriages Ancestry ($)
 * 1833-1900 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 Ancestry ($)]
 * Lauderdale County, Alabama Marriages 1820-1857. By Mrs. W.E. McClain. n.d. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library. Transcripts of Marriage Books 1-6.
 * Marriage Records: Lauderdale County, Alabama 1818-1857. By Robin and Betty Womble Crew. n.d. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Death

 * 1881-1952  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 Ancestry ($)
 * 1908-1959 Alabama, Death Index, 1908-1959 Ancestry ($)
 * 1908-1974  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Family History Centers

 * Florence Alabama Family History Center

Libraries
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library 350 N. Wood Ave. Florence, Alabama 35630 Phone: 256-764-6564 or 256-764-6629 Website
 * The Genealogy and Local History Room offers local histories, family files, newspapers, yearbooks, maps, photographs, and more.

Societies
Natchez Trace Genealogical Society P. O. Box 420 Florence, AL 35361 Website Publication: Natchez Trace Traveler Natchez Trace Newsletter

Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society P. O. Box 1568 Huntsville, Alabama 35807 Website Publication: Valley Leaves

Tennessee Valley Historical Society P. O. Box 149 Sheffield, AL 35660 Website Publication: Journal of Muscle Shoals History

Lauderdale County, Alabama Genealogy & History Network Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * USGenWeb Archives Project~ contains record transcriptions from Bibles, obituaries, court records and more.
 * Lauderdale County ALGenWeb~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Lauderdale County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Lauderdale County Genealogy (Alabama Genealogy)
 * Lauderdale Co. AL
 * United States Resources: Alabama
 * Al Gen Web
 * – 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.