Mississippi County Resources
This entry was originally written by Kathleen Stanton Hutchison for Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.
Microfilm and original copies of a large, although incomplete, collection of Mississippi county records are in the collection held by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Microfilm copies are also generally available through the FHL. Researchers will still want to consult county courthouses for those materials that have either not been transferred or microfilmed, including'but not limited to'marriage licenses, probate files, court records, etc.
In 1798 when Mississippi became a territory, Adams, Pickering, and Washington counties were organized. Pickering was renamed Jefferson in 1802. As new counties were formed in the territory, some counties in both Alabama and Mississippi duplicated names from territorial days. For a visual representation of this county formation problem, see William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to U.S. Federal Census Records, 1790'1920 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1987).
Dates in the chart that follows indicate those materials jointly held by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the FHL. Known record losses from fires and other causes are indicated. Deeds, probate records, and marriages may be found at the chancery clerk at the county courthouse. Microfilmed marriage books for both whites and African Americans (see Mississippi Vital Records) are indicated, in that order, under 'Marriages.' Court records may be found in the appropriate clerk's office at the courthouse. Updated listing of contact information for county chancery clerks can be found at www.mslawyer.com/mssc/chanclk.html.
Many sources for Mississippi research are available online and are increasing in quantity through the state's USGenWeb project (www.rootsweb.com/usgenweb/ms/msfiles.htm).
Map | County | County Address | Date Formed | Parent County(ies) | Birth | Marriage | Death | Land | Probate | Court |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2 | Adams | Natchez 39120-1008 | 1799 | Natchez District | 1802/1866 | 1780 | 1800 | 1781* | ||
*Some early records are Spanish. | ||||||||||
A7 | Alcorn | Corinth 38834-0069 | 1870 | Tippah/Tishomingo | 1876/1871 | 1870 | ? | 1881 | ||
Record loss, 1917. | ||||||||||
J3 | Amite | Liberty 39645-0680 | 1809 | Wilkinson | 1809/1866 | 1810 | 1809 | 1809 | ||
D5 | Attala | 230 W. Washington St., Kosciusko 39090 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1892/1892 | 1858 | 1858 | 1858 | ||
Bainbridge | (renamed Covington)Lawrence/Wayne | |||||||||
A6 | Benton | Ashland 38603-0218 | 1870 | Marshall/Tippah | 1870/1909 | 1870 | 1871 | ? | ||
B3 | Bolivar | Rosedale 38769-0698 and Cleveland 38732 | 1836 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1866 | 1836 | 1861? | 1836 | ||
B6 | Calhoun | Pittsboro 38951-0008 | 1852 | Lafayette/Yalobusha | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
D5 | Carroll | 1 Pinson Sq., Carrollton 38917 and Vaiden 39176 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1834/1915 | 1834 | 1834 | 1834 | ||
B6 | Chickasaw | 101 N. Jefferson St., Houston 38851 and Okalona 38860 | 1836 | Chickasaw cession, 1832 | 1863/1863 | 1836 | 1863 | 1863 | ||
Record loss, 1863. | ||||||||||
D6 | Choctaw | Ackerman 39765-0250 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1881/1881 | 1880 | 1879 | 1881 | ||
G2 | Claiborne | 410 Main St., Port Gibson 39150 | 1802 | Jefferson | 1802/1805 | 1802 | 1802 | 1805 | ||
G7 | Clarke | Quitman 39335-0616 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1853/1865 | 1834 | 1837 | 1867? | ||
C7 | Clay | West Point 39773-0815 | 1871 | (as Colfax; renamed 1876)Chickasaw/Lowndes/Oktibbeha | 1872 | 1872 | 1872 | 1872 | ||
B3 | Coahoma | 5 First St./P.O. Box 579, Clarksdale 38614 and Friars Point 38631 | 1836 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1849/1849 | 1839 | 1856? | ? | ||
Colfax | 1871 | (renamed Clay, 1876) Chickasaw/Lowndes/Oktibbeha | ||||||||
G3 | Copiah | Hazlehurst 39083-0551 | 1823 | Choctaw cession, 1820 | 1823 | 1823 | 1823 | 1856? | ||
H5 | Covington | Collins 39428-1679 | 1819 (as Bainbridge; renamed) | Lawrence/Wayne | 1904/1904 | 1853 | 1854 | 1857 | ||
Record loss, 1904. | ||||||||||
A4 | DeSoto | 2535 Hwy. 51 S, Hernando 38632 | 1836 | Chickasaw cession, 1832 | 1845/1866 | 1836 | 1836 | 1854 | ||
Record loss, 1940. | ||||||||||
J6 | Forrest | Hattiesburg 39401-1310 | 1906 | Perry | 1906 | 1906 | 1906 | ? | ||
H2 | Franklin | Meadville 39653-0297 | 1809 | Adams | 1825/1825 | 1842* | 1842 | 1836 | ||
Record loss, 1877. | ||||||||||
K7 | George | 355 Cox St., Lucedale 39452 | 1910 | Greene/Jackson | 1910/1910 | 1910 | 1910 | 1910 | ||
J7 | Greene | Leakesville 39451-0460 | 1811 | Amite/Franklin/Wayne | 1874/1910 | 1876 | 1878 | 1898 | ||
Record loss, 1875. | ||||||||||
C5 | Grenada | Grenada 38520-1280 | 1870 | Carroll/Yalobuska/Choctaw/Tallahatchie | 1870/1880 | 1834* | 1870 | 1870 | ||
*Earlier records from parent counties are included. | ||||||||||
K5 | Hancock | P.O. Box 429, Bay St. Louis 39520 | 1812 | Mobile District | 1853 | 1853 | 1853 | 1853 | ||
Record loss, 1853. | ||||||||||
H6 | Harrison | P.O. Box CC, Gulfport 39501 | 1841 | Hancock/Jackson/Perry | 1841/1907 | 1841 | 1853 | ? | ||
Record loss, 1916. | ||||||||||
F3 | Hinds | Raymond 39154-0686 and Jackson 39201 | 1821 | Choctaw cession, 1820 | 1870/1871 | 1870 | 1823 | 1854* | ||
*Index and partial records begin 1854 with fragments earlier. | ||||||||||
D4 | Holmes | Lexington 39095-0239 | 1833 | Yazoo | 1884 | 1833 | 1833 | ? | ||
D3 | Humphreys | Belzoni 39038-0547 | 1918 | Holmes/Washington/Yazoo/Sunflower | 1918? | 1918? | 1918? | 1918? | ||
E2 | Issaquena | Mayersville 39113-0027 | 1844 | Washington | 1866 | 1843 | 1849 | 1849 | ||
B8 | Itawamba | Fulton 38843-0776 | 1836 | Chickasaw cession, 1832 | 1837 | 1836 | 1854 | 1854 | ||
K7 | Jackson | Pascagoula 39567-0998 | 1812 | Mobile District | 1875 | 1875 | 1874 | 1875 | ||
Record loss, 1875. | ||||||||||
G6 | Jasper | Paulding 39348-1047 and Bay Springs 39422 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1906/1906 | 1904* | 1904* | |||
*Indexes available for earlier dates. Record loss, 1932. | ||||||||||
H2 | Jefferson | Fayette 39069-0145 | 1799 | (as Pickering; renamed 1802)Natchez District | 1805/1869 | 1798 | 1805 | 1802 | ||
Record loss, 1904. | ||||||||||
H5 | Jefferson Davis | Prentiss 39474-1137 | 1906 | Covington/Lawrence | 1906/1906 | 1906 | 1906 | 1906 | ||
H6 | Jones | Ellisville 39437-1468 and Laurel 39440 | 1826 | Covington/Wayne | 1882/1888 | 1828 | 1894 | 1857 | ||
Record loss. | ||||||||||
E7 | Kemper | DeKalb 39328-0188 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1912/1912 | 1881 | 1881 | 1881 | ||
Record loss, 1882. | ||||||||||
A5 | Lafayette | Oxford 38655-1240 | 1836 | Chickasaw cession, 1832 | 1850/1876 | 1836 | 1836 | 1836 | ||
J5 | Lamar | Purvis 39475-1240 | 1904 | Marion/Pearl River | 1903 | 1836* | 1901 | ? | ||
*Includes former Marion County records. Record loss, 1934. | ||||||||||
F7 | Lauderdale | Meridian 39301-1587 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1839/1870 | 1837 | 1849 | 1856 | ||
H4 | Lawrence | Monticello 39654-1160 | 1814 | Marion | 1818/1910 | 1815 | 1836 | 1815 | ||
Record loss. | ||||||||||
E5 | Leake | Carthage 39051-0072 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1836 | 1834 | 1852 | 1844 | ||
B7 | Lee | Tupelo 38801-1785 | 1866 | Itawamba/Pontotoc | 1867/1867 | 1867 | 1867 | 1867 | ||
C4 | Leflore | Greenwood 38930-0250 | 1871 | Carroll/Sunflower/Tallahatchie | 1844/1894 | 1837* | 1845* | ? | ||
*Includes records from parent counties. | ||||||||||
H3 | Lincoln | Brookhaven 39601-555 | 1870 | Franklin/Lawrence/Copiah/Pike/Amite | 1893/1893 | 1894 | 1893 | ? | ||
D7 | Lowndes | Columbus 39701-1364 | 1830 | Monroe | 1830/1881 | 1830 | 1830 | 1837 | ||
F4 | Madison | Canton 39046-0404 | 1828 | Yazoo | 1830 | 1828 | 1828 | 1828 | ||
J5 | Marion | 215 Broad St., Columbia 39429 | 1811 | Amite/Wayne/Franklin | 1812/1908 | 1821? | 1812 | 1812 | ||
A5 | Marshall | Holly Springs 38635-0219 | 1836 | Chickasaw cession, 1832 | 1836 | 1856* | 1836 | 1839 | ||
*Two early deed books missing. | ||||||||||
B7 | Monroe | Aberdeen 39730-0578 | 1821 | Chickasaw cession, 1816 | 1821 | 1821 | 1825 | 1825 | ||
C5 | Montgomery | Winona 38967-0071 | 1871 | Carroll/Choctaw | 1891/1901 | 1871 | 1872 | 1872 | ||
Record loss, 1903. | ||||||||||
E6 | Neshoba | 401 Beacon St., Philadelphia 39350 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1877/1895 | 1835 | 1837 | 1859 | ||
F6 | Newton | Decatur 39327-0068 | 1836 | Neshoba | 1872/1876 | 1876 | 1876 | 1876 | ||
Record loss, 1877 and 1910 | ||||||||||
D7 | Noxubee | Macon 39341-0147 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1834/1834 | 1834 | 1834 | 1834 | ||
D7 | Oktibbeha | 101 E. Main St., Starkville 39759 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1861/1861 | 1834 | 1880 | 1836 | ||
Record loss, 1880. | ||||||||||
A4 | Panola | 151 Public Sq., Sardis 38666 | 1836 | Chickasaw cession, 1832 | 1871/1884 | 1836 | 1845 | 1836 | ||
Record loss, 1886. | ||||||||||
K5 | Pearl River | Poplarville 39470-0569 | 1890 | Hancock/Marion | 1890/1909 | 1890 | 1899 | 1890 | ||
J6 | Perry | New Augusta 39462-0198 | 1820 | Greene | 1877/1892 | 1862 | 1889 | ? | ||
Record loss, 1877. | ||||||||||
Pickering | 1799 | (renamed Jefferson, 1802) Natchez District | ||||||||
J4 | Pike | 218 E. Bay St., Magnolia 39652 | 1815 | Marion | 1882/1882 | 1882 | 1882 | 1882 | ||
Record loss, 1882. | ||||||||||
B6 | Pontotoc | Pontotoc 38863-0209 | 1836 | Chickasaw cession, 1832 | 1849/1880 | 1836 | 1836 | 1872? | ||
A7 | Prentiss | Booneville 38829-0477 | 1870 | Tishomingo | 1870 | 1836* | 1870 | 1872 | ||
*Earlier deeds from parent county. Record loss, 1912. | ||||||||||
B4 | Quitman | 230 Chestnut St., Marks 38646 | 1877 | Panola/Coahoma/Tunic/Tallahatchie | 1877/1877 | 1877 | 1878 | 1878 | ||
F4 | Rankin | 305 Government St., Brandon 39042 | 1828 | Hinds | 1828 | 1824 | 1828 | 1819 | ||
F5 | Scott | Forest 39074-0630 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1872/1865 | 1835 | 1835 | 1867? | ||
E3 | Sharkey | Rolling Fork 39159-0218 | 1876 | Washington/Issaquena | 1876 | 1876 | 1877 | 1877 | ||
G4 | Simpson | Mendenhall 38114-0637 | 1824 | Choctaw cession, 1820 | 1872/1872 | 1872* | 1872 | 1872 | ||
*Plat (Tract) book from 1832. Record loss, 1840, 1872. | ||||||||||
G5 | Smith | Raleigh 39153-0160 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1912 | 1892 | 1893 | ? | ||
Record loss, 1892, 1915. | ||||||||||
K6 | Stone | Wiggins 39577-0007 | 1917 | Harrison | ? | 1917? | 1917? | 1917? | ||
Records not on microfilm. | ||||||||||
Sumner | 1874 | (renamed Webster, 1882)Montgomery/Choctaw | ||||||||
C3 | Sunflower | Indianola 38751-0998 | 1844 | Bolivar/Washington | 1871/1871 | 1817* | 1884 | 1844 | ||
*Record loss, 1870. | ||||||||||
B4 | Tallahatchie | Charleston 38921-0350 and Sumner 38957 | 1830 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1856/1880 | 1835 | 1834 | 1841 | ||
Record loss at Sumner, 1908. | ||||||||||
A4 | Tate | 201 S. Ward St., Senatobia 38668 | 1873 | Marshall/Tunica/DeSoto | 1873/1873 | 1873* | 1873 | 1873 | ||
*Transcripts from parent counties available. | ||||||||||
A6 | Tippah | Ripley 38663-0099 | 1836 | Chickasaw cession, 1832 | 1858/1888 | 1836 | 1855 | 1849 | ||
Record loss, 1863. | ||||||||||
A8 | Tishomingo | 1008 Battleground Dr., Iuka 38852 | 1836 | Chickasaw cession, 1832 | 1842/1866 | 1836 | 1836 | 1856 | ||
A4 | Tunica | Tunica 38676-0639 | 1836 | Chickasaw cession, 1832 | 1858 | 1836 | 1839 | 1839 | ||
A6 | Union | New Albany 38652-0847 | 1836 | Pontotoc/Tippah | 1878/1892 | 1872 | ? | ? | ||
School Commissioner Minutes 1846'59. Record loss, 1882. | ||||||||||
J4 | Walthall | Tylertown 39667-0351 | 1914 | Marion/Pike | 1914/1914 | 1913 | 1913 | 1913 | ||
F3 | Warren | Vicksburg 39180-0351 | 1809 | Natchez District | 1846/1860 | 1810 | 1810 | 1810 | ||
D2 | Washington | Greenville 38701-0309 | 1827 | Warren/Yazoo | 1891/1858 | 1828 | 1839 | ? | ||
H7 | Wayne | 609 Azalea Dr., Waynesboro 39367 | 1809 | Washington | 1881 | ? | 1879 | ? | ||
Record loss, 1892. | ||||||||||
C6 | Webster | Walthall 39771-0398 | 1874 | (as Sumner; renamed 1882)Montgomery/Choctaw | 1874/1909 | 1873 | 1874 | 1879 | ||
J1 | Wilkinson | Woodville 39669-1284 | 1802 | Adams | 1804/1823 | 1803 | 1808 | 1822 | ||
D6 | Winston | Louisville 39339-0069 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1834/1908 | 1835 | 1834 | 1856 | ||
B5 | Yalobusha | Water Valley 38965-0664 and Coffeeville 38922 | 1833 | Choctaw cession, 1830 | 1847/1866 | 1834 | 1834 | 1834 | ||
E4 | Yazoo | Yazoo City 39194-1106 | 1823 | Choctaw cession, 1820 | 1845 | 1824 | 1834 | 1867? |