Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy
Guide to Johnson County, Kentucky ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Johnson County was named for Richard Mentor Johnson. The county is located in the east-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Johnson County Courthouse
Court Street
Paintsville, KY 41240
Phone: 606-789-2550[3]
Johnson County Website
Johnson County, Kentucky Record Dates
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 |
| 1843 | 1843 | 1843 | 1843 | 1843 | 1843 | 1810 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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Populated Places
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 | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
The following web sites have additional information on Johnson county cemeteries.
- Interment.net, Kentucky cemetery records by county.
- Naming the Forgotten, The Eastern State Hospital Project
- Cemetery Listings
- Johnson County Kentucky Historical & Genealogical Society Cemetery Website
- Paintsville Lake Project...Cemetery Relocation
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 3,873 | — |
| 1860 | 5,306 | 37.0% |
| 1870 | 7,494 | 41.2% |
| 1880 | 9,155 | 22.2% |
| 1890 | 11,027 | 20.4% |
| 1900 | 13,730 | 24.5% |
| 1910 | 17,482 | 27.3% |
| 1920 | 19,622 | 12.2% |
| 1930 | 22,968 | 17.1% |
| 1940 | 25,771 | 12.2% |
| 1950 | 23,846 | −7.5% |
| 1960 | 19,748 | −17.2% |
| 1970 | 17,539 | −11.2% |
| 1980 | 24,432 | 39.3% |
| 1990 | 23,248 | −4.8% |
| 2000 | 23,445 | 0.8% |
| 2010 | 23,356 | −0.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy census records online, see: Kentucky Census.
- Johnson County Kentucky Census Records
- Kentucky Census Transcriptions 1850-1930, USGenWeb
- Census Images, USGenWeb
- KY Census Online, Links to online census records
Church Records
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 Kentucky denominations, view the Kentucky Church Records wiki page.
Church Records Johnson County Area Churches
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records
- 1843-1926 Order Books, 1843-1926(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1843-1938 Court Orders, 1843-1904; Index, 1843-1938(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans
More information about African American resources in Kentucky can be found on the Kentucky African Americans and the United States African Americans Wiki pages.
- African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records available
- The African American Griots Project
- Kentucky Minorities has information specific to Kentucky African Americans.
- Sandi Gorin's Tips, Hangings in Kentucky 1792-1900
Funeral Homes
- Jones-Preston Funeral Home in Paintsville.
- Phelps and Son Funeral Home in Paintsville.
- Preston Funeral Home in Paintsville.
Genealogies
Our Family Trees From Johnson County and Beyond
Kentucky Biographies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
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 Kentucky Land and Property for additional information about early Kentucky land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
Johnson County Land Grants
Johnson County Kentucky Land and Tax Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories see the wiki page section Kentucky Local Histories.
- Johnson County, Kentucky. c1928. By Mitchel Hall. Louisville, Kentucky : Standard Press. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers
- Maps of Kentucky (1776-1939)
- Johnson County Kentucky Maps
- Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
Johnson County Kentucky Military Information
Johnson County War Memorials
Kentucky in the Revolutionary War.
List of Pensioners, Kentucky Johnson
Civil War
Online Records
- 1861-1865 Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1861-1865 Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (Free)
- 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry— index (Free)
- 1912-1950 Kentucky Confederate Pension Applications 1912-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
Regiments. Men in Johnson County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
- - 22nd Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Enrolled Militia)(Union), Companies E, H, I, and K.
- - 22nd Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Companies H and I.
World War I
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Kentucky, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- The Big Sandy News online
The Big Sandy News has bureaus in two area counties
Lawrence County
P.O. Box 766
Louisa, KY 41230
(606) 638-4581
FAX (606) 638-9949 - Johnson County
338 Second Street
Paintsville
(606) 788-9962
FAX (606) 788-9952 - The Paintsville Herald
P. O. Box 1547
978 Broadway Plaza
Paintsville, KY 41240
Direct: (606) 789-5315
Toll Free: 1-888-788-5315
Fax: (606) 789-9717 - USNPL, Kentucky, Kentucky newspaper index with links
- World-Newspapers, Kentucky, Kentucky newspaper index with links
- Kentucky Newspapers on Microfilm
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Obituaries
- Johnson County Kentucky Historical Genealogical Society Obituary Website
- Johnson County, Kentucky Obituary Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com.
- Kentucky Footsteps Archives, KYGenWeb
- Kentucky Obituary Sources, KYGenWeb
- Browning Genealogy Database, Compiled by Charles Browning.
- Kentucky Obituaries, USGenWeb
- Obituary Daily Times, Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function
- Nashville Christian Advocate Death Abstracts
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
Probate records are held by the Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy Courthouse. Microfilmed records can be found online at Kentucky, Probate Records, 1792-1977 for Caldwell, Henry, Hickman, Russell and Trimble counties. See the wiki page Kentucky Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, and adoptions.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1774-1989 Kentucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
- 1843-1926 Order Books, 1843-1926(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1844-1975 Will Books A to F (1844-1975) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1844-1984 Wills, 1844-1975; Indexes, 1869-1984, 1844-1984(*); Clerk of the County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1896-1973 Miscellaneous Books, 1896-1973(*); Clerk of the County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Johnson County Kentucky Wills at RootsWeb
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
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 background information and state-wide resources see the wiki page Kentucky Taxation.
Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Although Kentucky enacted a statute in 1852-1862 requiring registration of births and deaths,many counties did not comply. A second law was written in 1874-1879, and 1892-1910 but, again, was not always followed. By 1911, the law was more clearly defined and kept by 1920. Any existing births 1852-1960 and death records 1852-1953 can be accessed online. See How to Find Kentucky Birth Records and How to Find Kentucky Death Records for links to indexes and images.
Original marriage records are held at the office of the Johnson County Clerk, with divorce records 1849-1958 located with the Johnson County Circuit Court. For more information see How to Find Kentucky Marriage Records. For Kentucky divorce records see the wiki page Kentucky Vital Records.
Birth
- 1839-1960 Kentucky Births and Christenings, 1839-1960 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1852-1861 - Johnson County Birth Index 1852-1861. Batch C517551 at FamilySearch [7]
- 1875 - Johnson County Birth Index 1875. Batch C517552 at FamilySearch
- 1878 - Johnson County Birth Index 1878. Batch C517554 at FamilySearch
- 1911-1912 Searchable KY Birth Index
- 1911-1920 Johnson County, Kentucky Births 1911-1920
- 1921-1930 Johnson County, Kentucky Births 1921-1930
- 1911-1999 Kentucky Births, 1911-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Marriage
- 1609-2016 Kentucky, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- 1785-1979 Kentucky Marriages 1785-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1785-Onward Kentucky Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1797-1954 Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1843-1859 Marriage License of Johnson County, Kentucky From 1843-1859
- 1852-1859 - Johnson County Marriage Index 1852-1859. Batch M517551 at FamilySearch
- 1875 - Johnson County Marriage Index 1875. Batch M517553 at FamilySearch
- 1876-1878 - Johnson County Marriage Index 1876-1878. Batch M517554 at FamilySearch
- 1973-2000 Searchable KY Marriage Records
- 1960-1993 Kentucky Marriages, 1960-1993 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Death
- 1843-1970 Kentucky Deaths and Burials 1843-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1911-1965 Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1911-2000 Searchable KY Death Index
- 1900-1999 Kentucky Deaths, 1900-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- United States Social Security Death Index - How to Use this Collection
- Search results for Johnson County on Kentucky Death Records at Rootsweb
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Johnson County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.
Archives of Appalachia
East Tennessee State University
Sherrod Library, Room 422
344 J L Seehorn Rd
Johnson City, TN 37614
Phone: 423-439-4338
Email: archives@etsu.edu
Facebook
Website
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Beattyville Kentucky FamilySearch Center
- Huntington West Virginia FamilySearch Center
- Martin Kentucky FamilySearch Center
- Breathitt County Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Johnson County. For state-wide library facilities, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.
Johnson County Public Library
444 Main St
Paintsville, KY 41240
Phone: 606-789-4355
Email: helpdesk@jcplky.org
Website
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Johnson County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Kentucky Societies.
Johnson County Historical and Genealogical Society
PO Box 788
Paintsville, KY 41240
Phone: 606-789-4355
Email:johnmarypres@bellsouth.net
Website
Van Lear Historical Society, Inc.
78 Miller’s Creek Rd
PO Box 369
Van Lear, KY 41265
Phone: 606-789-8540
Email: tinasuef@yahoo.com
Website
Websites
- Johnson County Ky Index
- KYGenWeb-Johnson County
- Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Johnson County KY Genealogy (Kentucky Genealogy)
- FamilySearch Catalog . Free - 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
References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kentucky. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Johnson County, Kentucky" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_County,_Kentucky."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kentucky. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Johnson County, Kentucky. Page 268-276 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 251-254.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kentucky. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Johnson County, Kentucky," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_County,_Kentucky, accessed 21 August 2018.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at FamilySearch.