Kent County, Delaware Genealogy
Guide to Kent County, Delaware ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
- This article is about a county in state of Delaware. For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation)
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County Information
Description
Kent County was created on 8 August 1673 and named for Kent, an English county. Its county seat is Dover.[1] It is located in the central part of the state. Kent is one of few counties bordering another county with same name across the state line, Kent (MD) County, Maryland.[2]
County Courthouse
Kent County Courthouse
414 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: 302-735-1900
Kent County Courthouse
Clerk of Peace has marriage records.
Clerk Superior Court has divorce and court records.
Recorder of Deeds has land records from 1680.
Register of Wills has probate records. [3]
Kent County, Delaware 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 |
| 1676 | 1676 | 1676 | 1680 | 1680 | 1680 | 1782 |
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:[5]
| Cities | ||
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| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
For tips on accessing census records online, see: Delaware Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1790 | 18,920 | — |
| 1800 | 19,554 | 3.4% |
| 1810 | 20,495 | 4.8% |
| 1820 | 20,793 | 1.5% |
| 1830 | 19,913 | −4.2% |
| 1840 | 19,872 | −0.2% |
| 1850 | 22,816 | 14.8% |
| 1860 | 27,804 | 21.9% |
| 1870 | 29,804 | 7.2% |
| 1880 | 32,874 | 10.3% |
| 1890 | 32,664 | −0.6% |
| 1900 | 32,762 | 0.3% |
| 1910 | 32,721 | −0.1% |
| 1920 | 31,023 | −5.2% |
| 1930 | 31,841 | 2.6% |
| 1940 | 34,441 | 8.2% |
| 1950 | 37,870 | 10.0% |
| 1960 | 65,651 | 73.4% |
| 1970 | 81,892 | 24.7% |
| 1980 | 98,219 | 19.9% |
| 1990 | 110,993 | 13.0% |
| 2000 | 126,697 | 14.1% |
| 2010 | 162,310 | 28.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records
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
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- USGS Topographical Maps at USGS.gov
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
American Revolution
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). 1967 reprint: FS Catalog Collection 973 X2pc 1840. See Delaware, Kent County on page 126.
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Delaware Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; images available through FamilySearch Catalog
World War I
- 1917-1919 Delaware, World War I Servicemen Records, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
World War II
- 1940-1945 Delaware, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1802-1943 Delaware, Federal Naturalization Records, 1802-1943 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Delaware, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry ($)
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1680-1800 Kent County, Delaware Probate records, 1680-1800 at Ancestry - index & images ($) original data: Valinger, Leon de, com/ Calendar of Kent County, Delaware Probate Records, 1680-1800.
- 1680-1800 DeValinger, Leon. A Calendar of Kent County, Delaware Probate Records, 1680-1800. Dover, Delaware: Public Archives Commission, 1944. (FamilySearch Library film 1035860 item 4; fiche 6051248.) Facsimile reproduction of the original (FamilySearch Library book 975.14 P28d.)
- Indexes to probate records 1801-1833, in three volumes by Mary Marshall Brewer (Lewes,Del.: Delmarva Roots, 2002.)
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Vital Records
Birth
- 1650-1974 Delaware Vital Records, 1650-1974 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Marriage
- 1650-1974 Delaware Vital Records, 1650-1974 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1784-2007 Delaware, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
Death
- 1650-1974 Delaware Vital Records, 1650-1974 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Kent County. For state-wide facilities, see Delaware Archives and Libraries.
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
- Dover Delaware FamilySearch Center
- Newark Delaware FamilySearch Center
- Cecil County Public Library (multiple locations) - an affiliate library
- Winterthur Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Kent County. For state-wide library facilities, see Delaware Archives and Libraries.
The Delaware Public Archives
121 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Dover, DE
Phone: 302-744-5016
Email: sarah.denison@state.de.us
Website
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Kent County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Delaware Societies.
Downstate Delaware Genealogical Society
PO Box 1787
Dover, DE 19903-1787
Email: info@downstatedegenealogists.org
Website
Facebook
The Greater Harrington Historical Society
108 Fleming Street
Harrington, DE 19952
Phone: 302-398-3698
Email: info@ghhsociety.org
Website
Facebook
Milford Historical Society
501 Northwest Front Street
Milford, DE 19963
Email: parsonthorne@gmail.com
Facebook
Websites
- The Kent County DEGenWeb Project, an member of The DEGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- The USGenWeb Archives Project for Kent County
- Kent County, Delaware Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- 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
References
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Kent County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_County,_Delaware 04/27/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Kent County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_County,_Delaware 04/27/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), New Castle, Delaware Page 121 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kent County, Delaware. Page 121 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), 118.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Kent County, Delaware," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_County%2C_Delaware, accessed 23 October 2018.