Polk County, Georgia Genealogy
Guide to Polk County, Georgia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
The county was named for James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th President of the United States (1845–1849). The county is located in the northwestern area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Polk County Courthouse
PO Box 268
Cedartown, GA 30125-0268
Phone: 770-749-2100
Polk County Website
Probate Court has birth, marriage, death and probate records.
Clerk Superior court has divorce, court and land records from 1852.[3]
Polk County, Georgia 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 |
| 1919 | 1852 | 1919 | 1852 | 1852 | 1852 | 1820 |
Record Loss
|
1864 During the American Civil War the courthouse at Cedartown was burned November 1 or 2. Most county records survived.[5] |
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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
- Polk County Bible Records at Georgia USGenWeb Archives Project
- Polk County Bible Records at Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society Archives
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- Georgia, State Employees at MyHeritage — index ($)
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 6,295 | — |
| 1870 | 7,822 | 24.3% |
| 1880 | 11,952 | 52.8% |
| 1890 | 14,945 | 25.0% |
| 1900 | 17,856 | 19.5% |
| 1910 | 20,203 | 13.1% |
| 1920 | 20,357 | 0.8% |
| 1930 | 25,141 | 23.5% |
| 1940 | 28,467 | 13.2% |
| 1950 | 30,976 | 8.8% |
| 1960 | 28,015 | −9.6% |
| 1970 | 29,656 | 5.9% |
| 1980 | 32,386 | 9.2% |
| 1990 | 33,815 | 4.4% |
| 2000 | 38,127 | 12.8% |
| 2010 | 41,475 | 8.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
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 Georgia denominations, see the Georgia Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Polk
Court Records
- 1852-1901 Court Minutes, 1852-1864, 1866-1901(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1853-1912 Inferior Court Minutes, 1854-1860; Homestead Records 1853-1904; and Pony Homestead Records, 1895-1912(*); Court of Ordinary and Inferior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1865-1910 Minutes, 1865-1910(*); Minutes, 1865-1910 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
Funeral Homes
- Alvis Miller and Son Funeral Home and Crematory in and Rockmart
- Freeman Harris Funeral Home in Rockmart
- Harden Funeral Home in Cedartown
- Lester C. Litesey Funeral Home in Cedartown
- Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home in Cedartown
- Smith and Miller Funeral Home in Cedartown
- Wingfield Funeral Home in Cedartown (Facebook)
Genealogies
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 Georgia Land and Property for additional information about early Georgia land grants from the government. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions (generally buying and selling deeds) were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1735-1866 Georgian Colonial and Headright Plat Index, 1735-1866 at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - alpha index
- 1783-1909 Headright and Bounty Plats, 1783-1909 at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images with alpha index
- 1805-1833 District Plats of Survey at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images organized by county and district
- Colonial Plats and Warrants at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images with alpha index
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Polk County, Georgia 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 Georgia Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- 1740s-? Historic Map File at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images
- 1866 - 1935 County Map File at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images
- Maps of Georgia (1758-1932)
Migration
Military Records
- Georgia USGenWeb Archives Project
Civil War
Online Records
- 1861-1865 Georgia Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 Georgia Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — 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)
- 1861-1865 Confederate Enlistment Oaths and Discharges at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault- images and alphabetical index
- 1861-1865 Confederate Muster Rolls at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault- images; filter by commanding officer, service branch and regiment
- 1861-1865 Confederate Pension Application Supplements - images and alphabetical index; filter by county
- 1864 Militia Enrollment Lists, 1864 - images; filter by county
- 1867-1868 Georgia, Reconstruction Registration Oath Books, 1867-1868 at FamilySearch — index
- 1879-1920 Georgia, Confederate Pension Rolls, 1879-1920 at FamilySearch — index
- 1879-1960 Confederate Pension Applications - images and alphabetical index; filter by county
Regiments. Service men in Polk 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 Polk County:
- - 20th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company D
- - 21st Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company D
- Carter, Larry D. 2012. Polk County, Georgia the first one-hundred years. [S.l.]: L.D. Carter. (page 227-328; 581-638) 975.8375 H2
Spanish-American War
- 1898 Spanish-American War Service Summary Cards - images and alphabetical index; filter by residence, muster location and unit
World War I
- 1914-1918 World War I Casualties Scrapbooks - images and alphabetical index
- 1920-1929 Georgia, World War I, Statement of Service Cards, 1920-1929 at FamilySearch — index & images
World War II
- 1940-1942 Georgia World War II Draft Registration Cards 1940-1942 at findmypast - index ($))
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Georgia, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- Georgia Historic Newspapers at Digital Library of Georgia
Obituaries
Other Records
Voting Records
- 1867-1868 Georgia, Reconstruction Registration Oath Books, 1867-1868 at FamilySearch — index
Periodicals
Probate Records
Colonial courts kept some early probate records. From 1777 to 1798 and since 1852, the court of ordinary or register of probates has kept probate and guardianship records. The inferior court handled probate and guardianship matters from 1798 to 1852.
Many probate records to the 1930s and 1940s are at the Georgia Department of Archives and History and the FamilySearch Library on microfilm.
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, marriage, adoption, and birth and death records (not all years).
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1733-1753 Colonial Wills at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images with alpha index
- 1742-1990 Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990(*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1742-1992 Georgia Wills and Probate Records 1742-1992 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1754-1776 Colonial Will Books at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images with alpha index
- 1848-1936 Names of Families in Polk County Wills, Estates, Marriages at Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1851-1963 Probate Records, 1851-1963(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
- 1865-1910 Minutes, 1865-1910(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1895-1912 Lunacy Records, 1895-1912(*); Court of Ordinary at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
- 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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Taxes were levied on free white males over 21 and all slaves up to age 60. These persons are referred to as "polls." Tax listings, or digests, of a county generally list the taxable landowners and other polls and the amount of tax. The records for each county are divided by militia district.
- 1787-1900 Georgia, Tax Digests, 1787-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection, index & images
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Georgia State Department of Health , the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred or order electronically online.
For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Georgia.
Birth
- 1870-1960 Georgia, County Delayed Birth and Death Records, 1870-1960 at FamilySearch — index, and some images
Marriage
- 1560-1993 Georgia, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1699-1944 Georgia Marriages 1699-1944 at Ancestry— index ($)
- 1754-1960 Georgia Church Marriages, 1754-1960 at FamilySearch — index & images
- 1785-1950 Georgia County Marriages 1785-1950 at FamilySearch — index & images
- 1808-1967 Georgia Marriages 1808-1967 at FamilySearch — index
- 1824-1850 Marriages 1824-1850 Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1828-1978 Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1852-1888 Polk County Marriage Books A and B Index 1852-1888. Batch M713521 at FamilySearch[8]
- 1884-1895 Polk County Marriage Books C and D Index 1884-1895. Batch M713522 at FamilySearch
- 1885-1886 Marriages from Newspapers Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1891-1895 Polk County Marriage Book D Index 1891-1895. Batch M713523 at FamilySearch
Death
- 1870-1960 Georgia, County Delayed Birth and Death Records, 1870-1960 at FamilySearch — index, and some images
- 1914-1927 Georgia Deaths 1914-1927 at FamilySearch — index & images
- 1919-1998 Georgia Deaths 1919-1998 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1919-1930 Georgia Death Certificates at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - index & images
- 1928-1930 Georgia Non-Indexed Death Certificates at Georgia Archives Virtual Vault - images
- 1928-1942 Georgia Deaths, 1928-1942 at FamilySearch — index & images
- 1933-1998 Georgia Death Index 1933-1998 at FamilySearch — index
Divorce
Voting Records
- 1856-1941 Georgia, County Voter Registrations, 1856-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection, index & images
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Polk County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Georgia Archives and Libraries.
Georgia Archives
University System of Georgia
5800 Jonesboro Road
Morrow, GA 30260
678-364-3700
Website
Facebook
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
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Polk County. For state-wide library facilities, see Georgia Archives and Libraries.
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Polk County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Georgia Societies.
Aragon Historical Society
105 New Prospect Road
PO Box 333
Aragon, GA 30104
470-206-1019
Email: info@aragonhistory.org
Facebook
Georgia Genealogical Society
PO Box 550247
Atlanta, Georgia 30355-2747
Email: publicity@gagensociety.org
Website
Facebook
Georgia Historical Society
Street address: 501 Whitaker Street
Mailing address: 104 W Gaston Street
Savannah, GA 31401
912-651-2125, 877-424-4789
Email: webmaster@georgiahistory.com
Website
Facebook
Northwest Georgia Historical and Genealogical Society
PO Box 5063
Rome, Georgia 30162-5063
Email: patmillican@yahoo.com
Website
Polk County Historical Society
11 West Avenue
PO Box 203
Cedartown, GA 30125-2603
770748-4828
Email: polkgahistory@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Southern Appalachian Genealogy
Email: genealogicalme@gmail.com
Facebook
Websites
- Polk County GAGenWeb
- Georgia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
- Polk County, Georgia Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 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
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Georgia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Polk County, Georgia" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polk_County,_Georgia accessed 5 Nov 2018
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Georgia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Polk County, Georgia. Page 151-163 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), 155-160.
- ↑ Paul K. Graham, Georgia Courthouse Disasters (Decatur, Georgia: Genealogy Co., 2013), 49-50. At various libraries (WorldCat).
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Georgia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Polk_County,_Georgia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polk_County,_Georgia#Cities_and_communities, accessed 1 August 2016.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/5/53/Igigeorgiamz.pdf.