Smith County, Mississippi Genealogy
Guide to Smith County, Mississippi ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
This county was named for Major David Smith. Smith County is located in the central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Smith County Courthouse
Main Street
PO Box 39
Raleigh, MS 39153
Phone: 601-782-9811
Smith County Website
Clerk Circuit Court has marriage records from 1912 and court records.
Clerk Chancery Court has divorce, probate, land and military records from 1892.[3]
Smith County, Mississippi 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 |
| 1 Nov 1912 | 1912 | 1 Nov 1912 | 1893 | 1882 | 1892 | 1810 |
Record Loss
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1892, 1915 Some records were lost.
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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]
| Towns | ||
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| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
- Smith County Family Bibles at Genealogy Trails
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 1,961 | — |
| 1850 | 4,071 | 107.6% |
| 1860 | 7,638 | 87.6% |
| 1870 | 7,126 | −6.7% |
| 1880 | 8,088 | 13.5% |
| 1890 | 10,635 | 31.5% |
| 1900 | 13,055 | 22.8% |
| 1910 | 16,603 | 27.2% |
| 1920 | 16,178 | −2.6% |
| 1930 | 18,405 | 13.8% |
| 1940 | 19,403 | 5.4% |
| 1950 | 16,740 | −13.7% |
| 1960 | 14,303 | −14.6% |
| 1970 | 13,561 | −5.2% |
| 1980 | 15,077 | 11.2% |
| 1990 | 14,798 | −1.9% |
| 2000 | 16,182 | 9.4% |
| 2010 | 16,491 | 1.9% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Smith County census records online, see: Mississippi Census.
Federal Census
- 1660-1820 U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820 at Ancestry $
- 1850 United States Census (Mortality Schedule), 1850 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
- 1850 United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1860 United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
State Census
- 1792-1866 Mississippi, State and Territorial Census Collection, 1792-1866 at Ancestry $
- 1805-1890 Mississippi, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1805-1890 at Ancestry $
- 1841 State Census Returns 1841 - Smith County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
- 1845 State Census Returns 1845 - Smith County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
- 1866 State Census Returns 1866 - Smith County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
- 1880 State Census Returns 1880 - Smith County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
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 Mississippi denominations, view the Mississippi Church Records wiki page.
- 1910-1919 Mississippi, Church Records, 1910-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records
- 1893-1928 Court Records, 1893-1928(*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1911-1945 Court Records, 1911-1945(*); County 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
- 1863-1866 Mississippi, Freedmen's Department (Pre-Bureau Records), 1863-1866 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
- 1865-1872 Mississippi, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
- 1936-1942 Ex-Slave narratives 1936-1942 - Smith County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
- The Freedmen's Bureau Marriage Records at Mississippi Department of Archives and History - index and transcription
Funeral Homes
- Young's Funeral Home in Taylorsville.
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 Mississippi Land and Property for additional information about early Mississippi land ownership. 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
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Smith County. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories see the wiki page section Mississippi Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Maps of Mississippi (1785-1918)
- Family Maps of Smith County, Mississippi Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
Migration
Military Records
Multiple Wars
- 1812-1951 Military grave registrations - Smith County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
- 1838-1845 Register of military commissions 1838-1845 Smith County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
Mexican-American War
- 1846-1848 United States Mexican War Index and Service Records, 1846-1848 How to Use this Collection; at FamilySearch — index & images
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Mississippi, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Mississippi, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images at partner site
- 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry Free Index
- 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry Free Index
- 1889-1942 Mississippi, Confederate Records, 1889-1942 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
- 1900-1974 Mississippi, Confederate Veterans and Widows Pension Applications, 1900-1974 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
- 1936-1939 Civil War records 1936-1939 - Smith County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
Regiments. Men in Smith 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 Smith County:
- - 1st Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry Reserves
- Company B - Nixon’s Company
- - 6th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
- Company D - Lowry Rifles
- - 8th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
- Company A - Yankee Terrors
- Company C - True Confederates (also listed as Co. D)
World War I
- 1917-1919 Mississippi, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1917-1918 Mississippi, World War I Army Veterans, Master alphabetical index, 1917-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Mississippi, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries
Other Records
State Archives
- 1820-1951 Mississippi, State Archives, Various Records, 1820-1951 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images - incomplete - Topics covered: Ex Slave Narratives, list of military veterans, Military grave registrations, Naturalizations and some Land records.
Voter List
- 1871-1967 Mississippi, Voter Registration, 1871-1967 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
Periodicals
Probate Records
Probate records are held by the Smith County, Mississippi Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Smith County, Mississippi Genealogy Courthouse. Microfilmed records can be found online at Mississippi Probate Records, 1781-1930. See the wiki page Mississippi 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
- 1780-1982 Mississippi Wills and Probate Records 1780-1982 at Ancestry ($)
- 1781-1930 Mississippi Probate Records 1781-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
- 1893-1947 Probate Records, 1893-1947(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
- 1850-1892; 1908-1957 Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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
Mississippi tax records replace missing censuses and provide lists of residents during years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years. For more information, see Mississippi Taxation.
- 1834-1899 County Tax Rolls at FamilySearch - index & images - incomplete
- 1834-1899 County Tax records 1834-1899 - Smith County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. Mississippi law did not require keeping birth or death records until 1912. Births and deaths are kept by the Mississippi Bureau of Vital Statistics. Marriage records are kept by the county. See also How to order Mississippi Vital Records or order electronically online.
See Mississippi Vital Records for more information on getting Mississippi records.
Birth
Marriage
- 1776-1935 Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935 at Ancestry $
- 1800-1825 Mississippi, Compiled Marriages, 1800-1825 at Ancestry $
- 1800-1911 Mississippi, Marriages, 1800-1911 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- to 1825 Mississippi Marriages to 1825 at Ancestry — index $
- 1826-1850 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-50 at Ancestry $
- 1826-1900 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-1900 at Ancestry $
- 1858-1979 Mississippi, County Marriages, 1858-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
Death
- 1822-1921 Mississippi Deaths and Burials, 1822-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
- 1912-1943 Mississippi, Death Certificate Index, 1912-1943 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1912-1943 Reclaim the Records: Mississippi Death Index at Archive - images of index
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Smith County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Mississippi 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
- Hattiesburg Mississippi FamilySearch Center
- Red Star Mississippi FamilySearch Center
- Toxey Alabama FamilySearch Center
- MaGee Public Library - an affiliate library
- Floyd J Robinson Memorial Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Smith County. For state-wide library facilities, see Mississippi Archives and Libraries.
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Smith County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Mississippi Societies.
Smith County Mississippi Genealogical Society
PO Box 356
Raleigh, MS 39153
601-426-6749
Email: scmgs@smithcountygenealogy.org
Website
Facebook
Websites
- Mississippi Genealogy Network Community on Google+
- Mississippi Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Smith County Mississippi Genealogy and History Network
- Smith County, Mississippi Genweb
- Mississippi GenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- 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), Mississippi.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Smith, Mississippi," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_County,_Mississippi."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Mississippi.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Smith County, Mississippi . Page 378-384 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), 379-381.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Mississippi.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Smith County, Mississippi," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_County,_Mississippi, Last accessed 1 October 2019.