FamilySearch recently released more than 875,000 digital images of South Carolina county probate records. These new records, previously available only in county probate offices or on microfilm, may now be browsed online at FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org).
The newly released records are organized into two collections, South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977 (222,656 images) and South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964 (652,415 images). Together, the collections cover many South Carolina counties over an extraordinary time span.
These collections contain important pieces of the puzzle for African American genealogy research. Pre-Civil War records may help family historians locate enslaved ancestors. Post-Civil War records span the period from Emancipation to the mid-1900s and may contain valuable information about the lives of African American ancestors during a time period that can be difficult to document.
Here, we take a first look at both collections to compile a comprehensive table of records available for each South Carolina county or district, and the total time span covered by records from both collections.
Before we compile our list, let’s look at the historical development of counties and districts in South Carolina, to help us understand and navigate the collections.
There are now 46 counties in South Carolina. In 1800, South Carolina was divided into 26 Circuit Court Districts. In 1868, districts were renamed as counties. There were 31 counties defined from 26 districts in 1868. Over time, some counties were split, resulting in the 46 counties in South Carolina today. Below is a cross-reference of present-day counties, counties in 1868 and districts in 1800.
| County (Present-Day) | County (1868) | District (1800) |
| Abbeville (1785) | Abbeville | Abbeville |
| Aiken (1871) | Barnwell | Barnwell |
| Allendale (1919) | Barnwell | Barnwell |
| Anderson (1826) | Anderson | Pendleton |
| Bamberg (1897) | Barnwell | Barnwell |
| Barnwell (1785) | Barnwell | Barnwell |
| Beaufort (1785) | Beaufort | Beaufort |
| Berkeley (1882) | Charleston | Charleston |
| Calhoun (1908) | Orangeburg | Orangeburg |
| Charleston (1670) | Charleston | Charleston |
| Cherokee (1897) | Spartanburg | Spartanburg |
| Chester (1785) | Chester | Chester |
| Chesterfield (1785) | Chesterfield | Chesterfield |
| Clarendon (1855) | Clarendon | Sumter |
| Colleton (1798) | Colleton | Colleton |
| Darlington (1785) | Darlington | Darlington |
| Dillon (1910) | Marion | Marion |
| Dorchester (1897) | Colleton | Colleton |
| Edgefield (1785) | Edgefield | Edgefield |
| Fairfield (1785) | Fairfield | Fairfield |
| Florence (1888) | Marion | Marion |
| Georgetown (1769) | Georgetown | Georgetown |
| Greenville (1786) | Greenville | Greenville |
| Greenwood (1897) | Abbeville | Abbeville |
| Hampton (1878) | Beaufort | Beaufort |
| Horry (1801) | Horry | Georgetown |
| Jasper (1912) | Beaufort | Beaufort |
| Kershaw (1791) | Kershaw | Kershaw |
| Lancaster (1785) | Lancaster | Lancaster |
| Laurens (1785) | Laurens | Laurens |
| Lee (1902) | Sumter | Sumter |
| Lexington (1785) | Lexington | Orangeburg |
| Marion (1790) | Marion | Marion |
| Marlboro (1785) | Marlboro | Marlboro |
| McCormick (1916) | Abbeville | Abbeville |
| Newberry (1785) | Newberry | Newberry |
| Oconee (1860) | Oconee | Pendleton |
| Orangeburg (1769) | Orangeburg | Orangeburg |
| Pickens (1826) | Pickens | Pendleton |
| Richland (1785) | Richland | Richland |
| Saluda (1895) | Edgefield | Edgefield |
| Spartanburg (1785) | Spartanburg | Spartanburg |
| Sumter (1798) | Sumter | Sumter |
| Union (1785) | Union | Union |
| Williamsburg (1785) | Williamsburg | Williamsburg |
| York (1785) | York | York |
Above: Cross-Reference of Present SC Counties, Counties in 1868 and Districts in 1800. Adapted from Gourdin, J. Raymond 104thInfantry Regiment – USCT, Colored Civil War Soldiers from South Carolina, Heritage Books, 1997.
Free South Carolina Probate Records: Counties, Districts and Time Spans Covered
Now let’s compile a breakdown for counties and districts represented in the new collections.
| County or District | Collections | Total Time Span |
| Abbeville | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Wills, 1787-1868 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Index to probate records, 1782-1958 · Probate Court, Probate records, 1782-1958 |
1782-1958 |
| Aiken | South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964:
· Probate Court, Estate records, 1872-1927 |
1872-1927 |
| Anderson | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Bond books, 1840-1867 · Guardian accounts, 1843-1869 · Inventories, Appraisements, Sales, 1840-1903 · Letters, 1840-1868 · Wills, 1791-1907 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Court of Common Pleas, Direct (plaintiff) index, 1827-1903 · Court of Common Pleas, Indirect (defendant) index, 1827-1903 · Court of Common Pleas, Judgments, 1828-1880 |
1791-1903 |
| Barnwell | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Inventories, Appraisements, 1809-1841 · Sales books, 1808-1842 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Cases, 1787-1958 · Probate Court, Estate records, 1909-1925 · Probate Court, Index to wills and probate records, 1787-1958 |
1787-1958 |
| Camden, Kershaw | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Estate record books, 1782-1823, Vol. A1 |
1782-1823 |
| Charleston | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Daily minutes, 1851-1872 · Derelict estates, 1847-1853 · Index to estates, 1790-1916 · Index to wills and inventories, 1746-1800 · Index to wills, 1671-1927 · Inventories, 1753-1784 · Inventories, Appraisements, Sales, 1839-1867 · Journal, 1839-1864 · Miscellaneous cases, 1783-1812 · Miscellaneous records, 1696-1792 · Ordinary account books, 1843-1871 · Real estate books, 1835-1939 · Receipts in probate cases, 1853-1873 · Returns, 1835-1865 · Wills, 1671-1868 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Index to estate inventories, 1834-1844 · Probate Court, Estate inventories, 1732-1844 |
1671-1939 |
| Chester | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Index to probate records, 1787-1950 · Inventories of estates, 1840-1855 · Probate records, 1787-1865 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Files, 1788-1866 |
1787-1950 |
| Chesterfield | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Index to estate papers, 1865-1977 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate records, 1865-1927 |
1865-1977 |
| Clarendon | South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964:
· Probate Court, Estate files, 1899-1926 |
1899-1926 |
| Columbia, Lexington, Richland | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Guardian and trustee returns, 1809-1867 |
1809-1867 |
| Edgefield | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Cash book, Receipts, Returns, 1838-1852, Vol. B · Returns, 1845-1867 |
1838-1867 |
| Fairfield | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Administration and guardian bonds, 1840-1869 · Annual returns, 1840-1900 · Bonds and letters of administration, 1869-1904 · Inventories, Appraisements, Sales, 1801-1922 · Journal, 1801-1906 · Letters of administration, 1887-1921 · Letters of administration, guardianship, testamentary, 1840-1893 · Letters of guardianship, 1890-1947 · Wills, 1785-1904 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · County Court, Estate records, 1787-1815 |
1785-1947 |
| Greenville | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977;
· Inventories, Appraisements, 1825-1829 · Returns book, 1817-1824 · Wills books, 1787-1867 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Probate records, 1787-1868 |
1787-1868 |
| Kershaw | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Estate record books, 1791-1822 · Pleadings and judgments, 1790-1820 · Wills, 1782-1868 |
1782-1868 |
| Lancaster | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977;
· Wills, 1865-1892 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate records, 1865-1950 |
1865-1950 |
| Laurens | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Administration and guardian bonds, 1840-1873 · Administration bonds, 1804-1901 · Annual returns, 1840-1900 · Commissioners report of sales, 1825-1839 · Decree book, 1869-1878 · Estate records, 1818-1834 · Guardian and trustee returns, 1841-1890 · Guardian bonds, 1841-1910 · Guardian bonds, Letters of guardianship, 1836-1859 · Guardian returns, 1807-1830 · Inventories, Appraisements, Sales, 1825-1929 · Journal, 1840-1895 · Letters of administration, 1837-1839 · Letters of administration, Letters of guardianship, 1876-1909 · Letters of administration, guardianship, testamentary, 1840-1877 · Letters testamentary, 1877-1917 · Partitions of estates, 1803-1826 · Real estate receipt book, 1826-1836 · Wills, 1788-1912 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate papers, 1800-1931 · Probate Court, Index to estate papers, 1800-1931 |
1788-1931 |
| Lexington | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Administration, Will annexed, Guardian bond books, 1865-1902 · Annual returns, 1865-1904 · Guardian and trustee bonds, 1809-1868 · Index to estate papers, 1865-1940 · Inventories, Appraisements, Sales, 1865-1921 · Journal, 1865-1915 · Real estate book, 1866-1898 · Wills books, 1865-1908 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate papers, 1863-1900 · Probate Court, Index to Estate papers, 1863-1900 |
1863-1940 |
| Marion | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Minute book and journal, 1800-1825 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate records, 1869-1915 |
1800-1915 |
| Marlboro/Marlborough | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Equity records and bills, 1805-1869 · Index to equity records and bills, 1805-1870 · Wills books, 1787-1905 · Estate record books, 1787-1840 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate papers, 1790-1906 · Probate Court, Index to Estate papers, 1700-1973 |
1700-1973 |
| Newberry | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Index to estates, 1785-1949 · Wills books, 1787-1913 |
1785-1949 |
| Oconee | South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964:
· Probate Court, Estate files, 1897-1916 |
1897-1916 |
| Orangeburg | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Index, 1865-1947, Vol. A-Z · Wills, 1866-1957 |
1865-1957 |
| Pendleton | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Minutes, 1825-1867 |
1825-1867 |
| Richland | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Index to wills, 1787-1950 · Journal, 1839-1866 · Letters, 1840-1871 · Minutes, 1841-1863 · Wills, 1787-1941 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate papers, 1799-1909 · Probate Court, Index to estates, 1799-1955 |
1787-1955 |
| Spartanburg | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Administration bonds, 1896-1917 · Administration, Will annexed, Guardian bond book, 1840-1918 · Administrations, 1804-1847 · Guardian account and returns, 1842-1868 · Guardian book, 1885-1912 · Index to estate papers, 1787-1971 · Index to real estate papers, 1825-1971 · Inventories, Appraisements, Sales, 1811-1904 · Journal of the Ordinary, 1816-1868 · Journal, 1800-1907 · Real estate books, 1825-1904 · Real estate cash books, 1830-1911 · Report books, 1844-1870 · Returns books, 1836-1900 · Warrants of appraisements, 1816-1827 · Wills books, 1810-1903 |
1787-1971 |
| Sumter | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Devised lands, 1883-1947 · Equity decrees and reports, 1814-1858 · Index to estates, 1802-1949 · Index to executors administrations, 1800-1953 · Index to guardians, committeeship, lunacy, and industrial school, 1816-1951 · Index to wills, administrations, estates, and files book, 1800-1937 · Inventories, Appraisements, 1914-1953 · Reports of referees of estates, 1863-1875 · Sales appointments, 1840-1900 · Wills books, 1800-1963 · Wills, Record book, Manuscript, 1784-1849, Vol. M South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate records, 1784-1960 · Probate Court, Index to estate records, 1784-1960 |
1784-1963 |
| Union | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Administration bonds, 1867-1887 · Administration, Will annexed, Guardian bond books, 1833-1910 · Cash book, 1836-1915 · Fee book, 1844-1850 · Guardian bonds, 1875-1912 · Guardian returns, 1869-1913 · Inventories, Appraisements, Sales, 1836-1910 · Real estate books, 1835-1928 · Returns books, 1835-1926 · Sales book, 1895-1926 · Wills books, 1792-1911 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate files, 1906-1919 · Probate Court, Index to probate records, 1777-1961 · Probate Court, Probate records, 1777-1961 |
1777-1961 |
| Williamsburg | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Wills, 1806-1879 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate records, 1869-1916 |
1806-1916 |
| Winton | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Wills, 1779-1950 |
1779-1950 |
| York | South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977:
· Administration and guardian bonds, 1840-1875 · Administration bonds, 1871-1907 · Cash book, 1841-1902 · Docket book, 1889-1926 · Estate record books, 1787-1840 · Fee book, 1889-1892 · Guardian and trustee account, 1840-1871 · Guardian bonds, 1871-1913 · Guardian returns, 1890-1922 · Index to estate records, Index to wills, 1787-1813, Vol. A-C · Index to lands devised, 1868-1906 · Index to money decrees, 1880-1905 · Inventories, Appraisements, Sales, 1813-1910 · Journal, 1831-1874 · Letters Dismissory, Dismissed bonds, 1871-1908 · Minute book, 1814-1830 · Petitions and orders, 1889-1919, Vol. A · Real estate books, 1825-1899 · Receipt books, 1870-1901 · Sales book, 1893-1932 · Wills book, 1800-1862 · Wills book, Estate record books, 1837-1882 · Wills, 1770-1924 South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964: · Probate Court, Estate records, 1774-1960 · Probate Court, General Index, 1774-1960 · Probate Court, Index, 1774-1960 |
1770-1960 |
Above: Comprehensive Table of Records in Newly Released Records South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977 (222,656 images) and South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964 (652,415 images).
We hope this comprehensive table will assist you in navigating the newly released South Carolina probate records on FamilySearch.org. Coming in a future blog post: a look at record types within these collections, why they were made, what information they contain, and which records will be most helpful in a search for enslaved ancestors.