Vital Records

Georgia (like many states these days) restricts access to certain public records.  For information on accessing information, please click HERE.

There are 159 counties in Georgia. Each county has a vital records registrar and vital records custodian appointed by the state registrar. Depending upon the county, the vital records registrar or custodian may be located at the county health department or in the office of the probate judge. Each of the 159 county vital records offices are authorized to prepare certified copies of birth and death certificates for vital events that occurred in their specific county. However, not all of these locations initiate filing delayed certificates of birth or begin the process to amend a vital record.

Effective 1/2/2003, microfiche indexes will no longer be offered nor updated by Vital Records. Over the years the original fiche has deteriorated to where the copies have become illegible, so no more copies can be made. However, microfiche indexes of death, marriage and divorce information may be seen at the Georgia Archives Building (678-364-3700), and are available in some local libraries.

Births

Records for births since January 1919 should be obtained from:

• Georgia Department of Human Resources
  Vital Records Service
  2600 Skyland Drive, NE
  Atlanta, GA 30319-3640
  (404) 679-4701 recording
  Fax: (404) 524-4278
  
  Online ordering click HERE

Records for births occurring prior to January 1919 must be requested from:

• White County Clerk
  P.O. Box 185
  Cleveland, GA 30528-0185
  (706) 865-4141
  Click HERE

Records for births occurring between 1846-1869 (based on Social Security records) can be found at:
     ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/coweta/vitals/deaths/ssdindex.txt  (don't worry about the "ftp" part--it works)

Marriages

"Centralized State records since June 9, 1952. Certified copies of marriage documents up to 1966 are issued at State office. Inquiries about marriages occurring before June 9, 1952, will be forwarded to appropriate Probate Judge in county where license was issued.

"The state office does no record marriage license or applications after July 1, 1997."
    From: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/georgia.htm 

Marriage records from June 9, 1952 through 1996 should be obtained from:

• Georgia Department of Human Resources
  Vital Records Service
  2600 Skyland Drive, NE
  Atlanta, GA 30319-3640
  (404) 679-4701 recording
  Fax: (404) 524-4278
  Email: GDPHINFO@dhr.state.ga.us

Marriage records prior to June 9, 1952 and later than 1996 should be obtained from (as far back as 1858):

• Probate Judge
  59 S. Main Street
  Cleveland, GA 30528
  Phone: (706) 865-4141

Marriages up to 1850 can be searched at (with paid subscription): 
     http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/2085a.htm

Marriages from 1851-1900 can be searched at (with paid subscription):
     http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/vital/gamarr/main.htm

Marriages of specific surnames over the course of history can be found (free of charge) at:
     http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ga/gavitals.htm

Deaths

Georgia Death Certificates, 1919-1927

Records for deaths since January 1919 should be obtained from:

• Georgia Department of Human Resources
  Vital Records Service
  2600 Skyland Drive, NE
  Atlanta, GA 30319-3640
  (404) 679-4701 recording
  Fax: (404) 524-4278
  Email: GDPHINFO@dhr.state.ga.us
  Online ordering HERE

Deaths from 1919-1998 can be searched (with paid subscription) at:  
     http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/5426a.htm

Certain surnames with deaths between 1919-1998 can be found free of charge at:
     http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ga/gavitals.htm

Interment, military & genealogical information on the Confederate soldiers of White County can be found in the book:
    "These Men Wore Gray, Vol. V" by Karen Thompson Ledford