Cherokee County, Georgia genealogy and family history research. Find links to record collections, history, and genealogy resources to help you trace your Cherokee Co., ancestors.
Cherokee County Quick Facts

- Government Website: www.cherokeega.com/
- Created Date / Origin: December 21, 1830 from lands previously held by the Cherokee Indians in the Cherokee Cession of 1831. (portions of Cherokee County were used to create Pickens County in 1853 and Milton County in 1857. Between 1847 and 1869 transferred land to Cass County (Bartow), Cobb County, Forsyth County, and Pickens County. )
- County Seat: Canton
- Named After: Cherokee Nation, which controlled this part of the state autonomously until 1831.
- Bordering Counties: Pickens County (north), Dawson County (northeast), Forsyth County (east), Fulton County, Cobb County (south), Bartow County (west)
- Cities & towns include: Ball Ground, Canton, Holly Springs, Waleska, Woodstock
Cherokee County Genealogical & Historical Societies and Family History Resources
A list of Cherokee County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives. See Also Georgia Archives, Genealogical and Historical Societies for statewide Addresses and links.
- Georgia State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Cherokee County Historical Society, PO Box 1287; Canton, GA 30169-1287; (770) 345-3288
- Northwest Georgia Historical & Genealogical Society
- Cherokee County, Georgia Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your county ancestors
- Cherokee County, Georgia Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
Cherokee County Courthouse and Government Records
Researchers often overlook the importance of Cherokee County court, probate, and land records as a source of genealogy and family history information. Buried away in Georgia courthouses and archives everywhere are the dreams and frustrations of many Georgia citizens. The chances are great that your ancestors have left a detailed record of at least some aspects of their lives in the Cherokee County court records.
The following indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Cherokee county. The dates indicated below are the first known records for each county. The County Courthouse was burned by Union troops in 1865. A new brick courthouse was completed in 1874 and burned in 1928
- Cherokee County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 90 North Street, Canton, GA 30114
- Phone: (678) 493-6000
- A Look at the History of Cherokee Co. Courthouse in Georgia (georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu)
- Cherokee County Clerk of Courtshas responsibility over felony cases, cases regarding title to land and equity, declaratory judgments, habeas corpus, mandamus, adoptions, name changes, divorces, child custody, and child support enforcement. The clerk is responsible for recording deeds and maintaining the chain of title to all property in the county.
- Phone: 678.493.6511
- Land Records: 1833
- Court Records: 1832
- Cherokee County Clerk of Probate Courtduties cover all legal proceedings that deal with Wills, Estates, Guardianships of minor children, Involuntary Committals Hearings, Issuance of Marriage License, ect.. The office of the probate judge is the county office where the most significant genealogical records are created and maintained in Georgia.
- Phone: 678.493.6160
- Marriage Records: 1841
- Probate Records: 1833
- Georgia Department of Health has copies for copies of birth and death records since Jan 1919, copies of marriage since June 9, 1952 to 1996 and a Divorce records index since June 9, 1952. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Georgiafor current fees and application process.
- The Cherokee County Health Department can issue Birth, Marriage and Death certificates while you wait.
Contact the Clerk of Superior Court for Divorce Records and the Probate Judge for Marriage Records. - Ordering Vital Records – You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Georgia Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.
- The Cherokee County Health Department can issue Birth, Marriage and Death certificates while you wait.
Cherokee County Genealogy Links
The following are links to Genealogy, Records and Resources relating to Cherokee County. These genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some are have free access some require a payment. This is just a list that has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to submit your own favorite genealogy or family history related sites.
- Cherokee Co. GA Books, Newspapers & Publications
- See Also Statewide Newspapers, Books & Publications Links for Georgia
- Historical Newspapers from Georgia (1752 – 1997) (genealogybank.com)
- Cherokee County, Georgia Books (amazon.com)
- Cherokee County Newspapers (usgwarchives.org)
- Georgia Newspapers (newspaperarchives.com)
- Search Georgia Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
- Cherokee County Obituaries (usgwarchives.org)
- Cherokee Co. GA Birth, Marriage & Death Records
- See Also Statewide Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records in Georgia
- Cherokee County, Georgia Marriage Project (http://usgwarchives.net)
- Georgia Death Certificates, 1919-1927 (sos.state.ga.us)
- Vital Records – Births, Marriages and Deaths (usgwarchives.org)
- Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com) Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research.
- Cherokee Co. GA Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
- See Also Georgia Court, Land, Tax & Probate Records
- Land Lotteries – Lands were given to Georgia citizens by lotteries from in 1805, 1807, 1820, 1821, 1827, 1832, 1832 (Gold), 1833. Where Georgians sold lots won in these lotteries, researchers will find that deeds may be valuable sources of genealogical information. Those deeds should have been recorded in Cherokee county where the land was located, but in some cases references may be found in the counties where the owner resided. Land transaction between private individuals are recorded with the Cherokee county clerk of superior court.
- County Tax Digests (state.ga.us)
- Wills & Estate Records (usgwarchives.org)
- County Records Microfilm Index (state.ga.us)
- Inventory of the county archives of Georgia. (search.ancestry.com)
- Land & Deed Records (usgwarchives.org)
- BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)covers the State of Georgia. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
- Cherokee Co. GA Census Records
- See Also Statewide Census Links for Georgia
- Cherokee County, GA Census Records (census-online.com)
- Cherokee County Census Records (usgwarchives.org)
- Cherokee County, GA Census QuickFacts (quickfacts.census.gov)
- Cherokee County Census Records (search.ancestry.com)Learn where your ancestors lived, who lived in the household, ages, places of birth, occupation, actual images of the Federal Censusrs and more.
- 1840 – 1850 – 1860 – 1870 – 1880 (free index) – 1890 (fragment) – 1900 – 1910 – 1920 – 1930 – 1940.
- Slave Schedules: 1850 & 1860
- Mortality Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
- Industry and Agriculture Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
- Cherokee Co. GA Cemeteries & Graveyards
- See Also Statewide Cemetery Links for Georgia
- Cherokee Co., Georgia Graves (findagrave.com)
- Cherokee County Cemeteries (usgwarchives.org)
- Cherokee County Tombstone Photos (usgwarchives.org)
- Cherokee County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Cherokee Co., Georgia Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Cherokee County, Georgia (topozone.com)
- Cherokee Co., Georgia Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Cherokee Co. GA Church & Bible Records
- See Also Statewide Church & Bible Links for Georgia
- Topographic Church List and Map for Cherokee County, Georgia (topozone.com)
- Cherokee County Church Records (usgwarchives.org)
- Cherokee County Bibles (usgwarchives.org)
- Cherokee County, Georgia Church Books (amazon.com)
- Cherokee Co. GA Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- County Biographies (usgwarchives.org)
- Nichols and Related Families (mynicholsfamily.com)
- County Photos (usgwarchives.org)
- Cherokee Co. GA General and History Websites
- Cherokee County Georgia (genealogytrails.com)
- Cherokee County, Georgia Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Cherokee County, Georgia Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Cherokee Co. Georgia Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org) has the largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records.
- Georgia Virtual Vault (sos.state.ga.us)
- Cherokee County, Georgia History (usgwarchives.org)
- Cherokee County, Georgia (linkpendium.com) Family History & Genealogy, Census, Birth, Marriage, Death Vital Records & More
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Georgia – Counties – Cherokee (cyndislist.com)
- Cherokee County, GA History (georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu)
- Cherokee Co. Georgia Genealogy (cherokeecountyga.org)
- Cherokee County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- View Index of Counties and Equivalents
- Cherokee County USGenWeb Archives Project (usgwarchives.org) read and post messages with other county genealogy researchers
- Cherokee Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
- Cherokee Co. GA Immigration & Naturalization
- Cherokee Co. GA Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Statewide Maps and Atlas Links for Georgia
- Cherokee County D.O.T. MAP
- County Maps (sos.state.ga.us) The County Map File consists of maps of Georgia’s 161 (now 159) counties collected by the Office of Surveyor General. Many of the maps in this collection were produced under the direction of the state between 1866 – 1935, including those created by Acts of the General Assembly and the State Highway Department; some maps were created in conjunction with the United States Post Office Department and the Department of Agriculture. The several types of county maps show cities, towns, roads and highways, watercourses, and other geographic and topographic features.
- Historical Maps of Cherokee County (georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu)
- 1895 Cherokee County Map (livgenmi.com)
- Cherokee Co. GA Military Records
- See Also Statewide Military Links for Georgia
- Cherokee County Military Records (usgwarchives.org)
- Georgia Military Records (Fold3.com) provides access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Georgia men and women who served. Perfect for Perfect for Cherokee County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.
- Cherokee Co. GA Schools & Directories
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