Kentucky Genealogy

Kentucky Genealogy Facts

Kentucky was the first region west of the Allegheny Mountains to be settled by American pioneers. James Harrod established the first permanent settlement at Harrodsburg in 1774; the following year Daniel Boone, who had explored the area in 1767, blazed the Wilderness Trail through the Cumberland Gap and founded Boonesboro.

  • Kentucky was organized as territory on May 7, 1800
  • Kentucky entered the union as the 15th state on June 1, 1792.
  • Kentucky has 120 Counties.
  • Kentucky’s capital is Frankfort.
  • Kentucky is bordered by Illinois (northwest), Indiana (north), Missouri (west), Ohio (northeast), Tennessee (south), Virginia (east), and West Virginia (east)
  • Kentucky has a land area of 40,411 square miles making it the 37th largest state.
  • Kentucky’s 2010 population was 4,339,367 .
  • Kentucky  largest cities are Louisville, 1 566,503; Lexington-Fayette,2 295,803; Bowling Green, 58,067; Owensboro, 57,265; Covington, 40,640; Hopkinsville, 31,577; Richmond, 31,364; Florence, 29,951; Georgetown, 29,098 Henderson, 28,757.
  • Kentucky meaning is disputed, its from the Iroquois Indian word “Ken-tah-ten,” which means “land of tomorrow”, but some historians believe it means “meadowland.
  • Kentucky State Nickname is “The Bluegrass State”, which is derived from the famed bluegrass grown in pastures in central Kentucky.
  • Kentucky State Motto is “United we stand, divided we fall”.

Kentucky County Genealogy

Kentucky County records vary widely from county to county in both quality and quantity. Some have been carefully preserved while others have been much abused and neglected. Some Kentucky records have simply disappeared.

Select a County Below

COUNTY PAGES UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Kentucky has counties that no longer exist. They were established by the state, provincial, or territorial government. Most of these counties were created and disbanded in the 19th century; county boundaries have changed little since 1900 in the vast majority of states. These counties need to be looked at when doing genealogy research. Pay close attention where the courthouse records went to if the county was abolished or combined with another county.

  • Beckham County, Kentucky: was formed from Carter Co. and from Lewis and Elliott Counties. It was dissolved by the state Court of Appeals on 29 Apr 1904 as not being formed in accordance with the state constitution. Only marriage and postal records remain.
  • Josh Bell County, Kentucky: Formed just after the Civil War, on February 5, 1867, from portions of Harlan and Knox Counties. Originally named Josh Bell County at its formation, the name was changed to Bell County by the legislature on January 31, 1873.

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Kentucky Genealogy Links

See Kentucky County Genealogy for County Links. 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.

Kentucky State History

 

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