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Nelson County, Kentucky
Genealogy, History & Facts
County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links
Nelson County, Kentucky Facts
When was Nelson County, KY Created?
Nelson County was created on November 29, 1784 from Jefferson County.
What is the County Seat of Nelson County, KY?
The County Seat is located in Bardstown additionally, the county government website is www.nelsoncountyky.com
What counties are adjacent to Nelson County, KY?
Bordering Counties are Spencer County, Anderson County, Washington County, Marion County, LaRue County, Hardin County, Bullitt County.
Nelson County, KY Vital Records
Where can find Nelson County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Nelson County vital records can be found at the Kentucky Department of Health (VDH) Office of Vital Records which has copies for of birth & deathe certificates (1911 – present), marriage licenses & divorce decrees (since June 1958). There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Kentucky for current fees and application process.
You can search online for Nelson County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or you can download an application for Birth Certificate, Marriage / Divorce Certificate or Death Certificates to mail.
The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives contains birth and death records for the cities of Louisville, Lexington, Covington and Newport, which introduced records laws before 1911. The Archives also offers birth and death records before to 1911 and 1911-1957 death records for the entire state.
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- Social Security Death Index
- Nelson County, Kentucky Marriage Records, 1785-1815 (search.ancestry.com)
- Nelson County, Kentucky Marriage Project
- Kentucky Vital Records Index – The vital records index data was obtained from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics in 1994 for a research project.
- Kentucky Social Security Death Index
- Kentucky Vital Records Project
- Kentucky, Births and Christenings, 1839-1960
- Kentucky Birth Records, 1852-1910
- Kentucky Birth Index, 1911-1999
- Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979
- Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954
- Kentucky Marriage Index, 1973-1999
- Kentucky Marriage Records, 1852-1914
- Kentucky Marriages, 1851-1900
- Kentucky Marriages, 1802-1850
- Northern Kentucky Marriages, 1795-1850
- Kentucky Marriage Records
- Kentucky Marriages, 1797-1865
- Kentucky, Death Records, 1911-1955
- Kentucky Death Records, 1852-1953
- Kentucky Death Index, 1911-2000
- Kentucky Obituaries, 1787-1854
- Kentucky Deaths and Burials, 1843-1970
Nelson County, KY Census Records
What Nelson County, KY census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Nelson County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1790-1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Nelson Co. Slave Schedules can be obtained for 1850 & 1860. Nelson Co. Mortality Schedules can be acquired for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Nelson Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be acquired for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Nelson Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be obtained for 1890. One can find free down loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Kentucky Census Records Research Guide
Nelson County, KY Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the Nelson County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Nelson County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Kentucky courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Kentucky residents.
The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Nelson County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also Kentucky Corthouse Records Research Guide.
- Nelson County Clerk
- Address: Main St., Bardstown, KY, 40004
- Phone: (502) 348-1820
- Marriage Records: 1785
- Land Records: 1784
- Probate Records: 1785
- Nelson County Clerk of the Circuit Court
- Address: Nelson County Justice Center, 200 Nelson County Plaza, Bardstown, Kentucky 40004
- Phone: (502) 348-3648
- Court Records: 1785
- Kentucky, Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989
- Nelson County Elected Officials (ky.gov)
- Will/Probate Record Request Form
- BLM Land Records
- Nelson County USGenWeb Archives Project
Nelson County, KY Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Nelson County, KY?
A list of Nelson County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Kentucky Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Kentucky Department for Libraries & Archives, 300 Coffee Tree Road, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601; (502) 564-8300;
- University of Kentucky Libraries, William T. Young Library, Lexington, KY 40506-0456
- The Kentucky Historical Society, 100 W. Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601; 877-444-7867
- The Kentucky Genealogical Society, PO Box 153, Frankfort, KY 40602-0153
- Nelson County Genealogical Roundtable, P.O. Box 409, Bardstown, KY 40004
- Nelson County Public Library
- Ancestral Trails Historical Society, PO Box 1796, Elizabethtown, KY 42702-1796; (270) 982-0881. We are a Regional Society representing Breckinridge, Bullitt, Edmonson, Grayson, Hardin, Hart, Jefferson, LaRue, Meade, Nelson counties in Kentucky. We have a free research library with over 1200 books and many research books for sale. We have a index of the articles from our Quarterly News Magazine listed on our website. These articles can be requested at a minimal charge.
Where can I connect with other Nelson County, KY Researchers through message boards and forums?
- Kentucky Genealogy Network Community (plus.google.com)
- Kentucky State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Nelson County, Kentucky Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Nelson County
- Nelson County, Kentucky Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
- KYNELSON. A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in Nelson County, Kentucky. To subscribe send “subscribe” to [email protected] (mail mode) or [email protected] (digest mode).
- CENTRAL-KY. A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in Central Kentucky including Boyle, Bullitt, Casey, Clark, Estill, Garrard, Hardin, Jackson, Jessamine, LaRue, Lincoln, Marion, Nelson, Russell, Taylor, and Powell Counties. The list also covers any central Kentucky area if the county is unknown. To subscribe send “subscribe” to [email protected] (mail mode) or [email protected] (digest mode).
- KENTUCKIANA. A mailing list for genealogy research and information exchange in the Indiana counties of Clark, Crawford, Dubois, Floyd, Gibson, Harrison, Orange, Perry, Pike, Posey, Scott, Spencer, Warrick and Washington, and the Kentucky counties of Breckinridge, Bullitt, Carroll, Hardin, Jefferson, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer and Trimble. This is a highly research structured list, chatroom atmosphere is discouraged. To subscribe send “subscribe” to [email protected] (mail mode) or [email protected] (digest mode).
What other genealogical resources are available in Nelson County, KY?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Nelson County. These genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Professional Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a payment. This is basically a collection that has been gathered or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site over another.
Nelson Co. KY Books, Newspapers & Publications
- Kentucky Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- Kentucky historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from Kentucky (1794-1922) (genealogybank.com)
- Nelson County, Kentucky Books (amazon.com)
- Search Kentucky Obituaries (1984 to current) (genealogybank.com)
- Nelson County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
Nelson Co. KY Church / Bible Records & Cemeteries / Graveyards
- Nelson Co., Kentucky Graves (findagrave.com)
- Nelson County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Nelson Co., Kentucky Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Nelson Co., Kentucky Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Nelson County, Kentucky Church Books (amazon.com)
Nelson Co. KY General and History Websites
- Nelson County Kentucky (genealogytrails.com)
- Nelson County, KY History (kyenc.org) The Kentucky Encyclopedia
- Nelson County, Kentucky Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Nelson County, Kentucky Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Nelson Co. KY Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Nelson County, Kentucky (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Kentucky – Counties – Nelson (cyndislist.com)
- Nelson Co. KYGenweb (kykinfolk.com)
- Nelson County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Nelson Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Nelson Co. KY Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Kentucky Links and Information
- Nelson Co. D.O.T. 2011 Highway Map (transportation.ky.gov)
- 1895 Nelson County Map (livgenmi.com)
Nelson Co. KY Military Records
- Kentucky Military Records Research Guide
- Confederate Soldiers from Nelson County Kentucky (macain.1.home.insightbb.com)
- Kentucky Military Records (Fold3.com) delivers access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Pennsylvania individuals who served. Perfect for Nelson County genealogists, researchers, historians and a lot more.