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Bay County, Florida
Genealogy, History & Facts
County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links
Bay County, Florida Facts
When was Bay County, FL Created?
Bay County was created on April 24, 1913 from Calhoun County and Washington County.
What is the County Seat of Bay County, FL?
The County Seat is located in Panama City also, the county government website is www.co.bay.fl.us/.
What counties are adjacent to Bays County, FL?
Bordering Counties are Washington County, Jackson County, Calhoun County, Gulf County, Walton County.
Bay County, FL Vital Records
Where can find Bay County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Bay County vital records can be found at the Florida Office of Vital Records which has copies of Birth & Deaths reported 1917 to present and Divorce & Marriages since June 6, 1927. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Florida for current fees and application process.
You can search online for Bay County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Florida Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.
Vital Records can also be found in the Bay County Health Department has copies of Birth & Death certificates. Also has computer access from 1917 to present for birth records for the entire state as well as births that occurred in this county.
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- Social Security Death Index
- USGenweb Archives Florida Marriage Project
- Florida Marriage Collection, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001
- Florida Divorce Index, 1927-2001
- Florida Marriages, 1822-1850
- Florida Marriages, 1830-1993
- Florida Marriages, 1837-1974
- Florida Death Index, 1877-1998
- Florida Deaths and Burials, 1900-1921
- Florida Deaths, 1877-193
Bay County, FL Census Records
What Bay County, FL census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Bay County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1920, 1930, 1940.
There are Florida State censuses from 1867, 1875, 1885, 1935, 1945. You can get free downloadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Florida Census Records Research Guide
Bay County, FL Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the Bay County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Bay County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Florida courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Florida 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 Bay 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 Florida Corthouse Records Research Guide.
- Bay County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: P.O. Box 2269, Panama City, FL 32402 or 300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401
- Bay County Clerk of the Circuit Court / County Clerk
- Phone: (850) 747-5222
- Marriage Records: 1913
- Land Records: 1885
- Probate Records: 1913
- Court Records: 1913
- Florida Land Records
- BLM Land Records
Bay County, FL Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Bay County, FL?
A list of Bay County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Florida Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Bay County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1476, Panama City, FL 32402; Phone: (850) 785-9036
- Bay County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 662, Panama City 32402-0662
- Florida Dept of State Div of Library & Bureau of Archives & Records Management, 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250
- Florida State Genealogical Society, PO Box 10249, Tallahassee, FL 32302-2249
- Florida Historical Society 1320 Highland Ave, Melbourne, FL 32935
Where can I connect with other Bay County, FL Researchers through message boards and forums?
- Florida Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
- Florida State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Bay County, Florida Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Bay County, Florida Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Bay County, FL?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Bay County. A lot of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a fee. This is just a directory which has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site over another.
Bay Co. FL Books, Newspapers & Publications
- Florida Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- Florida historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from Florida (1823 – 1959) (genealogybank.com)
- Panama City News-Herald (Panama City, Florida) (search.ancestry.com)
- Panama City News (Panama City, Florida) (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay County, Florida Books (amazon.com)
- Bay County Florida Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
- Search Florida Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
Bay Co. FL Cemeteries & Church Records
- Florida Cemetery Research Guide
- Bay Co., Florida Graves (findagrave.com)
- Bay County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Bay Co., Florida Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Bay Co., Florida Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Florida Church & Bible Research Guide
- Bay County, Florida Church Books (amazon.com)
Bay Co. FL Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- The Florida Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)
Bay Co. FL General and History Websites
- See Also State History for Florida
- Bay County, Florida Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Bay County, Florida Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Bay Co. FL Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Bay County, Florida (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Florida – Counties – Bay (cyndislist.com)
- Bay County Florida (genealogytrails.com)
- Bay Co. FLGenweb (hiddenancestors.com)
- Bay County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Bay Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Bay Co. FL Immigration & Naturalization
- See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for Florida
- Florida Passenger Lists, 1898-1951 (search.ancestry.com)
- Florida, Petitions for Naturalization, 1913-1991 (search.ancestry.com)
Bay Co. FL Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Florida Links and Information
- Bay Co. D.O.T. Road and Highway Maps (dot.state.fl.us)
- 1895 Bay County Map (livgenmi.com)
Bay Co. FL Military Records
- Florida Military Records Research Guide
- Florida Military Records (fold3.com) will provide easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents belonging to the Florida women and men which served. Suitable for Bay County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.