Beaufort County,
South Carolina History & Facts

County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links

Beaufort County, South Carolina Facts

When was Beaufort County, SC Created?
Beaufort County was established on  1769 from 1769 Beaufort District containing of Prince William Parish, St. Luke Parish, St. Helena Parish, and St. Peter Parish.

What is the County Seat of Beaufort County, SC?
The County Seat of government is situated in Beaufort plus the county government website is www.co.beaufort.sc.us/

What counties are adjacent to Beaufort County, SC?
Bordering counties are Colleton County, Jasper County, Hampton County.

Beaufort County, SC Vital Records

Where can find Beaufort County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Beaufort County vital records can be found at the South Carolina Department of Health has copies of birth records after 1913 and death records after 1930, copies of marriage since Jan 1962 and a Divorce records since 1958. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in South Carolina for current fees and application process.

Beaufort County Health Department has birth and death records from January 01, 1915. Marriage records prior to 1950 are available from the Probate Court office. Divorce records since April 1949 are available from the County Clerk’s office. There were no South Carolina birth or Death “certificates” before January 01, 1915

You can search online for Beaufort County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for South Carolina Birth and Death Certificate, Marriage and Divorce Certificate Application to mail.

• See Also Statewide Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records in South Carolina
• South Carolina Vital Records Research Guide
• Social Security Death Index
• South Carolina Marriages, 1688-1799
• South Carolina Marriages, 1800-1820
• South Carolina Marriages, 1641-1965
• South Carolina Death Index, 1950-1952
• South Carolina, Death Records, 1821-1955

Beaufort County, SC Census Records

What Beaufort County, SC census records are available?
County census records consists of Federal Census Schedules to aid in finding out about your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1790-1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Beaufort Co. Slave Schedules can be acquired for 1850 & 1860. Beaufort Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Beaufort Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Beaufort Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890. One can find free downloadable not to mention printable census forms to help you with your research.

Beaufort County, SC Courthouse and Government Records

Beaufort County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Beaufort County Courthouse?

• Beaufort County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 102 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29901
• Beaufort County Register of Deeds
  • Phone: (843) 255-2555
  • Land Records: 1863
• Beaufort County Clerk of Probate Court
  • Phone: (843) 255-5660
  • Marriage Records: 1911
  • Probate Records: 1865
• Beaufort County Clerk of Court
  • Phone: (843)255-5050
  • Court Records: 1865
  • Divorce Records:since April 1949

In searching for genealogy records be sure to check the following counties as they were created from Beaufort County: Hampton County in 1878.

Beaufort County, SC Societies and Family History Resources

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Beaufort County, SC?
A list of Beaufort County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives.

• Beaufort County Genealogical Society; P.O. Box 5492, Hilton Head SC 29928
• Beaufort County Historical Society, PO Box 55, Beaufort, SC 29901
• Bluffton Historical Preservation Society Inc., P.O. Box 742, Bluffton, SC 29910
• Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation, PO Box 27, Daufuskie Island, SC 29915
• Heritage Library Foundation, Inc, 32 Office Park Road, Ste. 300 , Hilton Head Island, SC 29928-4640;  (843) 686-6560
• Historic Beaufort Foundation, PO Box 11, Beaufort, SC 29901
• USGenWeb Archives for Beaufort County (usgwarchives.net)
• South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 8301 Parklane Road; Columbia, SC 29223-4905; Tel: (803) 896-6100
• South Carolina State Library, 1500 Senate Street, PO Box 11469; Columbia, South Carolina 29211; Voice: (803) 734-8666
• South Carolina Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 16355, Greenville, SC 29606
• South Carolina Historical Society, 100 Meeting Street, Charleston 29401
• South Carolina Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies Guide

Where can I connect with other Beaufort County, SC Researchers through message boards and forums?

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• South Carolina State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Beaufort County, South Carolina Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Beaufort County
• Beaufort County, South Carolina Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Beaufort County, SC?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources related to Beaufort County. These genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a payment. This is just a directory that has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another.

Beaufort Co. SC Books, Newspapers & Publications

• South Carolina Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• South Carolina historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from South Carolina (1783 – 1975 ) (genealogybank.com)
• Beaufort County, South Carolina Books (amazon.com)
• Search South Carolina Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Beaufort County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Beaufort Co. SC Birth, Marriage & Death Records

Beaufort Co. SC Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

• South Carolina Court Records Research Guide
• Will Transcripts, 1782-1855 
• Indexes to the County Wills of South Carolina
• South Carolina Archives Summary Guide to Beaufort County Records
• BLM Land Records

Beaufort Co. SC Census Records

• South Carolina Census Records Research Guide
• Beaufort County, SC Census Records
• Beaufort County, SC Census QuickFacts
• Beaufort Co., SC GenWeb Archives Census Records
• Search The U.S. Federal Census Collection

Beaufort Co. SC Church / Bible Records & Cemeteries / Graveyards

• Beaufort Co., South Carolina Graves (findagrave.com)
• Beaufort County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Beaufort Co., South Carolina Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Beaufort Co., South Carolina Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Minutes of the vestry of St. Helena’s Parish, South Carolina, 1726-1812  (search.ancestry.com)
• Beaufort County, South Carolina Church Books (amazon.com)

Beaufort Co. SC Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

• Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
• South Carolina Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)
• Nichols and Related Families (nicholsgenealogy.com)

Beaufort Co. SC General and History Websites

• Beaufort County, South Carolina Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• A History of Beaufort County (carolana.com)
• Beaufort County, South Carolina Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Beaufort Co. SC Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Beaufort County History (statelibrary.sc.gov)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Beaufort County, South Carolina (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – South Carolina – Counties – Beaufort (cyndislist.com)
• Beaufort County South Carolina (genealogytrails.com)
• Beaufort Co. SCGenweb (sciway3.net)
• Beaufort County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Beaufort Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Beaufort Co. SC Immigration & Naturalization

• See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for South Carolina
• South Carolina Naturalizations 1783-1850  (search.ancestry.com)

Beaufort Co. SC Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of South Carolina Links and Information
• Beaufort Co. D.O.T. Maps (scdot.org)
• 1895 Beaufort County Map (livgenmi.com)

Beaufort Co. SC Military Records

• South Carolina Military Records Research Guide
• South Carolina Revolutionary War Units (revolutionarywar101.com)
• South Carolina Military Records (Fold3.com) provides access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents belonging to the South Carolina women and men which served. Great for Perfect for Beaufort County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.

Beaufort Co. SC Schools & Directories

• Directory of Scots in the Carolinas, 1680-1830  (search.ancestry.com)