Charleston County Genealogy
- Formed 1769
- Parent district Original judicial district (settled 1670 as Charles Town)
- County seat Charleston
- Neighbors Berkeley, Colleton, Dorchester
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Hub includes record matrix, towns, newspapers (start-here title), cemeteries, societies, church notes, and neighbor panel.
- Printable: Charleston County research cheatsheet.
- Method path: Start here · Districts · Churches.
- Tools: free checklist & packs · surname queries · how we cite & update.
- Formation era 1769 — parent context: Original judicial district (settled 1670 as Charles Town).
- New signature topics deepen local research angles—see the in-depth topics list and Charleston cheatsheet.
- More local topic essays added (towns, churches, AA paths, industry)—browse in-depth topics or the Charleston cheatsheet.
- District-era jurisdiction map and record-survival notes; land matrix flags the pre-1785 Charleston recording trap.
This week in Charleston County history
-
1780Charleston County Revolutionary late summer Sun, Aug 23
Militia movements and later pensions cross modern lines—use federal files.
-
1886Charleston earthquake Mon, Aug 31
Major quake generates relief, insurance, and newspaper documentation.
This week in South Carolina history · Genealogist timeline · Queries for this county
In-depth topics
- Charleston Research Strategy
- Fort Sumter and the Opening of the Civil War
- Fort Moultrie & the Palmetto on the State Flag
- Charles Town: Carolina’s First Enduring English Settlement
- Rice, Indigo, and Lowcountry Plantations
- Churches & Parish Records
- Parent Jurisdictions & Boundaries
- Newspapers & Obituaries
- Records Roadmap
- Charleston District-Era Jurisdiction Map
- Charleston Record Survival & Loss Narrative
- Charleston AA Research: Urban Free People, Port & Schedules
- Johns Island & Wadmalaw
- James Island & Folly Corridor
- North Charleston Industrial Era
Towns & communities
Charleston County was formed in 1769 (Original judicial district (settled 1670 as Charles Town)). The county seat is Charleston. Neighboring counties include Berkeley, Colleton, Dorchester.
Use the research panels below for modern starting points—government contacts, census, vital records, cemeteries—and read the legacy narrative for local history notes and older link collections (some updated).
Charleston County was formed in 1769 and was the location of the oldest English settlement south of Virginia. The settlement predates the formation of the "County", as the first settlement was in 1670. Charleston is one of the most historic cities in the Southeast and the oldest in South Carolina. It was originally named Charles Town in honor of King Charles II of England, it wasn't until 1783 that the towns name was changed or truncated to Charleston. Charleston was a center of commerce, government and culture for most of the early history of South Carolina, serving as it's state capital until 1790. Portions of the Charleston District were used for the creation of the districts of Berkeley and Colleton (1882, 1800 respectively.) This busy port town also boasted cotton, rice and even indigo plantations as some of the area agricultural products.
During the Revolutionary War Charleston played an important role. The British fleet was defeated in 1776 there by the Americans. A fort had been constructed of Palmetto tree logs on Sullivans Island and the logs withstood the barrage of British Cannonballs. This earned the Palmetto a place on the South Carolina flag. This fort was later named Fort Moultrie.
Another Fort of Charleston figured prominently in another of our countries war. In April 1861, Fort Sumter was fired upon, this was the first battle of the Civil War.
Among the cities famous residents, there were 3 signers of the Declaration of Independance: John Rutledge, Charles Pinckney and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney.
Charleston County SCGenweb site
Charleston County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 20266
Charleston, SC 29413
Charleston County Courthouse
2 Courthouse Square
County Courthouse
Charleston, SC 29401
Census
- 1790 Federal Census transcription
- 1790 Federal Census transcription (archive) old link
- 1790 Federal Census images - statewide
- 1860 Federal Census Index of Slaveholders (alphabetical) Also includes # of slaves, parish and page number.
- 1860 Federal Census Index of Slaveholders (in order as found in census) Also includes # of slaves, parish and page number.
- 1860 Federal Census Index of Largest Slaveholders Also has 1870 surname matches for African Americans
Other records
1794 City directory
Query Forums
History notes
Charleston County's documentary trail follows South Carolina's district-to-county evolution. When searching before county formation, check parent districts and neighboring counties for deeds, estates, and tax lists.
SC jurisdiction depth: Use the district-era map and record survival topics—plus the pre-1785 statewide deed recording trap on the land matrix row.
Local history & events
- The affordable side of Charleston: free views, historic walks and budget-friendly museums - Post and Courier
- Charleston planners weigh preservation of historic Washington Park community - WCIV
- Charleston Reparations Task Force Demands 7,000 Acres from Historic Plantations - WCIV
- Charleston's International African American Museum to furlough all staff, will remain open - WCIV
- Gullah Geechee Advocates Want Charleston Plantations To Give Back 7,000 Acres - Cassius Life
- This historic map of Edisto Island was falling apart. A Charleston local saved it. - Post and Courier
Record availability matrix
SC jurisdiction trap (read first)
| Record type | Coverage | Years (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal census | good | 1790–1950 | Federal schedules available for SC with known quirks/losses in some years. Place the household in the correct county/district for each decade. Before 1769, search parent jurisdiction: Original judicial district (settled 1670 as Charles Town). |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration in SC is comparatively late (certificates densify after ~1915). Do not expect a civil birth certificate for pre-registration generations—use delayed births, church baptisms, Bibles, census, and probate. For people living before Charleston County existed (~1769), research the family in parent jurisdictions (Original judicial district (settled 1670 as Charles Town)) for land, tax, church, and census—not for earlier county birth certificates. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1800– | County marriage licenses/returns densify in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier marriages often appear only in church books, bonds, newspapers, or pension files. If the couple married before Charleston County (~1769), search parent jurisdiction (Original judicial district (settled 1670 as Charles Town)) and neighboring counties for the ceremony place—not only this courthouse. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates densify after statewide registration (~1915). Earlier deaths: obituaries, church burial, probate, cemeteries, coroner notes. Pre-formation residence (~1769): search parent context (Original judicial district (settled 1670 as Charles Town)) for substitutes, not for modern-style county death certificates before registration. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1670– | Pre-1785: many SC deeds were recorded centrally in Charleston (Secretary of the Province/State), not only in the modern county courthouse—search colonial/Charleston series plus parent districts. Pre-1785: central colonial/Secretary recording in Charles Town is THE SC land trap—search SCDAH colonial series even for “upcountry” ancestors. Post-district ROD continues under Charleston labels with parish/plat geography. Parent note: original judicial district. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1671– | Wills and inventories unusually deep for colonial SC; equity nearby. Check SCDAH microfilm and city/probate paths. Not every loss story is total—verify series inventories. |
| Church & parish | good | varies | Church rolls often beat civil vitals before the 20th century in Charleston County. Identify denomination and congregation neighborhood early (see church & cemetery panels). Parent/earlier context: Original judicial district (settled 1670 as Charles Town). |
| Newspapers | good | 1732– | Among the densest SC press environments (Gazette tradition onward). Still confirm title runs; use Chronicling America + State Library. |
| Military | good | 1775– | Revolutionary through 20th-century service may generate pensions, CMSRs, and local militia notes. Pair with county context for battles and units. |
| Cemeteries | partial | varies | Featured municipal and churchyards on this hub are starting points—not a complete inventory. Published abstracts and Find a Grave are incomplete; rural family plots are common. Submit survey citations via contact. Parent/earlier context: Original judicial district (settled 1670 as Charles Town). |
| Court records | good | 1769– | District and county court series dense; sessions/common pleas/equity. Use formation 1769 as local court identity; earlier matters may use proprietary/colonial labels. |
| Tax lists | sparse | varies | Tax lists can substitute for missing census years. Coverage is uneven by locality and year; check SCDAH and published abstracts. |
SCDAH & repository series inventory
| Series | Years (approx.) | Repository | Call / catalog notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colonial / Secretary of the Province–State land series (statewide) | 1670–1785 | SCDAH | SCDAH colonial plats, grants, and memorials — confirm current series titles & microfilm/digital IDs in SCDAH catalogs (do not rely on a single county courthouse for pre-1785 title). |
| Charleston District (1769 judicial district) continuity | 1769– | SCDAH | Original judicial district identity. District court and land-related series may predate modern county packaging—use SCDAH district/county inventories side by side. |
| Charleston County deeds / mesne conveyances (ROD) | 1785– | County ROD + SCDAH microfilm | County Register of Deeds (or Clerk as ROD). SCDAH holds many county deed books on microfilm—look up “Charleston County” in SCDAH / FamilySearch catalog for book/reel coverage. Call numbers change; verify before ordering film. |
| Charleston County probate (wills, administrations, inventories) | 1785– | County Probate + SCDAH microfilm | Wills/administrations/inventories. Many counties filmed; FamilySearch wiki catalog links list digitized vs film-only. Confirm packet vs will-book coverage separately. |
| Charleston / district equity & related chancery-type files | 1785– | SCDAH + county | Equity/bills often resolve kin and land when law-side probate is thin. Series labels shift with district reforms (~1785, ~1800, 1868). Use SCDAH equity finding aids + county inventories. |
| Charleston County / district court of common pleas & sessions | 1785– | SCDAH + county clerk | Judgment rolls, sessions, and related court papers. Coverage and labels vary; start with SCDAH county records inventory and FamilySearch catalog entries for the county. |
| Charleston tax lists & related assessments (where surviving) | 1780– | SCDAH + published abstracts | Tax survival is uneven. Check SCDAH and published society abstracts; some lists exist only in print abstracts or FS film. Never treat a partial web extract as complete. |
| Statewide vital registration (birth/death) — not a colonial county series | 1915– | SC DHEC / SCDAH / FamilySearch | Civil birth/death certificates densify after statewide registration (~1915). Search statewide systems and FS collections; parent counties do not hold earlier “birth certificates” for 1915+ events that never used civil registration. |
| Newspapers (local + regional) — SC State Library / Chronicling America | see catalog | SC State Library + LOC | Microfilm and digital runs: SC State Library newspaper catalogs; Chronicling America; local libraries. Hub “start-here” title is first masthead only. |
| FamilySearch catalog — Charleston County place search | see catalog | FamilySearch | Catalog search: Place = "Charleston, South Carolina". Review film notes for deeds, probate, court, vitals. Digitization status changes—re-check the catalog item. |
Churches & denominations
Lowcountry pattern: Anglican/Episcopal parish geography for colonial generations; Baptist, Methodist, and historically African American churches for later eras. Plantation chapels and praise houses may leave thin paper—pair with burial grounds.
For Charleston County (seat: Charleston), identify the congregation before hunting only municipal cemeteries. Membership moves across county lines more easily than deeds.
- St. Philip’s / St. Michael’s (Episcopal) parish abstracts are foundational for colonial Charles Town.
- Jewish congregations and free Black church societies leave specialized trails—search both.
- See topic essays on churches/parishes on this hub.
Newspapers
- Start here News and Courier / Post and Courier lineage (start here)
- South Carolina Gazette & colonial titles
- Charleston Mercury (historic)
- Research portals (verify runs & holdings)
Cemeteries & burial research
- Featured Charleston County — Find a Grave cemetery search
- Featured Magnolia Cemetery
- Featured Coming Street Cemetery
- Featured St. Philip’s / St. Michael’s churchyards
- Featured Friendly Moralist / free Black burial traditions
- Churchyards & family plots (survey first)
- Charleston County — Not a complete inventory
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules (and some state/colonial substitutes) are foundational for Charleston County household reconstruction. Start with every decade the family should appear, then correlate with land and probate.
Vital records
South Carolina statewide vital registration is comparatively late. For many Charleston County families you will rely on a mix of county probate, church registers, Bible records, newspapers, and delayed birth certificates—not only a single “vital records office” file.
Courthouse & contacts
Charleston County Courthouse
Charleston, South Carolina
https://www.charlestoncounty.org/
If not found here, try…
- Formed 1769
- Parent / earlier jurisdiction Original judicial district (settled 1670 as Charles Town) — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).
Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):