Allendale County Genealogy
- Formed 1919
- Parent district Barnwell and Hampton
- County seat Allendale
- Neighbors Bamberg, Barnwell, Hampton
Allendale County was formed in 1919 (Barnwell and Hampton). The county seat is Allendale. Neighboring counties include Bamberg, Barnwell, Hampton.
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).
Allendale county was formed in 1919 from Barnwell and Hampton Counties. The area was originally part of the Colleton District and then Granville District in 1708. This area was part of a township laid out called Edisto, later named Orangeburg which was laid out in an attempt to encourage settlement of the inland back country. This area later became a part of Barnwell County and then finally Allendale County.
Allendale is the most recently created county in South Carolina and was named for the Allen family. The town of Allendale had as it's first postmaster Paul Allen. (Around 1849). Among the sites of note within Allendale County is the plantation of Confederate General Johnson Hagood.
Jim Bryan has a page on the history of Allendale County, SC including photos.
The town of Allendale is not in it's current location on the site of the original, it was moved around 1873. Gen. Sherman's army passed through this area in the Civil War destroying quite a bit that was in their path. Some say that in South Carolina they burned towns and tried to burn the very dirt.... the original buildings were burnt to the ground during this time.
Some genealogy of this Allen family is available via sciway3.net.
Allendale County SCGenweb site
Allendale Historical Society and Museum
PO Box 523
Allendale, SC 29810
Allendale County Courthouse
P.O. Box 190
County Courthouse
Allendale, SC 29810
Census
1790 Census images and transcription for the entire state
Cemeteries
Query Forums
Cities and towns of Allendale County:
- Allendale (County Seat)
- Barton
- Fairfax
- Martin
- Seigling
- Sycamore
- Ulmer
History notes
Allendale 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.
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules (and some state/colonial substitutes) are foundational for Allendale 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 Allendale 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.
Cemeteries
Cemetery surveys for Allendale County appear in published books, Find a Grave, USGenWeb archives, and local historical society vertical files. Always note whether a reading is complete or partial.
Courthouse & contacts
Allendale County Courthouse
Allendale, South Carolina
https://www.allendalecounty.com/