Cherokee County Genealogy
- Formed 1897
- Parent district Union, Spartanburg, and York
- County seat Gaffney
- Neighbors Spartanburg, Union, York
Cherokee County was formed in 1897 (Union, Spartanburg, and York). The county seat is Gaffney. Neighboring counties include Spartanburg, Union, York.
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).
Cherokee County was formed in 1897 from parts of Union, York and Spartanburg Counties. Gaffney is the county seat. The name is for the Cherokee Nation which inhabited the area before European settlement. The name is also attributed to the community of Cherokee Falls. During the Revolutionary war, the battle of Kings Mountain took place here in 1780 and the Battle of Cowpens in 1780. Prior to the Revolutionary Period, this area was a buffer between the Catawba Indians and the Cherokee. At one point the Cherokee encourage a group of Shawnee to settle in the area as an added buffer against the Catawba.
There have been border disputes between North and South Carolina and at times settlers in this area might have considered themselves residents of Mecklenberg or Tryon County, NC as the state lines were negotiated. In 1821 the boundary dispute was resolved.
Cherokee County Courthouse old link
210 N. Limestone Street
County Administration Building
Gaffney, SC 29340
Census
1920 Federal Census transcription Ordered by last name
Cemeteries
USGS listing of cemeteries in Cherokee County
Query Forums
Cities and towns in Cherokee County:
- Blacksburg
- Cherokee Falls
- Gaffney (County Seat)
- Kings Creek
News related to Cherokee County, SC
History notes
Cherokee 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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee 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
Cherokee County Courthouse
Gaffney, South Carolina
https://www.cherokeecountysc.gov/