Greenwood County Genealogy
- Formed 1897
- Parent district Abbeville and Edgefield
- County seat Greenwood
- Neighbors Abbeville, Edgefield, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Saluda
Greenwood County was formed in 1897 (Abbeville and Edgefield). The county seat is Greenwood. Neighboring counties include Abbeville, Edgefield, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Saluda.
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).
Greenwood County was formed in 1897 from Abbeville and Edgefield Counties. The town of Greenwood was named for the plantation of one of it's residents, John McGehee and was formed in 1824. Ninety Six was settled around 1730 as a frontier outpost. This county saw the first fight in South Carolina of the Revolutionary War at Fort Star which was held by the British. Patriot forces laid siege to the fort, but British reinforcements came and forced a retreat.
Greenwood County Genealogy Resources
Greenwood County SCGenweb site
Greenwood County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 3468
Greenwood, SC 29648
Greenwood County Government
Greenwood County Courthouse
528 Monument Street
County Courthouse
Greenwood, SC 29646
Census Records
Cemeteries
Query Forums
Cities and towns of Greenwood County:
- Bradley
- Callison
- Greenwood (County Seat)
- Hodges
- Ninety Six
- Promised Land
- Troy
- Ware Shoals
News related to Greenwood County, SC
History notes
Greenwood 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 Greenwood 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 Greenwood 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 Greenwood 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
Greenwood County Courthouse
Greenwood, South Carolina
https://www.greenwoodcounty-sc.gov/