Kershaw County Genealogy

Formed 1791
Parent district Camden District
County seat Camden
Neighbors Chesterfield, Fairfield, Lancaster, Lee, Richland, Sumter

In-depth topics

Battle of Camden (1780)
A major Revolutionary War defeat for the Continental Army near Camden.
Camden Newspapers & Local Print
One of the state’s older interior towns—print culture starts early.

Kershaw County was formed in 1791 (Camden District). The county seat is Camden. Neighboring counties include Chesterfield, Fairfield, Lancaster, Lee, Richland, Sumter.

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).

Kershaw County was formed in 1798 from the old Camden District. The county was named for Joseph Kershaw, an early settler. Kershaw County is also at the center of the Revolutionary War history of South Carolina. 14 Revolutionary war battles took place here including the battle of Camden in 1780 and the battle of Hobkirk's Hill in 1781. The Historic Camden Revolutionary War site is located here with 107 acres of trails and a look at Colonial life around the time of the Revolution. The county seat is Camden which is also the oldest inland city in South Carolina, it was settled in 1732. The British set fire to Camden after the battle of Hobkirk's Hill. During the Civil War, the city was burned again by Sherman's Army in February 1865.

Kershaw County SCGenweb site

Kershaw County Historical Society *new*
811 Fair Street, Box 501
Camden, SC 29020
Kershaw County Courthouse
515 Walnut Street
County Courthouse
Camden, SC 29020

Census

1800 Federal Census Transcription and index Directory opens to file listing with index file and a file named by page number.
1800 Federal Census Transcription

Cemeteries

Query Forums

Cities and towns of Kershaw County:

Antioch
Bethune
Camden (County Seat)
Cassatt
Dekalb
Dusty Bend
Elgin
Kirkland
Kirkwood
Liberty Hill
Lugoff
Pontiac
Red Hill
Shamokin
Westville

News related to Kershaw County, SC

History notes

Kershaw 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 Kershaw 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 Kershaw 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 Kershaw 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

Kershaw County Courthouse
Camden, South Carolina
https://www.kershaw.sc.gov/