McCormick County Genealogy
- Formed 1916
- Parent district Abbeville, Edgefield, and Greenwood
- County seat McCormick
- Neighbors Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood
McCormick County was formed in 1916 (Abbeville, Edgefield, and Greenwood). The county seat is McCormick. Neighboring counties include Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood.
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).
McCormick County was formed in 1916 from Greenwood County and Abbeville County. The county was named for Cyrus Hall McCormick, an inventor. The Cherokee Indians massacred early settlers in 1760 at Long Cane. As a response, Fort Charlotte was built to help protect the area. This was one of the first forts captured by the Colonists in the Revolutionary War. Gold was found on the site where the current town of McCormick sits around 1850. Cyrus McCormick had purchased the gold mine and then later gave some land for the town. The town bearing his name was established in 1882 and is the county seat.
McCormick County SCGenweb site
McCormick County Courthouse
Route 2, Box 84-AAA
County Courthouse
Mc Cormick, SC 29835
Cemeteries
USGS listing of cemeteries in McCormick County
Query Forums
Cities and towns of McCormick County:
- Bordeaux
- Britts
- Clarks Hill
- Colliers
- McCormick (County Seat)
- Modoc
- Mount Carmel
- Parksville
- Plum Branch
- Willington
News related to McCormick County, SC
History notes
McCormick 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 McCormick 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 McCormick 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 McCormick 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
McCormick County Courthouse
McCormick, South Carolina
https://mccormickcountysc.org/