Berkeley County Genealogy Records
Berkeley County genealogy research reaches back to the earliest period of English settlement in South Carolina. Berkeley County is one of the original counties of South Carolina, with land records dating to 1682 when the Lords Proprietors organized the colony. The county includes portions of the original Berkeley County of the colonial era, and its records span more than three centuries. The Berkeley County Probate Court, Register of Deeds, and library system are the local sources for genealogy records. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia holds colonial and early statehood records that extend Berkeley County genealogy research to the very beginnings of English settlement in the region.
Berkeley County Quick Facts
Berkeley County Probate Court and Marriage Records
The Berkeley County Probate Court holds marriage licenses issued from July 1, 1911 through June 30, 1950. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 20-1-20, every marriage in South Carolina requires a written application filed with the Probate Court before a license is issued. The court maintains a permanent record of all licenses as required by § 20-1-270. The Probate Court is at Berkeley County Courthouse, 300 California Avenue, Moncks Corner, SC 29461. Phone: (843) 719-4800.
Estate records at the Berkeley County Probate Court include wills, inventories, administration papers, and guardianship files. Because Berkeley County has maintained records since the colonial era, the estate files span an exceptionally long time range. Early colonial probate records from the eighteenth century list plantation property, enslaved people, and personal goods in detail. These records document the families who built the plantation economy along the Cooper River and in the inland parishes that made up colonial Berkeley County.
For Berkeley County marriage records from July 1950 onward, contact the South Carolina Department of Public Health at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Phone: 803-898-3630. For Berkeley County marriages before July 1911, researchers must consult church records and family documents since state marriage licensing did not begin until 1911.
Colonial and Early Records for Berkeley County Genealogy
Berkeley County's land records date to 1682, making them among the oldest in the American South. The original Berkeley County of the colonial era was much larger than the present county, encompassing much of what is now the South Carolina Lowcountry. Understanding this colonial geography is important for researchers tracing Berkeley County families before the Revolutionary era. The colonial county was reorganized multiple times, and records from different periods reflect different administrative boundaries.
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds extensive Berkeley County colonial records. These include colonial plats, early court records, and land grant documents. The SCDAH Online Records Index at archivesindex.sc.gov includes state land grant plats from 1784 to 1868, some of which cover the Berkeley County area. Colonial plats from the proprietary and royal periods are also held at SCDAH and document the earliest grants in the region.
The Online Records Index is essential for Berkeley County genealogy research because it indexes records from the colonial era when the original Berkeley County encompassed a much larger territory than the present county.
Berkeley County Vital Records for Genealogy
South Carolina required birth and death registration starting January 1, 1915. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 44-63-10, every birth in the state must be registered within five days. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds Berkeley County birth records for 1915 to 1918 online and death records for 1915 to 1963. The South Carolina Department of Public Health holds vital records from 1915 to present at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia. Phone: 803-898-3630.
Death certificates become public records 50 years after death under § 44-63-84. The free South Carolina death index for genealogy covers Berkeley County deaths from 1915 through 1967. Use the index to find a death entry by name and then request the full certificate from SCDAH or DPH. For Berkeley County genealogy before 1915, church records are the primary source for vital events. The Lowcountry parishes of colonial Berkeley County maintained registers documenting baptisms, marriages, and burials from the earliest years of settlement.
Berkeley County Register of Deeds and Land Records
The Berkeley County Register of Deeds maintains land records dating back to 1682. The office is at 300 California Avenue, Moncks Corner, SC 29461. Phone: (843) 719-4800. Berkeley County has some of the most extensive colonial and early American land records in South Carolina. Deeds, mortgages, plats, and other instruments document property ownership from the colonial period through the present. Under Title 30 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, counties are required to maintain and preserve these public land records.
For Berkeley County genealogy, early land records reveal plantation boundaries, names of enslaved people included in property descriptions, and the networks of family ownership that extended across generations. Colonial-era deeds often include detailed descriptions of property boundaries referenced to neighboring landowners, which helps identify family and community connections that are not always apparent from other records.
Note: Some early Berkeley County land records from the colonial era are held at SCDAH in Columbia rather than at the county Register of Deeds. For records before the American Revolution, contact SCDAH directly or search the Online Records Index to locate specific documents.
Berkeley County Library and Local Resources
The Berkeley County Library maintains local history collections and genealogical resources for the county. The library provides access to census records, newspapers, and family history materials relevant to Berkeley County research. The Berkeley County Museum and Heritage Center preserves county history and maintains historical records that can support genealogy research. The museum may hold photographs, documents, and other materials specific to Berkeley County communities that are not held at the courthouse or state archives.
The South Carolina Historical Society in Charleston at 100 Meeting Street holds manuscript collections and genealogy vertical files that cover Berkeley County families. Phone: (843) 723-3225. Because Berkeley County is in the Lowcountry near Charleston, many family papers and plantation records that include Berkeley County families ended up in the Historical Society's collections. Their holdings include church registers, diaries, and family correspondence from the colonial and antebellum periods.
The SCGenWeb Archives for Berkeley County provides free access to volunteer-contributed cemetery transcriptions, census extracts, and family histories. The Berkeley County Historical Society maintains genealogical materials and local history collections that supplement what is held at the courthouse and state repositories.
The State Library guide is a practical reference for Berkeley County genealogy because the county's long history means records span multiple offices and date ranges across different state and local repositories.
South Carolina Archives Resources for Berkeley County Genealogy
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds extensive Berkeley County records including colonial-era documents. SCDAH is at 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223. Phone: (803) 896-6100. The Research Room is open to the public and provides access to microfilm of Berkeley County records, colonial court documents, land records, and census materials. SCDAH holds records for Berkeley County that span from the colonial period through the twentieth century.
The SCDAH Digital Collections include Confederate Pension Applications from 1919 to 1938, Will Transcripts from 1782 to 1855, and colonial plats. Colonial plats are especially valuable for Berkeley County genealogy research because they document land grants from the proprietary and royal colonial periods. These plats show the original allocation of land in the Berkeley County area and help researchers trace families back to the first generation of European settlers in the region.
The Library of Congress South Carolina genealogy guide provides a curated directory of resources covering Berkeley County and all other South Carolina counties. The South Carolina Genealogical Society publishes transcribed records and connects researchers to county-level genealogy resources through local chapters across the state.
Cities in Berkeley County
Berkeley County includes the city of Goose Creek and portions of Summerville. Genealogy records for Berkeley County residents are maintained at the Probate Court and Register of Deeds in Moncks Corner.
Nearby Counties
Berkeley County borders several South Carolina Lowcountry counties. Ancestors who lived near a county line may have records in a neighboring county.