Hampton County Genealogy Records
Hampton County genealogy research starts with the county's formation in 1878 from Beaufort County. All records for the Hampton area before 1878 are held in Beaufort County. Hampton County is in the southern Lowcountry of South Carolina, and its genealogy history is closely tied to the Sea Islands culture, the aftermath of the Civil War, and the Reconstruction-era changes in land ownership. Hampton County also contributed territory to Allendale County in 1919, making it a parent county for researchers tracing Allendale families before that date. The county Probate Court, Register of Deeds, and public library are the primary local sources. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds additional collections covering Hampton County and its Beaufort County parent records.
Hampton County Quick Facts
Hampton County Probate Court and Marriage Records
The Hampton 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 Hampton County Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Square, Hampton, SC 29924. Phone: (803) 914-2190.
Estate records at the Hampton County Probate Court include wills, inventories, administration papers, and guardianship files from 1878 forward. These documents name heirs, list property, and define family relationships across generations. Hampton County probate records from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries document the farming and turpentine-industry families who made up the county's economy. Both African American and white families are documented in the probate records from this era, reflecting the post-Reconstruction community structure in the Lowcountry.
Note: Hampton County contributed territory to Allendale County in 1919. Researchers tracing Allendale County families before 1919 must search Hampton County records, in addition to Barnwell County records, depending on which portion of Allendale County their ancestor occupied.
For Hampton 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.
Pre-1878 Hampton Genealogy: Beaufort County Records
All genealogy records for the Hampton County area before 1878 are located in Beaufort County. Beaufort County was organized as a district in 1769 and has maintained records since the colonial period. The Beaufort County Probate Court and Register of Deeds hold the pre-1878 records for the Hampton area. SCDAH in Columbia holds microfilm of Beaufort County records that predate Hampton County's formation.
The SCDAH Online Records Index allows name-based searches across all holdings and may return results from the Beaufort County collections for ancestors in the Hampton area before 1878. State land grant plats from 1784 to 1868 that cover the Hampton County area are indexed in the Online Records Index and document original land grants in the region during the Beaufort County era.
SCDAH staff can help researchers navigate the Beaufort County collections to locate pre-1878 records for ancestors who lived in the Hampton area before the county was formed.
Hampton 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 must be registered within five days. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds Hampton 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 Hampton County deaths from 1915 through 1967. For Hampton County genealogy before 1915, church records and census data are the primary sources. The county's Gullah Geechee heritage means that African American family researchers may also consult Freedmen's Bureau records for the Hampton area from the post-Civil War period.
Hampton County Register of Deeds and Land Records
The Hampton County Register of Deeds maintains land records from 1878 forward. The office is at 1 Courthouse Square, Hampton, SC 29924. Phone: (803) 914-2197. Deeds, mortgages, and plats document property ownership since the county's formation. Under Title 30 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, counties are required to maintain and preserve these public land records.
For land records in the Hampton area before 1878, researchers must consult the Beaufort County Register of Deeds in Beaufort, SC. The SCDAH Online Records Index includes early land grant plats that cover the Hampton area during the Beaufort County era. These plats document the original grants of land in the region and help identify the earliest families in what became Hampton County.
Hampton County Library and Local Resources
The Hampton County Library at 12 Locust Street E, Hampton, SC 29924 provides local history resources and genealogical materials. Phone: (803) 943-7554. The library holds materials specific to Hampton County and the surrounding Lowcountry region. Census records, local newspapers, and family history materials available through the library can complement official county genealogy records.
The Hampton County Historical Society preserves local history and genealogical materials specific to the county. The society may hold materials that document Hampton County families from the county's founding in 1878 through the twentieth century. The South Carolina Historical Society in Charleston at 100 Meeting Street holds manuscript collections and genealogy vertical files that may cover Hampton County families. Phone: (843) 723-3225.
The SCGenWeb Archives for Hampton County provides free volunteer-contributed cemetery transcriptions, census extracts, and family histories. The South Carolina State Library genealogy guide explains which office holds each type of Hampton County genealogy record based on date range.
The State Library guide helps researchers determine whether to contact the Hampton County Probate Court, Beaufort County (for pre-1878 records), SCDAH, or DPH for specific genealogy records.
South Carolina Archives Resources for Hampton County Genealogy
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds Hampton County records and the Beaufort County records that predate the county's 1878 formation. SCDAH is at 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223. Phone: (803) 896-6100. The Research Room provides access to microfilm and a research library covering all 46 counties. Staff answer queries by mail, email, and phone.
The SCDAH Digital Collections include Confederate Pension Applications from 1919 to 1938 and Will Transcripts from 1782 to 1855. Will Transcripts from the Beaufort County area before 1878 may include estates from families living in what became Hampton County. The Library of Congress South Carolina genealogy guide provides resources covering Hampton County. The South Carolina Genealogical Society connects researchers to county-level genealogy resources through local chapters.
Cities in Hampton County
Hampton is the county seat of Hampton County. All county genealogy records are maintained at the Hampton County courthouse on Courthouse Square.
Nearby Counties
Hampton County was formed from Beaufort County in 1878 and contributed territory to Allendale County in 1919. Both parent and child county records are relevant for Hampton area family research.