Lexington County Genealogy Records
Lexington County genealogy research draws on records dating back to the county's formation in 1804 from Orangeburg District. All records for the Lexington area before 1804 are held in Orangeburg County. Lexington County sits just west of Columbia, the state capital, and its history reflects the German-Swiss settlers who moved into the South Carolina Midlands during the eighteenth century. The county seat is Lexington. The Lexington County Probate Court, Register of Deeds, and public library are the primary local sources for genealogy records. The Lexington County Museum preserves local history and holds materials relevant to county family history. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia holds additional collections covering Lexington County from its 1804 formation and the Orangeburg District records that predate it. Proximity to the state capital gives Lexington County researchers easy access to SCDAH's full research room and collections.
Lexington County Quick Facts
Lexington County Probate Court and Marriage Records
The Lexington 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 Lexington County Courthouse, 205 E Main Street, Lexington, SC 29072. Phone: (803) 785-8214.
Estate records at the Lexington County Probate Court include wills, inventories, administration papers, and guardianship files from 1804 forward. These documents name heirs, list property, and define family relationships across more than two centuries. Lexington County's early probate records reflect the German-Swiss Lutheran and Reformed Church community that settled the area in the eighteenth century. These records are primary sources for Lexington County genealogy from the antebellum period through the early twentieth century.
For Lexington 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-1804 Lexington Genealogy: Orangeburg District Records
All genealogy records for the Lexington County area before 1804 are located in Orangeburg County. Orangeburg District was one of South Carolina's original districts organized in 1769. The Orangeburg County Probate Court and Register of Deeds hold the pre-1804 records for the Lexington area. SCDAH in Columbia holds microfilm of Orangeburg District records that predate Lexington County's formation.
The SCDAH Online Records Index allows name-based searches across all holdings and may return results from the Orangeburg District collections for ancestors in the Lexington area before 1804. State land grant plats from 1784 to 1868 that cover the Lexington County area are indexed in the Online Records Index and document original land grants during the Orangeburg District era.
SCDAH staff can help researchers navigate the Orangeburg District collections to locate pre-1804 records for ancestors who lived in what is now Lexington County.
Lexington 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 Lexington 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 Lexington County deaths from 1915 through 1967. For Lexington County genealogy before 1915, church records and census data are the primary sources. The county's German-Swiss heritage means Lutheran and Reformed church registers are especially important for tracing families in the Lexington area before vital records began.
Lexington County Register of Deeds and Land Records
The Lexington County Register of Deeds maintains land records dating back to 1804. The office is at 205 E Main Street, Lexington, SC 29072. Phone: (803) 785-8213. Deeds, mortgages, and plats document property ownership across more than two centuries. Under Title 30 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, counties are required to maintain and preserve these public land records.
For land transactions in the Lexington area before 1804, researchers must consult the Orangeburg County Register of Deeds. The SCDAH Online Records Index includes state land grant plats from 1784 to 1868 that cover the Lexington County area during the Orangeburg District era. These plats document original land grants in the region and identify the earliest families in what became Lexington County.
Lexington County Museum and Local Resources
The Lexington County Museum preserves local history and maintains historical collections for Lexington County. The museum holds materials specific to Lexington County's development from the eighteenth-century German-Swiss settlement through the twentieth century. Researchers can contact the museum for access to its collections, which may include photographs, documents, and artifacts that supplement the official records at the county courthouse.
The Lexington County Library at 5440 Augusta Road, Lexington, SC 29072 maintains local history and genealogy collections. Phone: (803) 785-2600. The library holds census records, local newspapers, and family history materials that complement official county records. The Lexington County Historical Society preserves local history and genealogical materials specific to the county. Because Lexington County sits adjacent to the state capital, researchers have convenient access to both local county resources and the state-level collections at SCDAH.
The South Carolina Historical Society in Charleston at 100 Meeting Street holds statewide manuscript collections that may include materials relevant to Lexington County families. Phone: (843) 723-3225. The SCGenWeb Archives for Lexington County provides free volunteer-contributed cemetery transcriptions, census extracts, and family histories.
The SCDAH Online Records Index is the best free starting point for Lexington County genealogy and covers collections that extend back to the Orangeburg District era before 1804.
South Carolina Archives Resources for Lexington County Genealogy
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds Lexington County records and the Orangeburg District records that predate the county's 1804 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 Orangeburg District and Lexington County include estates from the German-Swiss community that settled the area. The Library of Congress South Carolina genealogy guide provides resources covering Lexington County. The South Carolina Genealogical Society connects researchers to county-level genealogy resources through local chapters.
Cities in Lexington County
Lexington is the county seat of Lexington County. The county also includes the city of West Columbia. Genealogy records for all Lexington County communities are maintained at the county Probate Court and Register of Deeds in Lexington.
Nearby Counties
Lexington County was formed from Orangeburg District in 1804. Orangeburg County holds genealogy records for the Lexington area before that year.