Marlboro County Genealogy Records
Marlboro County genealogy research draws on records dating back to the county's formation in 1785 as one of South Carolina's original counties. Marlboro County sits in the northeastern Pee Dee region near the North Carolina border. Its history reflects the English and Scots-Irish settlers who moved into the Carolina backcountry during the eighteenth century. The county seat is Bennettsville. The Marlboro County Probate Court, Register of Deeds, and public library are the primary local sources for genealogy records. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia holds additional collections covering Marlboro County from its 1785 formation. Because the county borders North Carolina, researchers should be aware that some ancestors near the state line may have records in both states. Marlboro County's long history as an original county gives researchers access to genealogy records spanning more than two centuries.
Marlboro County Quick Facts
Marlboro County Probate Court and Marriage Records
The Marlboro 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 Marlboro County Courthouse, 105 Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512. Phone: (843) 479-5625.
Estate records at the Marlboro County Probate Court include wills, inventories, administration papers, and guardianship files from 1785 forward. These documents name heirs, list property, and define family relationships across more than two centuries. Marlboro County's early probate records document the tobacco and cotton planting families who built the northeastern Pee Dee communities during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. These files are primary sources for Marlboro County genealogy research from the antebellum period through the early twentieth century.
For Marlboro 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.
Searching Marlboro County Genealogy Records
The free South Carolina Archives Online Records Index is the best starting point for Marlboro County genealogy research online. This database covers will transcripts, land grant plats, Confederate veteran records, and court records held by SCDAH. Search by name to find indexed entries for Marlboro County ancestors. The index covers Marlboro County from its 1785 formation and includes materials from the Cheraw District that preceded the county system.
The South Carolina Judicial Branch Public Index at sccourts.org provides access to Marlboro County court case records. You can search by party name or case number. For full document copies, contact the Marlboro County Clerk of Court at 105 Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512. In-person research at the Marlboro County Courthouse in Bennettsville gives direct access to the full range of genealogy records held by the Probate Court and Register of Deeds.
SCDAH holds microfilm of Marlboro County wills, inventories, and other records that extend back to the county's founding and are accessible through the Research Room in Columbia.
Marlboro 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 Marlboro 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 Marlboro County deaths from 1915 through 1967. For Marlboro County genealogy before 1915, church records and census data are the primary sources. The county borders North Carolina, and researchers tracing families in the Marlboro area should also check North Carolina vital records for ancestors who may have lived or died across the state line.
Marlboro County Register of Deeds and Land Records
The Marlboro County Register of Deeds maintains land records dating back to 1785. The office is at 105 Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512. Phone: (843) 479-5613. 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.
The SCDAH Online Records Index includes state land grant plats from 1784 to 1868 that cover Marlboro County. These early plats document original land grants in the northeastern Pee Dee and identify the first families to receive land in the county. Tobacco was a major crop in early Marlboro County, and the land records reflect the agricultural patterns of this northeastern Carolina region.
Marlboro County Library and Local Resources
The Marlboro County Library at 101 S Marlboro Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512 provides local history resources and genealogical materials. Phone: (843) 479-5630. The library holds materials specific to Marlboro County and the surrounding Pee Dee region. Census records, local newspapers, and family history materials available through the library complement official county genealogy records.
The Marlboro County Historical Society preserves local history and genealogical materials specific to the county. The Jennings-Brown House, a historic house museum, preserves Marlboro County heritage and may hold historical documentation relevant to county families. These local resources complement the official probate and land records held at the courthouse.
The South Carolina Historical Society in Charleston at 100 Meeting Street holds statewide manuscript collections that may include materials relevant to Marlboro County families. Phone: (843) 723-3225. The SCGenWeb Archives for Marlboro County provides free volunteer-contributed cemetery transcriptions, census extracts, and family histories.
The state death index covers Marlboro County deaths from 1915 through 1967 and is a free online resource for identifying death records before contacting DPH for the full certificate.
South Carolina Archives Resources for Marlboro County Genealogy
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds Marlboro County records including court files, land documents, and census materials. 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 Marlboro County cover the period from the county's founding and are available free online. The Library of Congress South Carolina genealogy guide provides resources covering Marlboro County. The South Carolina Genealogical Society connects researchers to county-level genealogy resources through local chapters.
Cities in Marlboro County
Bennettsville is the county seat of Marlboro County. All county genealogy records are maintained at the Marlboro County courthouse on Main Street in Bennettsville.
Nearby Counties
Marlboro County borders several South Carolina Pee Dee counties and North Carolina. Ancestors near the state line may have records on both sides.