Spartanburg County Genealogy Records
Spartanburg County genealogy research draws on records dating back to the county's 1785 formation as one of South Carolina's original counties. The county sits in the northwestern Upstate region, settled by Scots-Irish and English backcountry families who later built a major textile manufacturing center. The county seat is Spartanburg. The Spartanburg County Probate Court, Register of Deeds, and the Kennedy Room at the county library are the primary local sources for genealogy records. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds additional Spartanburg County collections from 1785 forward.
Spartanburg County Quick Facts
Spartanburg County Probate Court and Marriage Records
The Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg County Courthouse, 180 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306. Phone: (864) 596-2556.
Estate records at the Spartanburg 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. Spartanburg County's early probate records document the backcountry farmers and tradesmen who settled the Upstate region. Later records from the textile era document mill owners, workers, and merchants who built the county's industrial economy. These files are primary sources for Spartanburg County genealogy research from the county's founding through the modern era.
For Spartanburg 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.
Kennedy Room of Local History and Genealogy
The Kennedy Room of Local History and Genealogy at the Spartanburg County Public Library maintains one of the most extensive genealogy collections in the Upstate. The library is at 151 S Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306. Phone: (864) 596-3505. The Kennedy Room holds an extensive collection focused on Spartanburg County and Upstate South Carolina but also includes resources for neighboring counties and states. Census records, local newspapers, family histories, and manuscript collections available through the library make it an essential first stop for Spartanburg County genealogy research.
The Spartanburg County Historical Association preserves county history and maintains genealogical collections. The association may hold materials that document Spartanburg County families from the county's founding through the twentieth century. Converse University maintains historical collections related to the Spartanburg area. Researchers tracing families connected to Converse or the Spartanburg academic community should contact the university's archives directly.
SCDAH's holdings complement the Kennedy Room collections and cover additional record types including microfilmed county records and digital collections available free online.
Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg County deaths from 1915 through 1967. For Spartanburg County genealogy before 1915, church records and census data are the primary sources. The county has historic Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Episcopal congregations whose registers document vital events going back to the late eighteenth century.
Spartanburg County Register of Deeds and Land Records
The Spartanburg County Register of Deeds maintains land records dating back to 1785. The office is at 366 N Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303. Phone: (864) 596-2514. 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 Spartanburg County. These early plats document original land grants in the Upstate and identify the first families to receive land in what became Spartanburg County. For land records predating the county's 1785 formation, researchers should search the Ninety-Six District and Spartan District records held at SCDAH in Columbia.
Spartanburg County Library and Local Resources
Beyond the Kennedy Room, the Spartanburg County Public Library system maintains branches throughout the county with resources for genealogy research. The South Carolina Historical Society in Charleston at 100 Meeting Street holds statewide manuscript collections that may include materials relevant to Spartanburg County families. Phone: (843) 723-3225.
The SCGenWeb Archives for Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg County genealogy record based on date range.
The SCDAH Digital Collections provide free online access to Spartanburg County will transcripts and Confederate pension applications that cover the antebellum and post-Civil War periods.
South Carolina Archives Resources for Spartanburg County Genealogy
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg County. The South Carolina Genealogical Society connects researchers to county-level genealogy resources through local chapters.
Cities in Spartanburg County
Spartanburg is the county seat of Spartanburg County. The county also includes Gaffney (Cherokee County) and Duncan. Genealogy records for all Spartanburg County communities are maintained at the county Probate Court and Register of Deeds.
Nearby Counties
Spartanburg County borders several South Carolina Upstate counties. Ancestors near a county line may have records in neighboring counties.