Union County Genealogy Records
Union County genealogy research draws on records dating back to the county's formation in 1785 as one of South Carolina's original counties. Union County sits in the northwestern Piedmont region between Spartanburg and Chester counties. Its history reflects the Scots-Irish and English settlers who moved into the Carolina backcountry during the late eighteenth century. The county seat is Union. Union County contributed territory to form Cherokee County in 1897, making it a parent county for Cherokee County genealogy research before that date. The Union County Probate Court, Register of Deeds, and the Union County Carnegie Library are the primary local sources for genealogy records. The Union County Museum preserves local history. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia holds additional collections covering Union County from its 1785 formation through the twentieth century.
Union County Quick Facts
Union County Probate Court and Marriage Records
The Union 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 Union County Courthouse, 140 W Main Street, Union, SC 29379. Phone: (864) 429-1630.
Estate records at the Union 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. Union County's early probate records document the backcountry farming and mercantile families who settled the Piedmont. The county also contributed territory to form Cherokee County in 1897. Probate records at the Union courthouse include estates from the Cherokee County area up to 1897, making Union records essential for Cherokee County genealogy research before that date.
For Union 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 Union County Genealogy Records
The free South Carolina Archives Online Records Index is the best starting point for Union 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 Union County ancestors. The index covers Union County from its 1785 formation and includes materials from the Union District that preceded it.
The South Carolina Judicial Branch Public Index at sccourts.org provides access to Union County court case records. You can search by party name or case number. For full document copies, contact the Union County Clerk of Court at 140 W Main Street, Union, SC 29379. In-person research at the Union County Courthouse gives direct access to the full range of genealogy records held by the Probate Court and Register of Deeds.
SCDAH holds Union County records from the county's founding, including materials that cover the Cherokee County area before 1897 when that county was carved from Union.
Union 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 Union 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 Union County deaths from 1915 through 1967. For Union County genealogy before 1915, church records and census data are the primary sources. The county has historic Baptist, Presbyterian, and Methodist congregations whose registers document vital events going back to the late eighteenth century.
Union County Register of Deeds and Land Records
The Union County Register of Deeds maintains land records dating back to 1785. The office is at 140 W Main Street, Union, SC 29379. Phone: (864) 429-1635. 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 Union County. These early plats document original land grants in the Piedmont and identify the first families to receive land in what became Union County. For land records predating the county's 1785 formation, researchers should search the Union District records held at SCDAH in Columbia.
Union County Carnegie Library and Local Resources
The Union County Carnegie Library at 300 E South Street, Union, SC 29379 maintains local history collections. Phone: (864) 427-7140. The library holds census records, local newspapers, and family history materials that complement the official county genealogy records at the courthouse. The Union County Historical Society preserves local history and genealogical materials specific to the county.
The Union County Museum preserves Union County history and may hold photographs, documents, and artifacts that support genealogy research. Because Union County was the parent county for Cherokee County, formed in 1897, researchers tracing Cherokee County families should search Union County records for the pre-1897 period.
The South Carolina Historical Society in Charleston at 100 Meeting Street holds statewide manuscript collections that may include materials relevant to Union County families. Phone: (843) 723-3225. The SCGenWeb Archives for Union County provides free volunteer-contributed cemetery transcriptions, census extracts, and family histories.
The State Library guide is a practical reference for Union County genealogy, helping researchers navigate records across the county courthouse, SCDAH, and DPH.
South Carolina Archives Resources for Union County Genealogy
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds Union 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 Union 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 Union County. The South Carolina Genealogical Society connects researchers to county-level genealogy resources through local chapters.
Cities in Union County
Union is the county seat of Union County. All county genealogy records are maintained at the Union County courthouse on West Main Street.
Nearby Counties
Union County contributed territory to Cherokee County in 1897. Union holds pre-1897 genealogy records for the Cherokee area.