Find Genealogy Records in Pike County

Pike County genealogy records help families trace their roots in southeast Alabama. The county was formed in 1821 from parts of Montgomery and Henry counties. Troy serves as the county seat and is home to Troy University. The Pike County Probate Court holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and land records going back to the early days of the county. Most records from the 1800s survived, which gives researchers a solid foundation for family history work. The county health department provides access to vital records through the state ViSION system. This page covers where to find records, how to request them, and what resources can help you dig into your Pike County ancestors.

Pike County Probate Court

The Pike County Probate Court is the main source for genealogy records in the county. Located in the courthouse in downtown Troy, this office handles marriage licenses, wills, estate administration, and land records. The probate judge oversees these functions and maintains the official records. Staff can help you search indexes and locate files you need.

Marriage records at the probate court date back to 1830. These early records show who got married, when, and where. Bonds and license applications often list the ages of both parties. Some include the names of parents or guardians. Alabama marriage records are public, so anyone can request copies. You do not need to prove a family connection to access them.

Wills and estate files are kept here too. When a Pike County resident died owning property, the estate went through probate. The court files include the original will if one existed, inventories of property, sale records, and final distributions to heirs. These records name family members and show how property passed from one generation to the next. They are essential for proving family relationships.

Land records also live at the probate court. Deeds show who bought and sold property. Early land grants from the federal government are recorded here. These records help place your ancestors on the land and can reveal neighbors who might be related.

Walk-in visits work well for research. Bring a photo ID and your notes about who you are looking for. Staff can pull record books and let you search. If you cannot visit, call ahead to ask about mail requests. Include as much detail as you can about the person and time period you need.

Pike County Health Department

The Pike County Health Department issues vital records certificates. Through Alabama's ViSION network, staff can access birth, death, marriage, and divorce records from anywhere in the state. You do not need to travel to the county where an event happened. Any Alabama county health office can pull records from the central database.

Birth records from 1908 to now are on file. Death records also begin in 1908. Alabama did not require statewide vital records registration before that year. For births and deaths before 1908, you must use other sources like church records, cemetery inscriptions, or county probate files.

Access rules limit who can get certain records. Birth certificates less than 125 years old have restrictions. Only the person named, a parent, legal guardian, or someone with a court order can get a certified copy. Death records less than 25 years old have similar limits. Once records pass these age thresholds, they open to the public for genealogy research.

Walk-in requests are usually processed the same day. Bring a valid photo ID and as much detail as you can about the record you need. Name, date, and place of the event help staff find the right record. If you cannot visit in person, you can order online through VitalChek or mail a request to the state Center for Health Statistics in Montgomery.

Pike County Circuit Court

The Pike County Circuit Court handles civil and criminal cases. It is part of the 12th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Coffee and Crenshaw counties. The circuit clerk keeps divorce records, civil lawsuits, and criminal case files. These records can be useful for genealogy when you need details about family disputes, property cases, or name changes.

Divorce records are often valuable for family research. They can show maiden names, ages, and the names of children. Alabama circuit courts maintain the full case files with all the paperwork. The state health department has an index of divorces from 1950 forward, but the circuit court has the complete record of each case.

You can search some Pike County court records online through Alacourt. Go to pa.alacourt.com and pick Pike County from the list. The system shows case index information. For full documents, you need to contact the clerk's office or visit the courthouse. There is a small fee for online searches.

Troy University Archives

Troy University has a library with special collections that may help genealogy research. The university, founded in 1887, has collected local history materials over the years. Their archives include old photographs, local newspapers, and papers donated by area families. Not all of this is indexed, so you may need to visit and browse in person.

The university library also provides access to genealogy databases. Students, faculty, and sometimes local residents can use Ancestry Library Edition and other resources at no cost. Call ahead to ask about access policies for community members.

Old yearbooks, student directories, and alumni records might help if your ancestors attended the school. Troy has been a teacher training institution for over a century. Many Pike County residents attended the college or sent their children there. These records can fill gaps in your family history.

Historical Records in Pike County

Pike County has good records compared to some Alabama counties. No major courthouse fire destroyed early documents, so records from the 1820s and 1830s still exist. This makes the county easier to research than places that lost records to fire or war.

The earliest settlers came to Pike County in the late 1810s and early 1820s. Land was cheap and the soil was good for cotton. Families moved from Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. If your ancestors lived here before the Civil War, you can likely find land records, probate files, and census data about them.

Census records are essential for Pike County research. The federal census counted residents in 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, and every ten years after. The 1850 census and later list each person by name with ages and birthplaces. Earlier counts list only heads of household. Alabama also took some state censuses that survive at the state archives.

Confederate military records cover many Pike County men. Service records, pension applications, and unit histories are at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery. The National Archives has federal copies. These records prove relationships and provide biographical details you cannot find elsewhere.

Online Resources

Several websites have Pike County genealogy records. Many are free to use. Others need a subscription. Here are the main sites to check for your research.

FamilySearch at familysearch.org is free. They have indexed census records, some Alabama vital records, and church records. Their Pike County collection grows as volunteers add more data. You can create a free account to save your research.

The Alabama Department of Archives has digitized records online. Go to digital.archives.alabama.gov to browse. Search for Pike County to see what is available. Old newspapers often have birth, marriage, and death notices. The archives also has maps, photographs, and government records.

Ancestry at ancestry.com has the largest collection of Alabama records. A subscription is required. Many public libraries offer free Ancestry access to patrons. Check with the Pike-Goshen County Public Library in Troy or nearby libraries for access.

Find A Grave at findagrave.com has cemetery records. Volunteers photograph gravestones and upload the data. Search for Pike County Alabama to find local cemeteries. Gravestones often give birth and death dates that are not in official records. The site is free.

USGenWeb has volunteer-run pages for each county. The Pike County page has transcribed records, lookups, and queries. It is free and maintained by genealogy volunteers who specialize in the area.

Research Tips for Pike County

Pike County research works best when you have a plan. Start with what you know and work backward. Document each generation before moving to the next. Use multiple sources to confirm facts.

Marriage records are often the best starting point. They give you two names at once and a date. From there, you can look for census records to find the family in context. Probate records pick up when someone died. Land records show where they lived.

Check the county of origin. Many Pike County settlers came from Georgia, especially the Wiregrass region. Others came from the Carolinas or Virginia. Once you hit a wall in Pike County, try looking in those states for earlier generations. Migration patterns help explain where families came from.

Join genealogy societies for help. The Pike County Historical Society works on local history. The Alabama Genealogical Society covers the whole state. Both groups have members who know Pike County well. They can answer questions and suggest sources you might miss on your own.

Consider hiring a local researcher. Some genealogists in the Troy area specialize in Pike County families. They know the records and can save you time. The Pike County Probate Court or local library may have names of researchers who do lookups.

Other Sources for Pike County Research

Church records fill gaps in official records. Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches have been in Pike County since the early 1800s. Many churches kept records of members, baptisms, marriages, and deaths. Some of these records are still with the churches. Others were donated to the Alabama Baptist Historical Society or similar groups.

Cemetery records are vital when vital records do not exist. Pike County has dozens of old cemeteries. Some are still active. Others are abandoned family plots in fields and woods. Gravestone inscriptions give dates that may not appear anywhere else. The Pike County Historical Society has done some cemetery surveys. Find A Grave and BillionGraves have user-submitted photos from many local cemeteries.

Newspapers captured daily life. The Troy Messenger has been published since 1866. Old issues mention births, marriages, deaths, land sales, court cases, and social events. The Alabama Department of Archives has microfilm of many Alabama newspapers. Some have been digitized and are searchable online through their website or sites like Newspapers.com.

School records sometimes help. Troy University has alumni records going back to the 1880s. Local public schools kept enrollment records. These may survive at the school district office or the state archives. If your ancestor taught school, the state kept teacher certification records.

In-Person Research

Visiting Pike County lets you access records that are not online. The courthouse, library, and Troy University all have materials worth seeing. Plan your trip for a weekday when offices are open.

The Pike County Courthouse is in the center of Troy. The probate court and circuit clerk are in the same building. Park nearby and plan to spend several hours. Bring a notebook and pencil. Staff can pull record books for you to search. Ask questions if you get stuck.

The Pike-Goshen County Public Library has local history materials. They may have family files, old photographs, and books about the area. The library can also provide free access to Ancestry and other databases. Call ahead to confirm hours and what resources they have.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery is about an hour north of Troy. Their research room has the largest collection of Alabama records anywhere. Plan to spend a full day there if you go. They have census microfilm, military records, newspapers, and much more. Staff can help you find what you need.

Cities and Towns in Pike County

Pike County has several small towns. None have populations over 50,000. All residents use the Pike County Probate Court in Troy for marriage licenses and the county health department for vital records.

Towns in Pike County include Troy, Brundidge, Banks, and Goshen. Troy is the county seat and the largest city. It is home to Troy University. Brundidge, in the southern part of the county, has its own history and cemeteries to check. All genealogy records are centralized at the county level in Troy.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Pike County. If your family lived near the county line, check records in multiple places. Families often moved between neighboring counties. Land grants and early settlements sometimes crossed what later became county boundaries.