Find Genealogy Records in Sumter County

Sumter County genealogy records are kept at the probate court in Livingston. The county has records going back to its founding in 1832.

What Records Are Available

Sumter County holds a variety of genealogy records at the probate court. Marriage records at the courthouse go back to the 1830s. Birth and death records from the state system start in 1908. The county also keeps land deeds, wills, and estate files. Some older records were lost over time, but the probate court has a solid collection for most years since the county was formed.

Types of records you can find in Sumter County:

• Birth records from 1908 to present
• Death records from 1908 to present
• Marriage records from 1832 to present
• Divorce records from Circuit Court
• Probate and estate files
• Land and deed records
• Tax records and voter rolls
• Court case files

Birth and death records before 1908 are hard to find in official files. The state did not mandate these records until that year. For births and deaths before then, you may need to check church records, cemetery logs, or old family papers. The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery has some early county records that were sent there for safe keeping.

Sumter County Probate Court

The Sumter County Probate Court is the main place for genealogy research in this area. The court holds marriage licenses, wills, estate records, and land deeds. In Alabama, the probate judge also serves as the head of county government. The office is in the courthouse in Livingston, which sits on the main square in the center of town.

The probate court staff can help you search their records. Call ahead to ask what indexes they have and how records are organized. Some older records are in bound books that you can view in person. Staff can make copies for you at a small fee. The office does not have an online search portal, so you will need to visit or send a mail request for most searches.

Marriage records at the probate court are public documents. You do not need to prove family ties to get a copy. Just give the names and approximate date of the marriage. The court can search their index and pull the record. This makes marriage licenses one of the best starting points for any Sumter County genealogy project.

Sumter County Health Department

The Sumter County Health Department can issue certified copies of vital records. They use the state ViSION network, which links all Alabama health offices to a central database. This means you can get a birth, death, marriage, or divorce record from any county in the state at this office. You do not have to travel to the county where the event happened.

Access rules apply to vital records. Birth records less than 125 years old are restricted. Only the person named, a parent, or a legal guardian can get a copy. Death records less than 25 years old have some limits too. After these time periods, the records become open to anyone for genealogy use. Older records are easier to get for family research.

Walk-in service is usually quick. Staff search the state database and print your record while you wait. Bring a valid ID and know the details of the record you need. If you are not the person named on the record, you may need to bring proof of your right to access it. The office takes mail requests too, which is handy if you live far away.

How to Search Records

Searching genealogy records in Sumter County takes some planning. The county does not have an online search portal like larger counties do. Most searches require a visit, phone call, or mail request. But there are still ways to find what you need from home before making a trip.

Start with free online resources. FamilySearch has indexed Alabama records that may include Sumter County data. The Alabama Department of Archives has digital collections with old documents. Ancestry has census records and other data if you have a subscription. Check these first to see what is already online.

For vital records, you have three main options:

• Visit the county health department in person
• Mail a request to the health department
• Order online through VitalChek

VitalChek is the state-approved online ordering service. You can order birth, death, marriage, and divorce records through their site. They charge a service fee on top of the state fee. Go to vitalchek.com or call 1-888-279-9888 to place an order. This is a good option if you cannot visit the county.

For probate records like marriages and wills, contact the probate court directly. Call them with the names and dates you are looking for. Staff can search their indexes and tell you if a record exists. Then you can ask for a copy by mail or plan a visit to see the full file.

Online Access Options

Sumter County does not have its own online records portal. This is common for smaller Alabama counties. But you can still find Sumter County records through state and national databases. These free and paid sites have indexed records from across Alabama.

Online resources for Sumter County genealogy:

• AlacourtAccess for court records at pa.alacourt.com
• Alabama Department of Archives digital collection at digital.archives.alabama.gov
• FamilySearch free records at familysearch.org
• Ancestry subscription database at ancestry.com
• FindAGrave for cemetery records at findagrave.com

The Alabama Department of Archives and History has free digital records. Their site includes old newspapers, photos, maps, and government files. Some Sumter County records from the 1800s and early 1900s are in the collection. This is a great starting point if you are looking for older family data.

FamilySearch is free and does not need a paid account. They have indexed Alabama vital records, census data, and church records. New records are added all the time as volunteers transcribe old documents. Make a free account to use all their search tools and save your work.

In-Person Access

Visiting in person is the best way to dig deep into Sumter County records. The probate court has old books and files that are not online. Staff can help you navigate the records and explain what is there. Plan to spend a few hours if you have a big list of names to search.

The Sumter County Courthouse is in Livingston on the town square. Park nearby and enter through the main doors. The probate office is on the first floor. Staff are used to genealogy visitors and can point you to the right books. Bring a notebook and pencil to take notes, as some offices do not allow pens near old records.

The University of West Alabama is in Livingston. Their library may have local history materials. Check if they have old newspapers, yearbooks, or other records that could help your research. College libraries sometimes hold county history books that are hard to find elsewhere.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery is worth a trip for serious research. They have the largest collection of old Alabama records in one place. Some Sumter County probate records from the 1800s ended up there. The drive from Livingston takes about two hours, but the archives are a gold mine for family history work.

Fees for Records

Record fees in Sumter County follow state guidelines. The health department charges $15 for a search and one certified copy. Each extra copy in the same order costs $6. This covers birth, death, marriage, and divorce records through the ViSION system.

Probate court fees depend on the type of record:

• Copy of marriage license: $5.00
• Certified copy of marriage: $10.00
• Search fee: varies by request
• Deed copy: based on page count
• Probate file copy: based on page count

VitalChek adds a service fee on top of state costs. The total depends on how fast you want the record shipped. Standard delivery costs less than rush options. Phone orders may have a small extra charge. Compare the cost to the time and gas for a trip before you decide.

Cash and money orders are the most accepted payment forms at county offices. Some offices now take credit cards, but call ahead to check. For mail requests, send a money order made out to the office you are writing to. Do not send cash through the mail.

Local Genealogy Tips

Sumter County sits in the western part of Alabama near the Mississippi line. The county was formed in 1832 from land that had been Choctaw territory. Many early settlers came from Georgia and the Carolinas. If you have roots here, your family may trace back to those states before arriving in Alabama.

The town of Livingston has been the county seat since 1835. Some early records from before that year may be filed under the parent county or the state. Check county boundary maps to see if your ancestor's land was in Sumter County or a neighbor county at the time they lived there. Borders moved around in the early days.

Cotton farming shaped much of the county's history. Plantation records, if they survive, can hold data about both landowners and workers. The Alabama Department of Archives has some plantation papers. Church records from the era are another source. Both Black and white families may find clues in these files.

African American genealogy in Sumter County often requires checking Freedmen's Bureau records. These federal files documented formerly enslaved people after the Civil War. The National Archives has many of these records online. Local church records from Black congregations are also key. Some go back to the late 1800s.

The Sumter County Historical Society may have local resources. Check if they have meetings or a research room. Local societies often hold family files, old photos, and oral histories that you will not find anywhere else. Connecting with other researchers can save time and lead to new discoveries.

Cemetery Records

Cemeteries are a vital source for genealogy when official records are missing. Sumter County has dozens of old burial grounds, from large town cemeteries to small family plots in the woods. Gravestones often list birth and death dates, family relationships, and even places of origin.

The FindAGrave website has photos and indexes for many Sumter County cemeteries. Volunteers add new data all the time. Search by name to see if someone has already documented your ancestor's grave. You can also search by cemetery name to browse all the stones in one place.

Some cemeteries to check in Sumter County:

• Livingston City Cemetery in Livingston
• Old St. James Cemetery near Gainesville
• Mount Pleasant Cemetery
• Epes Cemetery in Epes
• Numerous family cemeteries on private land

Older graves may be hard to read. Weather wears down stones over time. Some graves have no marker left at all. If you visit a cemetery, take photos of any stones that relate to your family. Share them online so others can use the data too.

Cities and Towns in Sumter County

Sumter County has several small towns. None have a population over 50,000, so all genealogy records go through the county offices. The probate court in Livingston handles marriages and estate files. The county health department issues vital records for all towns in the county.

Main towns in Sumter County include Livingston (the county seat), Geiger, Emelle, Cuba, Epes, Gainesville, and York. All residents use the same county offices for birth, death, and marriage records. There are no city-level vital records offices.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Sumter County. Families often moved across county lines or lived near borders. If you cannot find a record in Sumter County, check the neighboring counties too. An ancestor may have filed papers in a different county than you expect.