Lancaster County, South Carolina Records

Lancaster County, South Carolina (Map It) was created on 1798 from Camden District. The county was named for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania..

Lancaster County is bordered by Columbus County, North Carolina (north), Chesterfield County (east), Kershaw County (south), Fairfield County (southwest), York County (west), Chester County (west), Columbus County, North Carolina (northwest).

Lancaster County Cities and Towns include Buford, Elgin, Heath Springs, Indian Land, Irwin, Kershaw, Lancaster Mill, Lancaster, Springdale, Taxahaw, Van Wyck.

A Map of Lancaster County, South Carolina contains detailed information about roads and boundaries, these maps may include rural communities, churches, and cemeteries.

Lancaster County, South Carolina Courthouse Records

The Lancaster County Courthouse is located in Lancaster, South Carolina. Learn More About State of South Carolina Court, Tax, Land and Probate Records.

The Clerk's Office DOES NOT DO RESEARCH. Most staff will assist people in finding the materials, but it is up to the individual to do the research.

The following dates indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Lancaster county. The date listed for each record is usually the earliest registration filed. The date does not indicate that there are alot records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually filed with the clerk.

Although marauding federal soldiers attempted to fire the courthouse, many records were saved; loose equity papers, however, seem to have perished. Moreover, most of Lancaster's probate records were destroyed when Union cavalry intercepted in open country local officials who were attempting to remove the records to safety. Some Camden Circuit Court District conveyance records are included.

• Lancaster County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1762. The County Register of Deeds records and maintain deeds, mortgages, plats, state and federal tax liens, mechanics liens, uniform commercial code filings, and other miscellaneous documents pertaining to real estate transactions.
• Lancaster County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1911  and Probate Records from 1820. The County Clerk of Probate Court has original jurisdiction over actions concerning the issuance of marriage licenses, the estate of a deceased person, the will of an individual, the estate of a minor or incapacitated person, trusts, and involuntary commitments.
• Lancaster County Clerk of Court has Court Records from 1800 and Divorce Records from since April 1949. The County Clerk of Court is divided into General Sessions and Common Pleas Court. The Circuit Court is a formal court of record.
• Lancaster County Tax Assessor / Collector is responsible for the collection of taxes. Our office does not calculate a property’s taxable value (Assessor’s Office).
• Lancaster County Health Department has birth and death records from 1915. Marriage records prior to 1950 are available from the Probate Court office. Divorce records since April 1949 are available from the County Clerk's office.

Lancaster County, South Carolina Census Records

• Learn More: State of South Carolina Census Records
• U.S. Federal Population Schedules: 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragmented), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940
• U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedules: 1850 and 1860
• U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Agriculture Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Industry Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Union Veterans Schedules: 1890

Lancaster County, South Carolina Vital Records

• Learn More: State of South Carolina Vital Records
• Birth and Death Records: from January 1915 to present
• Marriage Records: from July 1950 to present. Contact the Office of Probate for earlier records.
• Divorce Records: from July 1962 to present. Contact the Clerk of Court for earlier records.
• Locations: South Carolina Office of Vital Statistics
• Vital Records Online: USAVital or Social Security Death Index
• Vital Records by Mail: Birth and Death Certificate or Marriage and Divorce Certificate Applications.
• In Person:  List of Vital Records Services Office locations

Lancaster County, South Carolina Resources

• Lancaster County Historic Preservation Society
• Lancaster County Historical Commission
• Catawba-Wateree chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society
• Lancaster County, South Carolina Message Boards

Lancaster County, South Carolina External Links

• South Carolina Historical Newspapers - Newspapers.com
• Historical Newspapers from South Carolina (1783 - 1975 )
• Lancaster County, South Carolina Books - Amazon
• South Carolina Archives Summary Guide to Lancaster County Records
• Lancaster Co., South Carolina - FindaGrave
• Lancaster County Genealogy, Families
• The Curetons of Lancaster Co., S.C.
• A History of Lancaster County
• Lancaster County History
• Lancaster County, South Carolina Links - Cyndi's List
• Lancaster Co. SCGenweb
• Lancaster County, South Carolina Ancestry Database Collections
• South Carolina Revolutionary War Units
• Lancaster County, South Carolina Military Records
• Directory of Scots in the Carolinas, 1680-1830