The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is November 2024)
______________________________________
Divorce records from all over the U.S. are sometimes difficult to find online. They are another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.
What can you find in these records? Obviously the dates and location of the divorce proceeding, the date and location of the marriage, the woman’s maiden name, names of minor children, and the reason for the divorce. The reason can not only provide another part of your ancestor’s story but also may lead to more clues, especially in the case of desertion, where you may be able to find the location where the “deserting” party moved to.
WARNING: Some of the information in the Divorce Petitions may be difficult to read. There may be shocking claims, especially related to your ancestors’ physical and emotional cruelty, or other behavior. Be prepared.
In most cases, I did not include the links to County Courts, where most divorce records are now processed and the documents held. However, these divorce documents for most states are partially held in either state archives or county clerk records. So you may wish to avail yourself of the county clerk and court archives, especially those that can be searched online.
Note: Please be aware that if you find the desired divorce record in an index, the holder of the actual materials (e.g., archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Below are links to the state’s divorce record and index collections that are available for free online.
Alabama Divorce Records
- Alabama Chancery Court Divorce Cases, 1816-1917; Circuit Court in Equity Divorce Cases, 1917-1918; Law and Equity Court in Equity Divorce Cases, 1907- 1916
- Alabama, First District Divorce Cases, 1816-1847
- Alabama, County Divorce Reports, 1818-1929; Indexes, 1908-1937, 1818-1937
- Barbour County Divorce Records, 1893-1941
- Bibb County Divorce Records, 1907-1930
- Blount County, Chancery Court Divorces, Loose Files, 1936-1950
- Butler County, Civil Court Cases 1861-1923
- Butler County, Divorce Records, 1853-1866
- Calhoun County, Divorce Records and Index, 1900-1916
- Chambers County Divorce Records
- Cherokee County, Alabama Divorces (1856—1880)
- Cherokee County, Divorce Records, 1895-1950
- Choctaw County Divorce Records
- Choctaw County Divorce Records and Index Files, 1851-1959
- Choctaw County, Miscellaneous Divorces Index
- Clay County Divorce Records
- Clay County Divorce Records
- Clay County, Alabama. Divorce Records, 1872-1950
- Cleburne County, Divorce Cases, 1873-1951
- Coffee County Divorce Records, 1924-1953
- Colbert County Divorce Records
- Conecuh County Divorce Records and Final Records, 1881-1932; General Index, 1905-1927; Minutes, 1902-1928
- Conecuh County, Circuit Court Divorce Records, 1866-1950
- Conecuh County, Divorce Record, 1866-1950
- Crenshaw County, Divorce Records and Index, 1895-1950
- Crenshaw County, Probate Estate Records, Index to Estate Files, 1866-1915
- Dale County Divorce Decrees, 1921-1946
- Dallas County Divorce Records, 1890-1893
- De Kalb County, Court Records, 1836-1916
- Escambia County Final Records, 1885-1929
- Escambia County, Circuit Court Divorce Case Files, 1900-1950
- Etowah County, Divorce Records, 1871-1950
- Henry County Divorce Records, 1899-1925
- Jefferson County Divorce Records
- Jefferson County, Circuit Court Papers, 1870-1916
- Jefferson County, Circuit Court Papers, 1870-1916
- Lamar County Divorce Records
- Lamar County Divorce Records
- Lawrence County Divorce Records
- Lawrence County, Divorce Books, 1917-1952
- Lawrence County, Mixed Court Records, 1818-1950
- Limestone County Court Records, ca. 1819-1820, 1825-1849, 1866-1877, 1883-1908, 1942-1952, 1819-1952
- Limestone County Divorce Records
- Limestone County Divorce Records, 1896-1902, 1904-1947, 1896-1947
- Macon County Divorce Records
- Madison County Chancery and Circuit Court Records, 1829-1968
- Madison County, Law and Equity Court Records (Divorces and Disputed Estates), 1907-1950
- Marengo County Divorce Records, 1900-1930
- Marshall County, Divorce Records, 1836-1900
- Monroe County, Monroeville, Circuit Court Divorce Records, 1910-1950
- Monroe County, Court Minutes, 1909-1919
- Montgomery County, Chancery Court Case Files, 1870-1950
- Montgomery County, Circuit Court Civil Case Files: (no. 7221-9786), 1932-1944
- Montgomery County, City Court Case Files, 1894-1916
- Pike County Divorce Records
- Pike County Divorces Index (1887—1898)
- Pike County, Divorce Records, 1888-1933
- Randolph County Divorce Records
- Randolph County, Miscellaneous Divorces, 1848-1860
- Shelby County Divorce Case Files Index, through 1950
- Shelby County Divorce Records, 1839-1893; Indexes 1839-1950
- Shelby County Divorce Case Files, 1839-1950, 1839-1950
- Shelby County, Chancery Court Records, 1839-1926
- Shelby County, Divorces, 1896-1948; Index, 1839-1884
- St. Clair County Divorce Records, 1901-1950
- Sumter County Circuit Court Files, 1840-1950
- Sumter County, Divorce Records, 1840-1950
- Tallapoosa County Divorce Records
- Tallapoosa County Divorce Records, 1840-1915 and Index, 1840-1915, 1840-1934
- Tuscaloosa County, Divorce Records, 1880-1950
- Tuscaloosa County, Estate Case Files, 1920-1950
- Wilcox County, Divorce Records, 1830-1950
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!