(This page's most recent update is
July 2024)
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Institutional records are another class of collections that should be part of one’s genealogy research repertoire. Although most of your ancestors may not have spent time in an institution, I’ll bet that almost every family tree has several that have. So they are worth your effort to research.
Here are a few good primers for searching institutional records:
- FamilySearch – Institution and School Records
- Finding Your Ancestors in Poor House or Poor Farm Records
- Researching Ancestors in Asylums
What kind of institutions and types of records can we discover?
- Poorhouse
- Poor Farm
- Orphanage
- Orphan Train
- Mental Hospital
- Workhouse
- Almshouse
- Institutional School
- Sanitarium
- Asylums
- Correctional institutions
Acquiring records from each of these types of institutions may be difficult because of privacy concerns, but they are worth the effort.
Below you will find free online institutional records you can use to help you discover more about your relatives who have spent time in an institution.
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.
Georgia Free Online Institutional Records
- Alexander County, Convicts in the Hands of Grant Alexander Co. January, 1870
- Andersonville Prison Records, 1862-1865
- Baldwin County, 1850 Census for Insane Asylum
- Baldwin County, 1860 Census of Insane Asylum
- Baldwin County, Cedar Lane Cemetery (Central State Hospital Cemetery)
- Baldwin County, Cedar Lane Cemetery AKA Central State Hospital Cemetery #1
- Baldwin County, Central State Hospital (a.k.a. Cedar Lane – African American section)
- Baldwin County, Central State Hospital African-American Cemetery
- Baldwin County, Central State Hospital Cemetery #2
- Baldwin County, Central State Hospital Cemetery #3
- Baldwin County, Central State Hospital Cemetery #4
- Baldwin County, Central State Hospital Cemetery aka Jasmine Ridge Cemetery
- Baldwin County, Central State Hospital Cemetery at Rivers Building
- Baldwin County, Georgia Penitentiary Cemetery
- Baldwin County, Georgia State Prison Farm Cemetery
- Baldwin County, Jasmine Ridge Cemetery AKA Central State Hospital Cemetery #2
- Baldwin County, List of Persons Adjudged Insane and Ordered to be sent to the Insane Asylum 1870-1914
- Baldwin County, Poorhouse Cemetery
- Bartow County, 1860s Pauper Farm (Poor House) Papers
- Bartow County, 1870s Pauper Farm (Poor House) Papers
- Bartow County, Pauper Farm Records
- Bartow County, Poor School Book Index
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, A Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, B Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, C Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, D Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, E-F Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, G Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, H Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, I-J Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, K Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, L Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, M Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, N-O Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, P Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, Q-R Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, S Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, T-V Surnames
- Bartow County, Poor School Book, W-Z Surnames
- Butts County, Pauper Farm Cemetery
- Butts County, Lunacy Records 1898-1909
- Campbell County, Jail Record, 1877-1929
- Carroll County Alms House or Carroll County Cemetery
- Catoosa County, Lunacy Records, V. A, 1919-1969
- Chatham County, 1900 Census Farm Convict Camp #1
- Chatham County, Confederate Widows and Orphans’ Records
- Chatham County, Farm Convict Camp # 1 1900 Index of Prisoners
- Chatham County, Georgia Infirmary Trustees and Staff
- Chatham County, Orphans 1785-1859
- Chatham County, Prison Records 1891-1899
- Chatham County, Guardian Bonds, Lunacy Cases (bonds of Guardians Appointed for Alleged Lunatics) 1894-1949
- Chatham County, Letters of Guardianship, Lunacy Cases (appointment of Guardian for Person and Property), 1894-1956
- Chatham County, Lunacy Records, 1900-1912
- Cherokee County, Convict Camp 1930 Index of Prisoners
- Clarke County, Chain Gang and Paupers 1883-188
- Clarke County, Pauper Cemetery
- Clarke County, Lunacy Records 1895-1909
- Coffee County, 1910 Almshouse Census
- Coffee County, Convict Camp 1930 Index of Prisoners
- Coweta County, County Farm or Paupers Cemetery
- Dekalb County, Chain Gang, Lines 8 – 100 1900 Index of Prisoners
- Dekalb County, Pauper Farm Cemetery
- Dodge County, Orphans Cemetery
- Effingham County, Miscellaneous Index of County Records
- Elbert County, Lunacy Records, 1897-1909
- Emanuel County, Poor School Records, 1824-1858
- Floyd County, Lunacy Records, 1898-1909
- Franklin County, Convict Camp 1930 Index of Prisoners
- Franklin County, Pauper Records, 1792-1904
- Freedmen’s Bureau Hospital and Medical Records, 1865-1872
- Fulton County Convict, Camp 1900 Index of Prisoners
- Fulton County, Almshouse Cemetery
- Fulton County, Atlanta Federal Penitentiary Case Files | National Archives
- Fulton County, Atlanta Federal Penitentiary Cemetery
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1901
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1902
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1903
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1904
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1905
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1906
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1907
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1908
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1909
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1910
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1911
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1912
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1913
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1914
- Fulton County, Confederate Soldier’s Home Admission Records, 1915
- Fulton County, Georgia Confederate Soldiers Home Records, 1901-1930
- Fulton County, List of Convicts of the Georgia State Penitentiary for the Year ending December 31, 1870.
- Fulton County, Peachtree Convict Camp 1900 Prisoner Index
- Fulton County, Prison Cemetery
- Fulton County, Prison Inmates 1817-1839
- Fulton County, Prison Inmates 1840-1855
- Fulton County, United States Penitentiary
- Georgia, Georgia Prison Records 1856 – 1857
- Georgia, Savannah City Jail Registers
- Georgia, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, Prisoners, Insane, In Hospitals, 1917-1918
- Gilmer County, Poor Fund, 1842-1863
- Glynn County, Convict Camp 1930 Index of Prisoners
- Greene County, Georgia Penitentiary Convict Camp # 3 1880 Index of Prisoners
- Habersham County Lunacy Record Book, 1902-1916
- Hancock County, Inferior Court Minutes, 1800-1905
- Hancock County, Lunacy Book, 1845-1858
- Henry County, Lunacy Records, 1897-1909
- Houston County, Chain Gang 1930 Index of Prisoners
- Houston County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Institutions, 1900 Federal Census, Soundex
- Jackson County, Pauper List, 1879-1901
- Jasper County, Georgia. State Hospital, Miscellaneous Records, 1808-1935
- Liberty County, Colored Orphans’ Bonds 1866-1873
- List of Prisoners in Penitentiary, Convict Camps, Chain Gangs and Jails in Georgia: including a List of Guards, Jailers, Sheriffs and Others, from 1880 Federal Census Records
- Lowndes County, Old Lowndes County Poor Farm Cemetery
- Lowndes County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Lumpkin County, Lunacy Record, August 1901-January 1950
- McDuffie County, Pauper List, 1877-1879
- Miller County, Chain Gang 1930 Index of Prisoners
- Montgomery County, Lunacy Records, 1896-1909
- Muscogee County, Alms House Cemetery
- Oconee County, Convict Camp 1900 Index of Prisoners
- Oconee County, Lunacy Records, 1878-1897
- Oglethorpe County, Inferior Court; 1788-1942
- Paulding County, Lunacy Records, 1895-1920
- Polk County, Lunacy Records, 1895-1912
- Pulaski County, Lunacy Records, 1821-1920
- Pulaski County, Lunacy Records, 1889-1918
- Randolph County, Widows and Orphans’ Year Support, 1857-1858
- Savannah Female Asylum indentures (papers Signed by Parent or Guardian Relinquishing Custody of Child) 1908-1931
- Savannah, Jail Records, 1855-1873
- Spalding County, Lunacy Records, 1897-1909
- Tattnall County, Georgia State Prison or Reidsville Prison Cemetery
- Tattnall County, Lunacy Records 1893-1909
- Thomas County, County Farm or Poor Farm Cemetery
- Walker County, Lisbon Convict Camp 1900 Index of Prisoners
- Walton County, Estate Account Books 1865-1870, and Lunacy Records 1897-1918
- Ware County, Lunacy Records 1895-1918
- Washington County, Chain Gang 1930 Index of Prisoners
- Washington County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Wilcox County, Prison Cemetery
- Wilkes County, Lunatic Asylum Records, 1888-1908
- Wilkinson County, Alms House (Poorhouse) 1910 and 1920 Census
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!