One of the main goals for genealogists is finding birth, marriage, and death (BMD) information about their ancestors.
Over the past few decades, thanks to volunteers, librarians and archivists (as well as the largest of them all - FamilySearch), a great number of indexes to birth, marriage, and death collections have been provided for free online. These searchable indexes provide specific BMD information, and sometimes scanned images of the actual birth, marriage, and death certificates themselves. These free online collections have hundreds of millions of records in them in total.
There are a great number of online and offline collections that may include birth, marriage, and death information that are not included in the lists below. For example, newspapers, draft registration files, naturalization records, etc. have BMD info. To find out which types of other records may include BMD information, please see:
- 27 Ways to Find Ancestor Birth Information
- 22 Ways to Find Ancestors Marriage Information
- 21 Ways to Find Ancestors Death Information
The lists below are specific birth, marriage, and death indexes and record collections that are available for free online for the state of South Carolina.
Note 1: Many of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. In many cases there is a link to the digital collection in the middle of the page, but also 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. Please also note that I have listed below only BMD databases that are accessible digitally from your computer (or tablet/phone)
Note 2: I have included links to Free Ancestry records and indexes. You do not need a subscription, but do need an Ancestry account. Without a subscription you can view indexes. If there is an image associated with a record, in most cases you will need a subscription, but the index does include very usable information.
(Updated May, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD)
General U.S.
- United States Births and Christenings, 1867-1931
- United States Deaths and Burials, 1867-1961
- United States Korean War Battle Deaths, 1950-1957
- United States Marriages, 1733-1990
- United States Social Security Death Index
- United States, Freedmen's Bureau Marriages, 1861-1872
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
South Carolina
- Abbeville County Marriage Registers and Licenses,1911-1951
- Anderson County Marriage Indexes
- Barnwell County Abstracts of wills, Marriage and cemetery records, 1756-1900
- Barnwell County Birth Records, 1804-1958
- Barnwell County Death Records, 1915-1958
- Barnwell County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1951
- Berkeley County Marriages
- Calhoun County Marriage Licenses, ca. 1911-1950
- Charles Town Register of St. Philip's Parish, , 1720-1758
- Charleston County Birth Registers, 1901-1926
- Charleston County Death Records, 1852-1926
- Charleston County Marriages
- Charleston County Marriage Licenses
- Charleston Death Records, 1821-1886
- Cherokee County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950
- Chester County Marriage Licenses, 1911 - 1950
- Chesterfield County Original Marriage Licenses, 1911-1951
- Chesterfield County Original Marriage Licenses, 1911-1951
- Clarendon County Marriage Licenses, ca. 1911-1950
- Colleton County Marriage Index
- Colleton County Vital Records
- Colleton County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1951
- Darlington County Marriage Licenses,1911-1950
- Darlington County Records, 1798-1923
- Dillon County Deaths
- Dillon County Proofs of Marriage, ca. 1895-1954; Marriage Licenses & Marriage Registers, ca. 1911-1950
- Dillon Death Index
- Dorchester County Marriage Licenses 1918-1950
- Fairfield County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950
- Florence County Delayed Births
- Florence County Marriage Licenses & Affidavits, ca. 1917-1950
- Greenville County Marriage License Index, 1910-2010
- Greenville County Marriage Licenses
- Greenwood County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950
- Hampton County Marriage Licenses, ca. 1911-1950
- Horry County Deaths
- Horry County Marriages (1861-1912)
- Horry County Marriage Records 1911-1951
- Jasper County Marriage Licenses, ca. 1912-1950
- Kershaw County Marriage Licenses, Aug. 1938-Dec. 1950
- Lancaster County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950; Proofs of Marriage, 1898-1955; Unused Marriage License Affidavits (with names), 1911-1921
- Laurens County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950 (also includes two Jan. 1951s)
- Lee County Birth Certificates/Applications (Delayed) 1791-1900
- Lexington County Death Index
- Lexington County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950; indexes, 1911-1958
- Lexington County Marriages
- Marion County Marriage Licenses, July 1911-Dec. 1950
- Marion County Marriage Registers continued by bound Marriage Licenses, 1911-1952
- Marlboro County Marriage Licenses, ca. July 1911-Dec. 1950
- Marlborough County Marriage Licenses 1788-1826
- Marriage License Search by County
- McCormick County Marriage License Affidavits and Licenses, ca. 1916-1952
- McCormick County Marriage Licenses,1916-1950
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Oconee County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
- Orangeburg County Marriage Licenses 1911-1951
- Richland County Marriage Affidavits prior to 1911
- Richland County Marriage Index, 1911-2010
- Richland County Marriage Licenses
- Richland County Registers, 1911-1952; Marriage Licenses, 1911-1922
- Saint Philip, Charleston, Births or Christenings, 1718-1810
- Saluda County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950
- South Carolina Births and Christenings, 1681-1935
- South Carolina Death Indexes 1915-1967
- South Carolina Deaths, 1915-1965
- South Carolina Federal Census Mortality Schedules 1850-1880
- South Carolina Marriage Records
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1641-1799 by Bride's Name
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1641-1799 by Groom's Name
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1675-1858
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1709-1870
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1755-1820
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1766-1929
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1776-1860
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1779-1924
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1780-1908
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1785-1857
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1785-1884
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1786-1856
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1787-1859
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1801-1876
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1802-1867
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1804-1867
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1808-1851
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1819-1844
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1824-1855
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1828-1897
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1837-1896
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1844-1860
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1846-1863
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1846-1884
- South Carolina Marriage Records 1851-1853
- South Carolina Marriage Records Abbeville Districts, 1774-1890
- South Carolina Marriage Records York County, 1823-1865, Brides
- South Carolina Marriage Records York County, 1823-1865, Grooms
- South Carolina Marriages, 1709-1913
- South Carolina Death Certificates 1915-1963
- South Carolina Delayed Birth Certificates 1766-1900
- South Carolina, Delayed Birth Certificates, 1766-1900
- Spartanburg County Death Certificates
- Spartanburg County Death Index
- Spartanburg County Marriage Records
- Sumter County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950; Indexes, 1911-1967
- Union County Marriage Licenses, July 1911-Dec. 1950; indexes, 1911-1955
- Williamsburg County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1950; Petitions to Establish Marriages, with Affidavits, Prior to 1911
- Wofford College Library Death and Obituary Index, 1837-2008
- York County Marriages
- Yorksville Deaths
- Yorksville Marriages
Check out the links for other states on the BMD Records page.
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
For other Free South Carolina Links, click on the category of interest:
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