Search Anne Arundel County Genealogy Records
Anne Arundel County genealogy records span more than 370 years, from the county's founding in 1650 through the present day, and are held at the Circuit Court, the county Health Department, the Maryland State Archives, and the public library system in Annapolis. Use this guide to find where specific record types are kept and how to access Anne Arundel County genealogy records quickly and at low cost.
Anne Arundel County Overview
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court
The Circuit Court in Annapolis is the custodian of Anne Arundel County's civil records, land records, marriage licenses, and case files going back to the county's founding. Researchers looking for genealogy records in Anne Arundel County will find land deeds, mortgages, plats, and civil court documents at this office. Marriage records from 1777 forward are held at the Circuit Court. Online case searches are available through the Maryland Judiciary at casesearch.courts.state.md.us.
All Anne Arundel County land records, including deeds and mortgages, can be searched free online at MDLandRec.net at mdlandrec.net. This system covers recorded instruments for all Maryland counties and does not require an account to view documents. For in-person visits to the Circuit Court, the office is at 8 Church Circle in Annapolis. Call 410-222-1397 before visiting to confirm current hours and document availability for the records you need in Anne Arundel County.
| Address | 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 410-222-1397 |
| Marriage Records | From 1777 at Circuit Court |
| Website | courts.state.md.us/clerks/annearundel |
Birth and Death Records in Anne Arundel County
Vital records in Anne Arundel County are available from two places depending on the date: the county Health Department for recent records, and the Maryland State Archives for records over 100 years old.
The Anne Arundel County Health Department issues birth and death certificates. Their office is at 3 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401, and appointments are required. You can call 410-222-4462 to schedule. Birth certificates cost $20 and are available by appointment on Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to noon and from 12:45 pm to 3:15 pm. Death certificates cost $18 for the first copy and $20 for each additional copy. Appointments for death certificates run 11 am to noon and 12:45 pm to 3 pm. More information is online at aahealth.org/vital-records.
The Health Department's vital records page lists what you need to bring to your appointment and what each record costs for Anne Arundel County genealogy research.
For birth records more than 100 years old, contact the Maryland State Archives at 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, by phone at 410-260-6400. The MSA holds older birth and death records for all Maryland counties including Anne Arundel. Home birth registrations follow a separate process described at health.maryland.gov/vsa/Pages/homebirth.aspx. For vital records from the state level, visit health.maryland.gov/vsa. Maryland law under Md. Code, Health-General section 4-208 governs who may access birth records, and section 4-214 covers death records. Researchers who are not immediate family members may need to document their relationship to the person named in the record.
Marriage Records in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County marriage records from 1777 onward are held at the Circuit Court. Earlier marriage records from the colonial period are at the Maryland State Archives, which holds church records and other early documentation. The MSA marriage indexes are searchable online and cover multiple counties, making it easy to find Anne Arundel County marriages across a wide range of years.
Wills and probate from 1650 to 1777 are indexed at the MSA. A second index covers 1777 to 1918 for Anne Arundel County. There is also a specialized document, "Heirs and Orphans: Distributions 1788-1838," held at the MSA, which records how estates were divided among heirs in Anne Arundel County during that period. This type of record can reveal children, spouses, and siblings not found in other documents. The Register of Wills handles modern probate in Anne Arundel County. Their records are searchable at registers.maryland.gov.
Anne Arundel County Public Library
The Anne Arundel County Public Library system supports genealogy research through local history collections, access to subscription databases, and reference staff who know the area's records well. Their website at aacpl.net provides remote access to many of those databases, including those covering Maryland and Anne Arundel County specifically.
The library's online portal connects researchers to genealogy databases and local history resources for Anne Arundel County records.
Libraries in the system typically hold microfilm readers and hard copies of local newspapers, which can be key for finding marriage notices, obituaries, and other life event announcements in Anne Arundel County. Obituaries in particular are often the only source of family relationship data not captured in official vital records. Call your local branch to ask what their genealogy holdings include before making the trip.
Maryland State Archives for Anne Arundel County
The Maryland State Archives is the most comprehensive single source for Anne Arundel County genealogy records from the colonial era through the mid-twentieth century. Located at 350 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis, the MSA holds land records, court records, probate records, vital records, military records, and legislative records that span more than 350 years of Anne Arundel County history. You can search their online catalog at msa.maryland.gov to identify what records exist and in what format before you visit.
The Archives of Maryland Online at aomol.msa.maryland.gov has digitized millions of pages of colonial and early state government documents, many of which relate to Anne Arundel County. This free resource is especially useful for researchers working on families from the 1600s and 1700s. The MSA research guide at guide.msa.maryland.gov organizes records by type and county, which makes it straightforward to see what survives for Anne Arundel County and where each record set is held. Maryland's public records law under General Provisions sections 4-101 and following means most of these records are open to any researcher without a formal request process.
The county government website at aacounty.org provides links to county offices and services that can help with genealogy records requests in Anne Arundel County.
Cities in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County includes several large communities. All genealogy records and vital records for residents of these cities are handled at the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court and Health Department in Annapolis.
Other communities in Anne Arundel County include Odenton, Millersville, Pasadena, Severna Park, Crofton, and Arnold. Records for all these areas are filed at the county level in Annapolis.
Nearby Counties
Anne Arundel County borders several counties. Ancestors living near county lines may have records in more than one place, so check neighboring counties when searches come up short.