Search Prince George's County Genealogy Records
Prince George's County genealogy records date to 1696 and cover one of Maryland's largest and most historically rich counties, bordering Washington, D.C. to the east. The Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro holds land records, marriage licenses, and court files, while separate agencies handle vital records and probate. Researchers working in this county benefit from a wide range of sources, including courthouse records, the state archives in Annapolis, local historical and genealogical societies, and an extensive network of library resources across the county.
Prince George's County Overview
Prince George's County Circuit Court
The Circuit Court Clerk at 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 is the main courthouse for Prince George's County genealogy records. This office holds land records, marriage licenses, and civil court filings. The main phone number for the clerk's office is 301-952-3318. Land records from 1696 onward are accessible online through MDLandRec.net, which is free to use and covers all Maryland counties. The court's website at courts.state.md.us/clerks/princegeorges is listed in state directories, though you should verify it is current before visiting. Call the clerk's office to confirm web access and in-person hours.
Court case records for the county are searchable through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal. This tool covers more recent filings and is useful for 20th-century genealogy work involving court matters. Older records from the courthouse have been microfilmed and transferred to the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis, where they are open to researchers. The clerk's office can direct you to the correct department for the type of record you need.
| Address | 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 301-952-3318 |
| Land Records Online | MDLandRec.net |
| Case Search | Maryland Judiciary Case Search |
| Records Start | 1696 |
Vital Records: Births and Deaths
Birth and death certificates for Prince George's County residents are handled through the Maryland Department of Health's Vital Statistics Administration. You can reach them at 410-764-3038 or visit health.maryland.gov/vsa. For births that took place from 1898 onward, records are held at the state level. Earlier birth records for Prince George's County are limited. The Maryland State Archives holds an index of births at MSA C1167 covering 1865 to 1867. These early records capture only a fraction of actual births and may be sparse.
For death records, the Maryland State Archives holds records predating 1969. Researchers have access to two notable resources for this county. First, a database of death records from 1860 to 1940 compiled from Francis Gasch's Sons Funeral Home gives name, age, and date for deaths in the county during that period. Second, the state's death index covers filings statewide from 1898 onward. For genealogical research involving deaths after 1969, contact the Maryland Vital Statistics Administration. Proof of relationship is required for restricted records.
The Internet Archive's Maryland State Archives collection has free digitized vital records that can help with early searches before visiting in person. The MSA reading room at 350 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis is open to the public and holds original and microfilmed records for the county.
Marriage Records
Prince George's County marriage records begin in 1696. One of the most useful research tools for this county is the Index of Marriage Licenses from 1777 to 1886, which is available on Ancestry.com. This index gives names and dates for hundreds of marriage licenses issued during that period and is a good starting point for colonial and 19th-century family research. Marriage licenses from 1696 to 1777 may also exist in courthouse records and at the Maryland State Archives.
The Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro handles all current marriage license applications. For historical marriage research, the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis holds indexes and original marriage records. The MSA research guide for Prince George's County identifies exactly which marriage record series are available and where they are held. Church records are also an important source, since many marriages were performed by clergy and recorded in parish registers rather than at the courthouse. The Prince George's County Genealogical Society can help locate church record indexes for the county.
Wills and Probate Records
Probate records for Prince George's County go back to 1696. The Register of Wills office in the courthouse handles current probate filings and can be accessed at registers.maryland.gov. For historical probate research, the Maryland State Archives holds two key indexes: the Index to Probate Records for 1696 to 1900, and an index of wills covering 1698 to 1832. Colonial probate records from this county are also held at the MSA and represent some of the oldest surviving legal documents in the state.
Wills and inventories often name family members, list property, and identify neighbors, making them one of the most information-rich records types for genealogy. Colonial-era wills from Prince George's County can identify connections between families going back to the late 17th century. If a will or probate record does not appear in county-level records, check whether it was filed under the Prerogative Court, which handled probate for the entire province of Maryland before county courts took over that function. The MSA holds Prerogative Court records as well.
Land Records
Maryland is one of the few states that makes all county land records available online for free. MDLandRec.net provides scanned images of deeds, mortgages, and other land instruments for Prince George's County from 1696 to the present. This is a remarkable resource for genealogy research. Land records often identify family relationships and can fill gaps left by missing vital records. Deeds sometimes name parents, children, siblings, or neighbors and can establish where a family lived over generations.
Prince George's County land records include some of Maryland's earliest documented land grants. Colonial patents from the 17th century describe the original tracts of land and their owners, and many of these names appear in later deeds and records. The Maryland State Archives also holds land record indexes and can help researchers navigate the older record series that predate the online database. When searching, keep in mind that property in this county near the District of Columbia boundary may have been affected by land transfers related to the formation of the federal district in the 1790s.
Research Facilities
The Prince George's County Genealogical Society at PO Box 819, Bowie, MD 20718 is the primary genealogy organization for the county. You can reach them at 301-262-2063. The society holds compiled genealogy records, family files, and indexes that are not available through official channels. Members often have expertise in specific communities and record types within the county, and the society's publications can identify sources not found through standard online searches.
The Prince George's County Genealogical Society in Bowie holds compiled family records and indexes useful for research throughout the county.
The Greenbelt Historical Society at 204 Lastner Lane, Greenbelt, MD can be reached at 301-474-5156. They maintain records related to the Greenbelt community, which was established as a planned New Deal town in the 1930s and has a distinct local history. The Laurel Historical Society at 817 Main Street, Laurel, MD is reachable at 301-725-7975 and focuses on the Laurel area and its surrounding communities.
The Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society can be reached at PO Box 44252, Fort Washington, MD 20749. This organization focuses on African American genealogy and history in Prince George's County and the broader Washington area. Given the county's history, records relating to enslaved persons and their descendants require specialized research approaches, and this society can help guide that work.
The Prince George's County Memorial Library System offers genealogy database access and local history materials at branches throughout the county.
The Prince George's County Memorial Library System provides genealogy database access and local history collections at branches across the county. Library cardholders can access databases remotely. Call your nearest branch or check the library's website to find out which genealogy databases are available and how to access them outside of branch hours.
Maryland State Archives for Prince George's County
The Maryland State Archives at 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD is the central repository for historical Prince George's County records. The MSA can be reached at 410-260-6400. Holdings for this county include colonial courthouse records, microfilmed vital records, probate indexes, and much more. The MSA reading room is open to the public, and staff can help identify which record series cover a particular time period or family.
The Archives of Maryland Online (AOMOL) at aomol.msa.maryland.gov makes many colonial records available for free online. This is useful for researchers working on Prince George's County families from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Internet Archive's Maryland State Archives collection also has free digitized records that can be searched before a visit. The MSA research guide for the county lists available record series with dates and finding aids to help researchers plan their visit.
Cities in Prince George's County
Prince George's County includes one city with its own records page. All genealogy records for communities throughout the county are filed at the Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro or at the relevant state agencies described above.
Other large communities in the county include Laurel, Greenbelt, College Park, Hyattsville, Landover, Largo, Beltsville, Oxon Hill, and Fort Washington. All file records at the Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro.