A path to your enslaved ancestors
Research before 1865 requires a different approach. Begin with the state where your ancestors were held (from the first arrivals of the 1600s to Emancipation), then work backward from the 1870 census — the first to name formerly enslaved people.
South Carolina
Statehood 1788 · Deep South
South Carolina was a majority-enslaved state for much of its antebellum history. Lowcountry plantations produced extensive records; district (county) courthouses hold probate and conveyance series.
Slavery Research Institutions
Where to Search South Carolina Records
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Key Records
- Probate Court records — wills, inventories, appraisements, equity division of estates
- Register of Mesne Conveyance (deeds, bills of sale, mortgages naming enslaved people)
- 1850 & 1860 Slave Schedules
- Plantation records & 'street lists' naming enslaved residents
- SC Department of Archives & History (Columbia) & the Avery Research Center (Charleston)
Research Tips
- Equity court estate divisions frequently list enslaved people by name, age, and family unit.
- Charleston RMC bills of sale are detailed — search by both buyer and seller surnames.
- For the Lowcountry, look for Gullah Geechee community and church records.
National Resources, 1600s to Emancipation
Databases that cover every state, from the Atlantic crossings to the search for family after freedom.