Chickasaw County
Mississippi Genealogy & History Network

Welcome to Chickasaw County MSGHN

Welcome to the Chickasaw County Mississippi Genealogy & History Network website providing free information to genealogical and historical researchers.

To share your Chickasaw County, Mississippi genealogy or history information, send an email to msghn@outlook.com - we will be pleased to include it here. If you have information to share for other Mississippi Counties, visit the Mississippi Genealogy & History Network state website and choose the appropriate county.

About Chickasaw County, Mississippi...

Chickasaw County is located in the north-central portion of Mississippi and was established February 9, 1836. Chickasaw County is named for the Chickasaw Native American Tribe, the tribe that ceded this land in the treaty of Pontotoc in 1832. The Chickasaws lived in this area for hundreds of years. Most were removed to Indian Territory in the 1830s, but some remained and became citizens of the state and United States.

The name Chickasaw is derived from chikasha (meaning rebellion), and most likely refers to the separation of the Chickasaw nation from the Creek and Choctaw nations.

Early in the 20th century, the first agricultural high school in Mississippi opened in the unincorporated community of Buena Vista. Cully Cobb, a pioneer of southern agriculture, long-term farm publisher, and an official of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration in Washington, D.C., was the superintendent of the school from 1908-1910.

The county has a total area of 504.27 square miles of which 501.56 square miles is land and 2.71 square mile (0.54%) is water. The population recorded in the 1840 Federal Census was 2,955. The 2010 census recorded 17,392 residents in the county.

Neighboring counties are Pontotoc County (north), Lee County (northeast), Monroe County (east), Clay County (southeast), Webster County (southwest), and Calhoun County (west). Communities in the county include the dual county seats of Houston and Okolona, as well as New Houlka, Woodland, Buena Vista, Egypt, McCondy, Pyland, Sparta, Thorn, Trebloc, and Van Vleet.

Chickasaw County, Mississippi Records

Chickasaw County MSGHN has many records here on our website. Marriage Records, Cemetery listings, tombstone photos, census records, and more. Look at the Chickasaw County Data links for a list of available data.

Birth Records - The Mississippi Department of Health maintains records of births after November 1, 1912 on file. This was the year Mississippi began keeping official birth records. You can obtain official copies of birth certificates by mail by using this birth record application on their website. If you just have to order by internet or phone, or use a credit card, you can use VitalCheck, a third party records company recognized by the Mississippi Dept. of Health. Since there are no official birth records before November 1, 1912 for births prior to that date you will need to determine birth information from census records, bible records, baptismal records, cemetery tombstones, etc.

Death Records - The Mississippi Department of Health maintains births recorded after November 1, 1912 on file. This was the year Mississippi began keeping official death records. You can obtain official copies of death certificates by mail by using this death record application on their website. If you just have to order by internet or phone, or use a credit card, you can use VitalCheck, a third party records company recognized by the Mississippi Dept. of Health. Since there are no official death records before November 1, 1912 for deaths prior to that date you will need to determine death information from census records, bible records, funeral home records, cemetery tombstones, etc.

Marriage Records - We have thousands of Chickasaw County marriage records here on our website. These dates will assist you greatly in obtaining a copy of the original marriage license. The Mississippi Department of Health can provide you with this for marriages that took place between January 1, 1926 to June 30, 1938, and for January 1, 1942 to present by mail by using this marriage record application on their website. If you just have to order by internet or phone, or use a credit card, you can use VitalCheck, a third party records company recognized by the Mississippi Dept. of Health.

All existing Chickasaw County marriage records for any date not listed above (and for the dates listed above for that matter) may be obtained from the Chickasaw County Circuit Clerk's office.

Divorce Records - Prior to 1859, divorce proceedings were introduced as private bills in the Mississippi State Legislature. References to these can be found in the books Index of Mississippi Session Acts 1817 - 1865 and Index to the Laws of the Mississippi Territory. These books can be found at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History as well as many other genealogy repositories and libraries across the state. After 1859, Chickasaw County divorce proceedings were filed in the Chickasaw County Chancery Clerk's office.