Floyd County Genealogy Records
Floyd County genealogy records are held in New Albany, the county seat, at several county offices and the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library. Researchers searching for Floyd County ancestors can access birth and death records through the county health department, marriage and court records through the clerk, land records through the recorder, and published local histories and family genealogies at the public library. This page covers each source in detail.
Floyd County Quick Facts
Floyd County Health Department and Vital Records
The Floyd County Health Department in New Albany holds birth and death records for county events from 1882 onward. The health department can be reached at 812-948-4726. Indiana required counties to begin registration of births and deaths in 1882. For events before that year, church records and cemetery transcriptions are the alternatives, and Floyd County's location on the Ohio River made it an early settlement with a long record-keeping history through religious institutions.
The Indiana Department of Health Vital Records Division at 2 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, holds statewide death records from 1900 and birth records from 1907. Phone orders go through (866) 601-0891, available 24 hours a day. Online orders use VitalChek. Mail orders are accepted using IDOH forms. State charges are $10 for a birth certificate and $8 for a death certificate. Genealogy requests require proof that the person named is deceased and over 75 years old. The Indiana local health department map confirms current contact details for Floyd County.
Floyd County Clerk and Marriage Records
The Floyd County Clerk in New Albany can be reached at 812-948-5411. The clerk maintains marriage records going back to the county's formation in 1819, as well as civil court filings and probate documents. For marriages before 1958, the clerk is the primary official source, since Indiana's statewide marriage index begins that year. Marriage license applications record full names, ages, and residences, which makes them a reliable source for family history.
Probate records at the Floyd County Clerk's office are especially valuable for researchers tracing families in this early Indiana county. Wills and estate inventories name all heirs and describe property in detail. If a Floyd County ancestor died with real estate or significant personal property, a probate file almost certainly exists. Guardianship papers often list minor children with ages, helping you extend a family line. Civil court records may also document land disputes, debt cases, or family matters that reveal additional genealogy information. Indiana's Access to Public Records Act (IC 5-14-3) allows public inspection of these filings, and under IC 5-14-3-4, restricted records become open 75 years after creation.
Note: Floyd County was established in 1819, so records go back over 200 years. Some very old records may have been transferred to the Indiana Archives and Records Administration.
New Albany-Floyd County Public Library
The New Albany-Floyd County Public Library is a major genealogy resource for Floyd County research. The library holds published family histories, newspaper indexes, cemetery transcriptions, and local history materials that are not available at government offices. New Albany was one of Indiana's earliest and most significant cities, and the library's collection reflects that long history with materials covering families from the early 1800s forward.
The library may hold donated family papers, photograph collections, city directories, and genealogical society publications that are unique to this institution. Researchers working on Floyd County lines that have Ohio River connections, including families with roots in Louisville, Kentucky just across the river, may find the library's collection particularly useful. Early New Albany was a major commercial center, and many records of business transactions, church memberships, and civic activities survive in library collections that are not accessible through county government offices.
Contact the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library directly for current hours, contact information, and guidance on what is available for specific Floyd County family lines. Library staff can often point you to the most relevant section of their genealogy collection for your research question.
Floyd County Land Records
The Floyd County Recorder in New Albany maintains deeds, mortgages, and plats. Land records are a foundational genealogy source because they trace property ownership through time. In a county as old as Floyd, the recorder's deed books reach back to the early 1800s and can document multiple generations of the same family on the same piece of land. Witnesses to deeds are often relatives or neighbors worth investigating. A chain of title on a specific parcel can help you place an ancestor in Floyd County at a specific time.
The Indiana Archives and Records Administration at (317) 591-5220 or arc@iara.in.gov holds older records transferred from Floyd County offices. Their online catalog at researchIndiana.iara.in.gov is searchable before you visit. IARA's microfilming standards ensure that records remain readable for up to 500 years, which matters for the oldest Floyd County documents. If the local recorder cannot locate a record you need, IARA is the next step.
Indiana State Library and State Resources
The Indiana State Library at 315 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, holds family histories, cemetery transcriptions, and record indexes covering Floyd County. The reference desk at 317-232-3689 can help identify specific Floyd County sources. County research guides for Floyd County are on the Indiana County Research Guides page. Floyd County's long history as a major Ohio River crossing point means there may be specialized published sources focused on the New Albany area.
The Indiana State Library's genealogy collection includes Floyd County sources and statewide record indexes. Indiana State Library genealogy resources
The library's county research guides list Floyd County record types, date ranges, and contact information for each source.
Indiana Historical Society and Online Tools
The Indiana Historical Society at 450 W. Ohio St. in Indianapolis, phone (317) 232-1882, publishes research indexes and family history guides covering Floyd County. Their county resources page links to local history contacts and primary source guides for the New Albany area. Given Floyd County's early founding and Ohio River position, the society likely holds significant published material on local families.
FamilySearch provides free access to Indiana and Kentucky census records, vital record indexes, and church registers. Because New Albany sits across the river from Louisville, Kentucky, records from both states may be relevant to your research. The Indiana Genealogical Society connects researchers with Floyd County specialists and maintains county-level resource pages. Combining local office records with library collections and state-level archives gives the most complete picture of a Floyd County family.
Cities in Floyd County
New Albany is the county seat and largest city in Floyd County, with a population that qualifies for a dedicated city page.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Floyd County in southern Indiana. If an ancestor lived near a county line, or across the Ohio River in Kentucky, records may appear in more than one jurisdiction.