Start Your Clark County Research
Clark County was created in 1792 at the edge of the Bluegrass and the Appalachian foothills. Early families arrived mainly from Virginia, traveling the Boone Trace and settling around fertile farmland, mill sites, and the Kentucky River. Winchester became the county seat the following year and has remained the center of local records ever since.
Research Highlights
This site brings together core materials useful to family researchers. You’ll find marriage records, cemetery transcriptions, obituaries, census abstracts, military information, local history notes, and contributed family files. Because many families moved across nearby counties, researchers should also check records in Madison, Fayette, Montgomery, and Powell Counties.
History Snapshot
- County seat: Winchester
- Established: 1792
- Early settlements: Colby, Trapp, Kiddville, Pilot View
- Key roads: Boone Trace, Boonesboro Road, Ironworks Road
- Early industries: hemp, tobacco, milling, livestock
- Nearby landmarks: Fort Boonesborough, Kentucky River palisades
Repositories & Records
| The Clark County Courthouse in Winchester holds deeds, marriages, probate files, and circuit court orders from the county’s earliest years. Microfilm copies of many volumes are available through the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA). The Kentucky History Center in Frankfort and the local public library also provide strong regional collections for researchers. |
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Counties Surrounding Clark County
1839 KY County Map Source: TN Virtual Archive |
Common Clark County Surnames
A few names that appear frequently in early records include: Tipton, Daniel, Lisle, Gay, Bush, Winn, and Hampton. More surname material will be added as collections grow.