Boynton Beach City Florida genealogy records help people trace family roots in Palm Beach County. The city began in 1898 when Major Nathan Boynton built a hotel near the coast.
Early settlers came for farming, fishing, and the tomato trade. Over time, families from the Bahamas, the American South, and the Caribbean made this area home. Today, researchers can find birth, death, marriage, divorce, census, military, and land records that span more than one hundred twenty-five years. Local libraries, the county clerk, the state archives, and online databases all hold valuable files. This page explains where to look, what each source contains, and how to get copies.
Local Libraries and History Centers
Boynton Beach has two main places for in-person genealogy research. Both are free to visit and open to the public. Library staff and volunteers can help point you to the right shelf or the right database.
Boynton Beach City Library
The Boynton Beach City Library sits at 208 South Seacrest Boulevard. It serves as the main starting point for most family history searches in the city. The library has books on local pioneers, farming history, the 1928 hurricane, and the early tourism trade. It also holds back issues of local newspapers on microfilm, including the Boynton Beach Star.
- Ancestry Library Edition (free in-library use)
- HeritageQuest Online (free with a library card)
- Microfilm of local newspapers from the 1920s forward
- Printed city directories and phone books
- Books on Palm Beach County families
Boynton Beach Historical Society
The Boynton Beach Historical Society keeps photos, letters, and scrapbooks from pioneer families. Volunteers staff the archives and answer research emails. The collection includes pictures of the first Boynton Hotel, early farms, and the original downtown. Researchers should call ahead to set up a visit. The society also runs monthly talks on local history.
Schoolhouse Children’s Museum
The Schoolhouse Children’s Museum at 129 East Ocean Avenue serves as the home of the Historical Society. The 1913 building was the city’s first public school. Inside, displays show old school desks, farming tools, and beach life from the early 1900s. While it is built for children, adults can use the space to view period photos and learn how early residents lived.
Palm Beach County Government Records
Boynton Beach falls under Palm Beach County. The county clerk keeps all legal files from marriage licenses to land deeds. These records start in 1909, the year Palm Beach County was formed. Researchers should focus on the county level for any official paper filed after that date.
Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts
The main clerk office is at 205 North Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach. The clerk holds court files, marriage licenses, deeds, and probate papers. Florida’s public records law (Chapter 119) gives you the right to view most of these files. Certified copies cost a small fee. The clerk’s website has a free online search tool for recent records.
Marriage and Divorce Records
Marriage licenses from 1909 to the present sit at the county clerk. Each license shows the bride’s maiden name, the groom’s full name, ages, and birthplaces. Some older licenses list parents’ names. Divorce decrees are also filed here. They list the date of marriage, names of children, and reasons for divorce. These papers prove family ties and help link generations together.
Property Deeds and Land Records
Early Boynton Beach families bought land for tomato farms in the 1900s and 1910s. The 1920s land boom brought many buyers. Deeds show the seller, the buyer, the parcel size, and the price paid. Following deeds from one owner to the next traces a family across decades. Land records can also show when someone died, since property often passed to heirs through a deed.
Probate and Estate Records
When someone in Boynton Beach died owning property, the estate went through probate court. Wills, estate inventories, and guardianship papers all sit in county files. These papers name children, grandchildren, siblings, and in-laws. Inventories list household goods, farm equipment, and land. Probate records often solve family puzzles that birth and death records cannot.
Florida State Archives and Vital Records
The State of Florida keeps records that span all sixty-seven counties. These files fill in gaps left by local offices. Many older records sit only in Tallahassee at the State Archives or the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Florida State Archives
The State Archives of Florida sits in Tallahassee at 500 South Bronough Street. It holds county records turned over by local courthouses. The collection includes tax rolls, school records, prison records, and Civil War service files. Researchers can visit in person or order copies by mail. A free online catalog at the Florida Memory website shows what is available before you travel.
Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
The Bureau of Vital Statistics keeps statewide birth and death certificates. Florida started keeping birth records in 1865 and death records in 1877. Birth records less than 100 years old are sealed from public view. Death records less than 50 years old are also sealed. After those time limits pass, the records open to anyone. The Bureau charges a fee for each certified copy.
Florida Department of Health Office of Vital Records
The Office of Vital Records runs the state’s vital records system. You can order birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates through the Florida Health website. The same office handles amendments and corrections. Walk-in service is available at the Jacksonville office. Mail orders work for older, unrestricted records.
Florida Memory Project
Florida Memory is a free online archive run by the State Library and Archives. It holds photos, postcards, oral history recordings, and digitized records. The collection covers pioneer life, citrus farming, railroads, and the Civil War. Boynton Beach photos appear in the Florida Memory collection. The site also has a search engine for personal names found in scanned documents.
Online Databases and Digital Tools
Digital tools make it possible to search Boynton Beach records from home. Some sites are free. Others charge a subscription fee. Smart researchers check several sites and compare results.
FamilySearch Florida Collection
FamilySearch.org is the largest free genealogy site in the world. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints runs it. The Florida collection includes Palm Beach County marriage indexes from 1909 onward. It also has death indexes, probate records, and federal census images for Florida from 1830 forward. Anyone can create a free account and start searching.
Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest
Ancestry.com is the biggest paid genealogy service. It has Florida census images, city directories, newspaper articles, and military records. Many Boynton Beach families appear in the South Florida newspaper collection. HeritageQuest offers a smaller set of records but is free through many public libraries. Users can log in from home with a library card number.
Florida State Genealogical Society
The Florida State Genealogical Society (FSGS) publishes journals and runs a research library in Maitland. Members can ask questions and request lookups. The society also indexes old Florida newspapers. Its quarterly journal often names Boynton Beach pioneers and their family ties.
| Resource | Cost | Records Covered |
|---|---|---|
| FamilySearch | Free | Census, marriage indexes, probate |
| Ancestry.com | Paid subscription | Census, newspapers, city directories, military |
| HeritageQuest | Free with library card | Census, books, periodicals |
| Florida Memory | Free | Photos, maps, oral histories |
| FSGS Journal | Membership | Articles on Florida families |
Specialized Record Types
Some records go beyond birth, death, and marriage. These sources can fill in the story of a Boynton Beach ancestor who left no vital records. They cover movement, faith, military duty, and burial.
Federal and State Census Records
Federal census records for Florida start in 1830 and run every ten years through 1940 (with 1890 mostly lost to fire). Each census names every household member with age, birthplace, and occupation. The 1940 census is the most recent one open to the public. Florida also took state censuses in 1885, 1935, and 1945. These fill gaps between federal counts.
Cemetery and Funeral Records
Boynton Beach has several historic cemeteries. Boynton Beach Memorial Park and the Woodlawn Cemetery hold graves of early settlers. Sextons’ records, funeral home books, and grave markers all give death dates. The BillionGraves and FindAGrave websites let you search cemetery photos for free. Local funeral homes like Scobee-Irish-Powell kept detailed records.
Military and Civil War Records
Florida troops served in the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. The National Archives holds draft registrations, service records, and pension files. The State Archives holds Florida service cards for the two World Wars. Civil War soldiers from Palm Beach County appear in the Florida State Troops roster. These files often list next of kin and home addresses.
Immigration, Naturalization, and Passenger Lists
Many Boynton Beach residents came from the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Their immigration files sit with the federal courts. Palm Beach County naturalization records begin in 1909. They show country of origin, date of arrival, and the applicant’s name change. Passenger lists through 1957 sit in the National Archives. These records are searchable on Ancestry and FamilySearch.
Church and Religious Records
Before civil vital registration began, churches kept the only birth, marriage, and burial records. St. John Missionary Baptist Church, St. Vincent Catholic Church, and First Presbyterian Church of Boynton Beach all have member files. Some older records sit with the Diocese of Palm Beach. These records are especially valuable for African American and Bahamian families who settled in the area.
Historical Newspapers
South Florida newspapers like the Palm Beach Post, the Boynton Beach Star, and the Boca Raton News covered local life for decades. Obituaries, wedding announcements, and social columns name Boynton Beach families. Newspapers.com and NewspaperArchive hold searchable scans. The State Library also has a free newspaper collection on Chronicling America.
Florida Historical Society
The Florida Historical Society in Cocoa keeps one of the oldest state history libraries in the country. Its journal, the Florida Historical Quarterly, prints articles on South Florida pioneer families. Researchers can visit the library or browse articles online through JSTOR.
Tips for a Successful Search
Research moves faster when you plan your steps. Start with what you know and work outward in time and place. Always check two or more sources for the same fact.
- Gather names, dates, and places from family records at home.
- Search the 1940 federal census online to find Boynton Beach households.
- Order birth and death certificates from the state Bureau of Vital Statistics.
- Visit the Palm Beach County Clerk to pull deeds, probate files, and marriage licenses.
- Check the Boynton Beach Historical Society for photos and family papers.
- Confirm every link with at least one more source before adding it to your tree.
Visiting Locations and Contact Details
The main places to visit in person sit in Boynton Beach and nearby West Palm Beach. Phone numbers and hours are listed below. Call ahead to confirm hours before you travel.
- Boynton Beach City Library: 208 South Seacrest Boulevard, Boynton Beach, FL 33435. Phone: (561) 742-6390. Hours: Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday closed.
- Palm Beach County Clerk: 205 North Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. Phone: (561) 355-2996. Hours: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Florida State Archives: 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399. Phone: (850) 245-6719. Hours: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics: 1217 Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202. Phone: (904) 359-6900. Hours: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below cover common research puzzles in Boynton Beach. Each answer points to the records that solve the problem and explains how to reach them.
How do I find a Boynton Beach birth certificate before 1927?
Florida did not require birth registration statewide until 1917. Records from 1917 to 1927 may be thin. Contact the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville to order a search. The state archives in Tallahassee also hold delayed birth records filed later in life. Church baptismal records can stand in when state files are missing. Boynton Beach churches from the early 1900s may still hold those papers.
Where can I get a Boynton Beach death certificate?
Order it from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics through the Florida Health website. Death records less than 50 years old are sealed and only available to close family. Records older than 50 years are public. The Palm Beach County Clerk also has probate files that confirm the date of death. Cemetery offices like Boynton Beach Memorial Park can supply burial records when state files are missing.
Are Boynton Beach marriage records available online?
Yes, FamilySearch has a free Palm Beach County marriage index from 1909 to the 1970s. The Palm Beach County Clerk’s online search tool has records from the 1990s forward. Older marriage license images sit only at the county clerk office in West Palm Beach. You can order copies by mail using the clerk’s request form.
Can I search Boynton Beach census records for free?
Yes. FamilySearch.org has free federal census images for Florida from 1830 to 1940. HeritageQuest, free through many libraries, also holds these images. The 1890 census was mostly lost in a 1921 fire, so few Boynton Beach families appear there. Florida state censuses from 1885, 1935, and 1945 are searchable on FamilySearch and the State Archives website.
What records help trace Bahamian families in Boynton Beach?
Bahamian settlers began arriving in the 1890s. Ship passenger lists and immigration files at the National Archives show their arrival dates. Church records at St. John Missionary Baptist Church and other local congregations often list Bahamian roots. The Boynton Beach Historical Society holds oral history tapes from Bahamian descendants. Naturalization papers filed at the Palm Beach County Clerk also name the home island.
How do I find Boynton Beach obituaries from the 1950s and 1960s?
The Boynton Beach Star and the Palm Beach Post covered local deaths during those decades. The State Library has these papers on microfilm. Newspapers.com and NewspaperArchive also have searchable scans, but they charge a fee. The Boynton Beach City Library keeps a microfilm reader and can print copies for a small charge.
Can veterans records help prove a Boynton Beach family connection?
Yes. Military service files, draft registrations, and pension papers name parents, wives, and children. The National Archives holds WWI, WWII, and Korean War records. The Florida State Archives has Florida service cards for the two World Wars. These papers often include a hometown address and a next of kin, which can place your ancestor in Boynton Beach at a specific time.