Hollywood City Florida genealogy records help people trace family roots in one of Florida’s most planned cities. Founded in 1925 by Joseph Young, Hollywood grew fast during the Florida land boom.
Many early settlers came from the Midwest and Northeast. Today their descendants search for birth records, marriage files, property deeds, and more. This page covers every major record source for Hollywood families from 1925 to today.
Why Hollywood Florida Is a Unique Research Target
Hollywood Florida stands apart from older Florida cities because it began as a fresh planned community in 1925. Most Florida towns grew over centuries from Spanish missions or pioneer farms. Hollywood started with empty land bought by a single developer. That fact changes how records work for families who lived there.
The 1925 Founding Story
Joseph Young picked the site along the Atlantic coast in 1925. He named it Hollywood to copy the fame of its California namesake. The town sat in newly carved Broward County, formed just ten years earlier in 1915. Young sold lots fast during the boom years of 1925 and 1926. Then the 1926 hurricane hit and the land bust followed. Records from this short window show the first families who built the city.
Joseph Young’s Planned City Vision
Young wanted wide boulevards and themed neighborhoods. He planned parks, a yacht basin, and a downtown civic center. The city was mapped on a grand scale before any homes stood. This means land records from 1925 to 1926 often name Young as the seller. Buyers came mostly from northern states. Cold winters pushed them south during the boom years.
Hollywood’s Boom and Bust History
The Miami Hurricane of 1926 destroyed much of early Hollywood. The Great Depression stopped new building for a decade. The city rebuilt slowly through the 1930s and 1940s. After World War Two, growth returned. Each of these waves left different record types at the county and state level. Local newspapers cover every chapter of this story.
Broward County Official Records for Hollywood Families
Broward County holds most legal records for Hollywood residents. The county seat is Fort Lauderdale, but the records cover all cities. Marriage licenses, deeds, probate files, and court cases all sit in the county clerk system. You can search many of these records online from home.
Marriage Licenses and Divorce Decrees
Broward County started keeping marriage licenses in 1915, the year the county formed. Each license names the bride and groom, their ages, and birthplaces. Some entries list parents or prior spouses. Divorce decrees show when marriages ended. You can search the county clerk online index for free. The records are public under Florida law once filed.
- Marriage licenses from 1915 to present are searchable online
- Divorce decrees from county court filings
- Names of parents, witnesses, and officiants appear on older forms
- Court seals confirm the date the union was legal
Property Deeds and Land Records
Joseph Young bought large tracts in 1925 and split them into city lots. Every sale after that created a deed filed with the county. Deeds track who owned each piece of land over time. They name spouses when property was jointly held. Daughters who married appear under their married names on later deeds. You can trace a single lot from the 1920s to today through these files.
Probate and Estate Files
When a Broward County resident died owning property, the estate went through probate. The file names every heir and their relation to the dead person. Wills list children and grandchildren. Estate inventories show household goods and land. These papers often list more family members than any other source. They are open to the public once the case closes.
Court Records and Civil Cases
Civil and criminal court files cover disputes, debts, and crimes. Plaintiffs and defendants appear by name. Witnesses are named with their addresses. Old cases show where people lived and worked. Divorce records also sit in court files. All these documents add color to a family history that birth and death dates alone cannot show.
Hollywood Library and Local Archives
Local libraries and historical groups hold papers no state office keeps. Hollywood has one main library branch and one historical society. Both serve family history researchers at no cost.
Broward County Library Hollywood Branch
The Hollywood Branch sits at 2600 Hollywood Boulevard. The phone number is (954) 357-7760. The library gives free access to Ancestry Library Edition on site. It also offers HeritageQuest with a library card for home use. Both databases include census records, military files, and passenger lists. The branch also holds local history books and city directories from the 1920s.
City directories list residents street by street and year by year. They show heads of household, their spouses, and their occupations. You can track a family through Hollywood as it grew. Directories fill gaps between federal census years.
Hollywood Historical Society Collections
The Hollywood Historical Society keeps photos, maps, and papers from the city’s earliest days. Members volunteer time to answer research questions. The photo collection shows the first homes, the 1926 hurricane damage, and the rebuild. Many photos identify the people in them. The society also holds school records and club minutes that name local families.
Local Newspapers on Microfilm
The library holds microfilm copies of the Hollywood Sun-Tattler and other local papers. These papers ran from the late 1920s onward. Birth announcements, wedding stories, and obituaries appear in nearly every issue. Society pages list club members and party guests. Reading the papers page by page often reveals family ties that no index would catch.
Florida State and Federal Genealogy Resources
State and federal agencies hold records that cover all of Florida. These fill gaps left by local offices. The state of Florida started keeping vital records in 1917. Federal census records go back to 1790. Military records cover soldiers from every major war.
Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics runs under the Florida Department of Health. The website is floridahealth.gov/certificates-records. You can order birth and death certificates from this office. Florida law restricts records less than 100 years old for births and 50 years old for deaths. After those periods pass, the records open to the public for genealogy research.
Marriage and divorce records are not held by the Bureau. Those sit at the county level. The Bureau only covers birth, death, and fetal death events from 1917 forward. Records from 1877 to 1917 sit with the Florida State Archives in Tallahassee.
Florida State Archives in Tallahassee
The Florida State Archives sits at the R.A. Gray Building in Tallahassee. The website is dos.fl.gov/library-archives/archives. The archives hold death records from 1877 to 1917. They also keep state census records from 1885, 1935, and 1945. These state censuses name every person in each household with age and birthplace. They bridge gaps between the federal census years of 1900, 1910, and 1920.
Federal Census Records for Broward County
Federal census records for Broward County start in 1920, when the area was part of Dade County. The 1930 census is the first to list Hollywood as a named city. Each census names every household member with age, birthplace, and relation to the head. You can view census images free at FamilySearch.org. Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest also carry them with paid access.
Military Records from the Civil War Era
Florida kept few men in Civil War service compared to northern states. Most Florida soldiers served in Confederate units. Pension files for veterans and their widows sit in state archives. Some Civil War service records appear online at Fold3 and Ancestry. Many Florida men also served in the Spanish-American War, World War One, and World War Two. Each war produced its own set of military records.
Free Online Databases for Hollywood Research
Free websites let you search many records without paying a subscription. The three biggest free and paid sites each cover different record types. Knowing which site to use saves hours of search time.
FamilySearch Florida Collections
FamilySearch.org is run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It offers free accounts with no subscription fee. The site holds Broward County marriage records from 1915 forward. It also has death records, probate files, and census images for Florida. The site adds new records every month. A free account lets you view most images at home.
Ancestry.com Broward County Records
Ancestry.com is the largest paid genealogy site. It holds all U.S. federal census records from 1790 to 1950. It also carries Florida newspaper archives, passenger lists, and naturalization files. Many libraries offer free access to Ancestry Library Edition on their computers. Hollywood Branch Library is one such location. Check the library site for login details.
Find A Grave and Cemetery Sites
Find A Grave lists cemetery burials with photos of headstones. Volunteers have added thousands of Broward County graves. Each entry gives birth date, death date, and burial place. Many entries link family members together. You can search by name or by cemetery. The site is free to use with a basic account.
Specialized Records for Early Hollywood Settlers
Early Hollywood settlers came from other states and countries. Specialized records help trace these arrivals. Naturalization files, passenger lists, and church records fill in the gaps before Florida vital records began.
Pioneer Settlement and Territorial Records
Broward County sits in southeast Florida. The area stayed mostly empty until the 1920s land boom. Earlier settlers were few and spread out. Territorial records from the 1800s cover the region when it was part of St. Lucie or Dade County. Land grants from the federal government went to settlers before statehood in 1845. These grants sit in the Bureau of Land Management records.
Naturalization and Passenger Lists
Foreign-born residents left paper trails through naturalization. Federal courts handled naturalization before 1906, then state courts took over. Files name the immigrant, the ship, the arrival date, and witnesses. Passenger lists for major ports like New York survive from 1820 to 1957. Many online indexes link naturalization files to specific ships and arrival dates.
WPA Records and Church Bibles
The Works Progress Administration ran during the 1930s and 1940s. Workers copied local records into typescript collections. These cover Bible records, cemetery surveys, and family interviews. Many WPA records sit in the Florida State Archives. Church Bible records also pass down births, marriages, and deaths through family Bibles. These private papers often hold the oldest dates for a family line.
Contact Information and Visiting Hours
The Hollywood Branch Library opens six days a week. Walk-in help runs during regular hours. The Florida State Archives opens weekdays in Tallahassee. Plan ahead for travel if you plan to visit in person. Phone and email help work well for remote researchers.
Broward County Library Hollywood Branch, 2600 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, FL 33020. Phone (954) 357-7760. Hours: Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday closed. Free parking on site. Florida State Archives, R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399. Phone (850) 245-6719. Hours: Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed weekends and state holidays. Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1217 Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202. Phone (904) 359-6900. Hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hollywood Genealogy
Many researchers ask the same questions when starting Hollywood Florida genealogy work. The answers below cover the most common ones. They draw on current office hours, fees, and search rules as of 2026. Use these as a quick start before deeper research.
Where Do I Start My Hollywood Florida Genealogy Search?
Begin at the Hollywood Branch Library at 2600 Hollywood Boulevard. The staff there help with free on-site access to Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest. You can search census records, military files, and passenger lists without paying a subscription. The library also holds city directories from the 1920s and microfilm of local newspapers. Starting at the library saves time because staff can point you to local resources that online searches miss.
How Do I Find Hollywood Birth Records From 1925 to 1940?
Birth records less than 100 years old stay restricted in Florida. Only the person named, a parent, or a legal heir can order a copy. You can apply through the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics at floridahealth.gov/certificates-records. You will need a photo ID and proof of relation. For genealogy, look to church baptism records, newspaper birth announcements, and the 1935 or 1945 Florida state census, which name young children living in each home.
Are Hollywood Marriage Records Free to Search Online?
Yes. Broward County marriage records from 1915 forward sit in the county clerk online index. You can search names and dates for free at the clerk site. Each search returns the book and page number. Viewing the actual license image may carry a small fee. FamilySearch also hosts many Broward County marriage records for free with a registered account.
What Florida Census Records Help Most for Hollywood Research?
The 1935 and 1945 Florida state censuses help the most. Hollywood grew fast between those years. The 1935 census lists residents a decade after the city founded. The 1945 census shows the post-war boom. Both name every household member with age, birthplace, and length of residence. These state censuses fill gaps between the federal 1930 and 1940 censuses and add details the federal pages skip.
Can I Find Hollywood Obituaries From the 1920s and 1930s?
Yes. The Hollywood Sun-Tattler ran from the late 1920s onward. The Hollywood Branch Library holds microfilm copies covering the earliest years. Newspapers.com and Ancestry.com also carry indexed runs of Florida papers. Obituaries from this period often name surviving family members, funeral homes, and burial sites. Reading obituaries is one of the best ways to extend a family line back a generation.
How Do I Trace a Hollywood Family Back to Other States?
Use federal census records to trace migration. The 1920 census lists Florida residents before Hollywood was a city. The 1910 census shows them in their home states. Search the home state first for the family in 1910 or 1900. Then follow them south in the 1920 and 1930 records. Passenger lists and naturalization files help if the family came from abroad. Cemetery records, funeral home files, and church Bibles also confirm moves.
What Records Survived the 1926 Miami Hurricane in Hollywood?
County records stored in Fort Lauderdale survived the storm. Broward County offices sat on higher ground. Some early city records held at Hollywood City Hall were damaged or lost. The Florida State Archives holds copies of some Hollywood city records from the 1920s. WPA workers in the 1930s also copied records from local courthouses, churches, and families into typescripts that survive today.