Advertise

North Carolina Genealogy

Welcome to the North Carolina family history research page. On this site you will find free links to record collections, history, facts, and genealogy resources in order to help you trace your North Carolina ancestors. North Carolina, originally known as Carolina, and the home of the first English colony in the Americas and has played a significant role throughout U.S. history. It was formed on May 20th, 1775 from the original North Carolina Colony. It was named in honor of King Charles I, North Carolina, state in the southeastern United States. It is bounded by Virginia on the north, Tennessee on the west, and South Carolina and Georgia on the south. The Atlantic Ocean forms its long irregular eastern boundary. Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina. Charlotte is the largest city and the center of the state’s most populous metropolitan region. For more North Carolina History and Facts see the North Carolina Facts and History page.


Back to top

North Carolina County Genealogy

On the county pages given below, you will be able to find information and links to government records as well as other materials such as maps, pictures, history, facts, etc…  Many of the records date back to when counties were first formed in the State of NC, and were copied from parent counties by county clerks.  However, there are still records from a time that precedes the formation of those counties. If you are ever unable to find records you were looking for, know that they might have been destroyed in fires or natural disasters.  North Carolina county records can also be found with the microfilmed North Carolina material at a central collection, such as the North Carolina State Archives, Allen County Public Library, the FHL, or other repositories.

County Text Links

Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Camden, Carteret, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Chowan, Clay, Cleveland, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Graham, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Martin, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Tyrrell, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Watauga, Wayne, Wilkes, Wilson, Yadkin, Yancey

County Map Links


North Carolina has counties that no longer exist.  These counties need to be looked at when doing genealogy research. Pay close attention where the courthouse records went to if the county was abolished or combined with another county.

  • Albemarle County: (Formed in 1664, divided into Carteret, Berkeley, and Shaftesbury precincts about 1668 and abolished in 1739 when precincts were declared counties.. Miscellaneous records from 1678-1737)
  • Bath County: Formed in 1696, divided into Archedale, Pamptecough, and Wickham precincts about 1705. Pampticough Precinct was renamed Beaufort Precinct in 1712,  Wickham Precinct became Hyde Precinct in 1712, and Archdale Precinct became Craven Precinct about 1712.  In 1739 the three precincts were abolished and were declared counties.
  • Bute County: (Formed in 1764, abolished in 1779. Records transferred to Warren and Franklin Counties)
  • Clarendon County: (Formed as an original County 1664 and abolished in 1667)
  • Dobbs County: (Established in 1758 from Johnston County, abolished in 1791. Divided into Glasgow and Lenoir Counties)
  • Glasgow County: (Formed in 1791 from Dobbs County, renamed Greene in 1799)
  • Tennessee County: (Formed in 1788 from Davidson County Tennessee County, ceded to the United States in 1790 as part of the Southwest Territory (later Tennessee)
  • Tryon County: (Formed in 1768 from Mecklenburg County, Divided into Lincoln and Rutherford Counties in 1779. Records transferred to Lincoln County)
  • Washington District: Ceded to the United States in 1790 as part of the Southwest Territory (later Tennessee)


Back to top

All You Need To Know Before You Begin Your Genealogical Research In North Carolina

Before you begin your genealogy research, determine the amount and type of information that you need. Some data can be found on the web and gathered from the comfort of your own home, as older records are often converted into digital files and stored on various websites. For a more in-depth type of research, however, you will most certainly need to explore offline sources as well. There are a few locations where you will surely find genealogical documents, and this article will give you the full list as well as the important details.

There are three main types of records that are used by specialists in genealogy: State records, county or local records, and vital records. The differences between the three should be noted before you start your research so that you know exactly what to expect and look for.

State records include so much useful information about births, deaths, jobs and careers, marriages, housing, maps, burials, military-related information, and so on… You can find most of them both on- and off-line and they are available to be viewed and used by the public at any time.

The availability of local records is a bit more limited. They can only be viewed in person by a previously made appointment or arrangement, usually with the county clerk or the staff of your localized genealogical and/or historical society. This type of information can also be found upon requests at your local library or among records provided by schools, colleges, and universities.

Vital records can be found both online on various websites and offline from state or county archives. They will mostly give information about births, deaths, marriages, and divorces, and can be found as newspaper pages and census and immigration records.

So many resources are available for information on N. Carolina’s genealogical history. For the most significant records, you can visit:

  1. Archives and Societies Page – List of state and county genealogical societies, historical societies, family history associations, libraries and archives. All listings have addresses, phone numbers and internet links when known.
  2. Vital Records Page – List what type of records are available, application to order and links to online resources.
  3. County and City Government – list of county and city government link is limited to government-maintained websites

Back to top

North Carolina Genealogy Links

See North Carolina County Genealogy for County Links. These genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some are have free access some require a payment. This is just a list that has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to submit your own favorite genealogy or family history related sites.

Back to top

Leave a Reply

Genealogy Inc.
Copyright © 2012 All Rights Reserved
iThemes Builder by iThemes
Powered by WordPress