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Orange County,
North Carolina History & Facts
County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links
Orange County, North Carolina History
When was Orange County, NC Created?
Orange County was created on 1752 from Johnston County, Bladen County and Granville County.
What is the County Seat of Orange County, NC?
The County Seat is located in Hillsborough also, the county government website is unknown.
What counties are adjacent to Orange County, NC?
Bordering Counties are Person County, Durham County, Chatham County, Alamance County, Caswell County .
Orange County, NC Vital Records
Where can find Orange County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Orange County vital records can be found at the North Carolina Department of Health which has copies of birth records after 1913 and death records after 1930, copies of marriage since Jan 1962 and a Divorce records since 1958. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in North Carolina for current fees and application process.
Birth, death and marriage certificates also may be obtained at the Orange County Register of Deeds (ROD) office. Divorce certificates may be obtained from the Orange County clerk of court.
You can search online for Orange County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or you can download an application for North Carolina Birth Certificate, Death, Divorce and Marriage Certificate Application to mail.
The North Carolina State Archives has the following vital records: Death Certificates, 1913-1975 (Statewide Index: 1913-1979); microfilmed Indexes to Births and Deaths (except Wake, Durham); Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868 (not required by law); Cohabitation Records, 1866-1867; microfilmed Marriage Registers and Indexes; microfilmed Marriage Licenses for many of the counties See Also North Carolina Vital Records Research Guide
- Marriages of Orange County, North Carolina, 1779-1868 (search.ancestry.com)
- North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Marriage Records
- Orange County, North Carolina Marriage Project
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Births & Deaths Records
- Social Security Death Index
- North Carolina, Birth Indexes, 1800-2000
- North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
- North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2004
- North Carolina, Death Indexes, 1800-2000
- North Carolina Death Certificates, 1909-1975
- North Carolina, Death Collection, 1908-2004
Orange County, NC Census Records
What Orange County, NC census records are available?
County census records consists of Federal Census Schedules which can guide in looking into your family tree. Federal Population Schedules can be found for 1790-1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Orange Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Orange Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Orange Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. The Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. One can find free online and printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also North Carolina Census Records Research Guide
Orange County, NC Courthouse and Government Records

What genealogical records can I find in the Orange County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Orange County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in North Carolina courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless North Carolina residents. The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Orange County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also North Carolina Courthouse Records Research Guide.
- Orange County Register of Deeds
- Address: 228 South Churton Street, Suite 300, Hillsborough, NC 27278
- Phone: (919) 245-2675
- Birth Records: 1913
- Marriage Records: 1779
- Death Records: 1913
- Land Records: 1752
- Orange County Clerk of Court
- Address: 106 E Margaret Lane, Hillsborough
- Phone: (919) 245-2200
- Probate Records:1752
- Court Records:1752
- Divorce Records: call court clerk for details
- North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998
- Abstracts of wills recorded in Orange County, North Carolina, 1752-1800 : and (202 marriages not shown in the Orange County mar
- Guide to Research Materials in the North Carolina State Archives: Orange County Records
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Court Records
- County Records in the North Carolina State Archives
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Wills & Estate Records
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Deed Records
- North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970
- BLM Land Records
Orange County, NC Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Orange County, NC?
A list of Orange County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives. See also a list of Statewide North Carolina Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- The Durham-Orange Genealogical Society of North Carolina, P.O. Box 4703, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-4703
- North Carolina State Archives, Office of Archives and History—State Library Building; Public Services Branch, Mail Service Center 4614, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-4614 ; Phone: (919) 807-7310
- State Library of North Carolina, 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601-2807; (919) 733-7222, (919) 733-3270
- North Carolina Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 22, Greenville, NC 27835
Where can I connect with other Orange County, NC Researchers through message boards and forums?
- https://www.archives.gov/research/census
- North Carolina Genealogy Network Community (plus.google.com)
- State of North Carolina Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Orange County, North Carolina Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Orange County
- Orange County, North Carolina Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Orange County, NC?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Orange County. A majority of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Professional Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a payment. This is merely a directory that has been collected or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site over another.
Orange Co. NC Books, Newspapers & Publications
- North Carolina Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- North Carolina historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from North Carolina (1719 – 1977) (genealogybank.com)
- Orange County, North Carolina Books (amazon.com)
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Obituary Records (usgwarchives.net)
- Search North Carolina Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
Orange Co. NC Church / Bible Records & Cemeteries / Graveyards
- Orange Co., North Carolina Graves (findagrave.com)
- Orange County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Cemeteries & Photos (usgwarchives.net)
- Orange Co., North Carolina Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Orange Co., North Carolina Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- An historical address delivered in Saint Matthew’s Church, Hillsboro, N.C., on Sunday, August 24, 1924 (search.ancestry.com)
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Church Records (usgwarchives.net)
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Bible Records (usgwarchives.net)
- Orange County, North Carolina Church Books (amazon.com)
Orange Co. NC Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Biographies & Collections (usgwarchives.net)
- Nichols and Related Families (nicholsgenealogy.com)
Orange Co. NC General and History Websites
- Orange County, North Carolina Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Orange County, 1752-1952 (search.ancestry.com)
- A historical sketch of New Hope Church, in Orange County, N.C. (search.ancestry.com)
- A History of Orange County, North Carolina (carolana.com)
- Orange County, North Carolina Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Orange Co. NC Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- North Carolina Digital Collections (digital.ncdcr.gov)
- Orange County, North Carolina (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – North Carolina – Counties – Orange (cyndislist.com)
- Orange County North Carolina (genealogytrails.com)
- Orange Co. NCGenweb (ncgenweb.us)
- Orange County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Orange County USGenWeb Archives Project (usgwarchives.net)
- Orange Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Orange Co. NC Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of North Carolina Links and Information
- Orange Co. D.O.T. Maps [Map 1] – [Map 2]
- Map of Orange County, NC Municipalities and Townships
- 1895 Orange County Map (livgenmi.com)
Orange Co. NC Military Records
- North Carolina Military Records Research Guide
- Orange Co., NC GenWeb Archives Military Records (usgwarchives.net)
- North Carolina Military Records (Fold3.com) provides access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the North Carolina women and men who served. Perfect for Orange County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.
Orange Co. NC Schools & Directories
- Chas. Emerson’s North Carolina tobacco belt directory : embracing the counties of Alamance, Durham, Forsyth, Granville, Guilfo (search.ancestry.com)
- North Carolina City Directories (search.ancestry.com)
- Directory of Scots in the Carolinas, 1680-1830 (search.ancestry.com)