North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970
Collection of various county records including, wills, guardianships, estates, voter registration books, coroner’s inquests, etc. It was filmed at the North Carolina Department of Archives and History in Raleigh. This collection is being published as images become available. Check the wiki or browse the collection to determine current coverage.
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North Carolina, County Records
What is in This Collection?
The collection includes the following various county records:
- Coroner's Inquests (1793-1905)
- Voter Registration Books (1888-1896)
- Wills (1821-1968)
- Guardianships (1849-1967)
- Estates (1854-1968)
Soon after they were formed, counties began recording vital records, court records, and land transactions. The records are generally well preserved. The records were made to establish legal rights and to help track the population for health and taxation purposes. Most of the records are either handwritten or handwritten on printed forms. The information is generally reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant. Some transcription errors may have occurred.
To Browse This Collection
| You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for North Carolina County Records, 1833-1970. |
Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.
What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
- Date of the event, transaction, or recording with the county
- Names of individual, witnesses, family members, sometimes neighbors
- Ages
- Relationships
- Residences
- Occupations
- Signature or mark
- Amount of any money exchanged
Collection Content
Sample Images
1816 Coroner's Bond
1947 Guardianship
Voter Registration
Will
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Coverage Table
| County | Record type | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Alleghany | Assignments of territory to insolvents lists | 1862-1928 |
| Alleghany | Jury lists to State vs H F Jones | 1848-1913 |
| Ashe | School census and teachers vouchers | 1881-1903 |
| Ashe | Wills | 1850-1967 |
| Beaufort | Wills | 1808-1968 |
| Buncombe | Accounts for Swannanoa Hotel to child custody | 1844-1920 |
| Buncombe | Child Custody proceedings | 1892-1915 |
| Buncombe | Child Custody to commutation of sentence | 1860-1946 |
| Buncombe | Correspondence to marriage license | 1789-1936 |
| Buncombe | Election records | 1871-1900 |
| Buncombe | Memorial for Capt ME Carter to resolution of North Fork Lumber Comp. | 1786-1919 |
| Buncombe | Schools to slave records | 1815-1920 |
| Buncombe | Tax-paid withdrawals to United States, Western District | 1879-1909 |
| Camden | Civil Actions | 1816-1902 |
| Chatham | Voter registration | 1890-1896 |
| Chatham | voter registration-canvass book | 1888-1890 |
| Chowan | Poll books | 1875-1910 |
| Chowan | Record of election | 1878-1904 |
| Chowan | Wills | 1846-1968 |
| Columbus | Civil actions | 1869-1914 |
| Columbus | Deeds | 1741-1917 |
| Columbus | Estate files | 1812-1968 |
| Columbus | List of cases | 1851-1913 |
| Cumberland | School records B-E | 1819-1975 |
| Cumberland | School records F-K | 1872-1953 |
| Cumberland | School records L-R | 1874-1960 |
| Cumberland | School records S-W | 1882-1965 |
| Cumberland | School minute books | 1878-1911 |
| Cumberland | School records, misc. | 1885-1957 |
| Currituck | Civil action about land | 1858-1915 |
| Currituck | Civil action | 1781-1895 |
| Currituck | Criminal action | 1858-1902 |
| Duplin | Widows year support | 1900-1968 |
| Durham | Widows dower and years support | 1881-1944 |
| Durham | Widows year support | 1881-1927 |
| Forsyth | Bonds | 1779-1954 |
| Forsyth | Civil Actions | 1852-1909 |
| Forsyth | Election book | 1878-1912 |
| Forsyth | Wills | 1763-1968 |
| Forsyth | Witness Fee book Superior court | 1845-1850 |
| Gaston | Estates | 1839-1971 |
| Gaston | Guardianships | 1849-1967 |
| Jackson | Civil actions | 1843-1968 |
| Lincoln | Marriage | 1892-1916 |
| Lincoln | Tax | 1868-1924 |
| Mecklenburg | Estate files | 1880-1952 |
| Mecklenburg | Guardianships | 1779-1951 |
| Mecklenburg | Wills | 1855-1968 |
| Northampton | Civil actions | 1826-1958 |
| Northampton | Coroners reports | 1793-1905 |
| Northampton | Estate records | 1766-1940 |
| Northampton | Estates | 1780-1949 |
| Northampton | Guardian | 1780-1946 |
| Northampton | Wills | 1764-1968 |
| Perquimans | Criminal action | 1861-1940 |
| Perquimans | Land sales | 1869-1941 |
| Polk | Wills | 1843-1968 |
| Randolph | Affidavit to correspondence | 1781-1919 |
| Randolph | Declaration to grand jurors | 1784-1898 |
| Randolph | Grists Mills to Justice of Peace | 1780-1922 |
| Randolph | Liquor Licenses to Hargrove | 1817-1919 |
| Randolph | Marsh, Elliott to sample forms | 1785-1913 |
| Randolph | Miscellaneous | undated |
| Richmond | Coroners inquests | 1906-1967 |
| Stanly | Accounts of Hearne and Davis to criminal docket | 1841-1943 |
| Stanly | Chattel mortgages to Fred Long | 1844-1941 |
| Stanly | Coroners inquests | 1914-1957 |
| Stanly | Insolvent debtors to petitions for restoration of citizenship | 1842-1961 |
| Stanly | Habeas corpus to Town of Big Lick | 1843-1964 |
| Stanly | Records of Slaves and free persons of color | 1832-1868 |
| Transylvania | Apprentice bonds to bridge records | 1864-1926 |
| Transylvania | Child custody to jury duty | 1864-1926 |
| Transylvania | Lists to special regulations | 1864-1926 |
| Wake | Death certificates | 1900-1909 |
Collection Details
Location of Original Records
State Archives of North Carolina
"North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2024. Department of Archives and History, Raleigh.
