North Carolina, Records from the State Archives - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of images from the North Carolina State Archives located in Raleigh. It includes the following records:

Coverage Table and Map
The Coverage Table shows the Record Types and the Years Covered in this collection. Most of the records in the collection are from the time periods listed in the table; however, the collection may have a few records from before or after the time period.

To see a coverage map of FamilySearch's holdings of North Carolina marriages click here.

Record Content
Information in the birth, marriage and death records  may include any of the following:


 * Date of filing
 * Name of primary individual or individuals such as the child, bride and groom or deceased
 * Parents' names, birth place and residence
 * Age
 * Gender
 * Race
 * Marital status
 * Residence
 * Name of spouse, if married
 * Date and place of burial
 * Book and page number where recorded
 * How many times previously married
 * Names of witnesses

Information in naturalization records may include any of the following:


 * Court and date of filing
 * Name, age and occupation of applicant
 * Physical description
 * Birth date and place of birth
 * Current residence
 * Last residence before immigration
 * Marital status
 * Name of spouse
 * Spouse's birth date and place of birth
 * Spouse's last place of residence
 * Date and place of arrival in the U.S.
 * Court where declaration of intent was filed
 * Names of dependent children
 * Volume and page number where certificate is filed

Information found in the school records may include any of the following:


 * County, town and school district
 * Name and age of child
 * Month of birth
 * Gender
 * Names of parents or guardians
 * Address

How to Use the Record
When searching the records it is helpful to know the following:


 * Name of the ancestor
 * Type of event such as marriage or naturalization
 * Approximate date of event

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "county" ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type, Date Range, Volume, File or Box Number" which takes you to the images.

Many of these volumes have indexes at the beginning or end. You should search these first.


 * Check the index for the family name (surname) and then the given name. Indexes enable you to access records quickly by searching for the names of the primary individuals. Realize that some entries in earlier years may have been missed. Indexes may also contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings or misinterpretations.
 * Make a list of the volumes and page numbers for each deed you wish to check.
 * For each deed, search the noted volume and page number.

If you do not find your ancestor in the index, look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church, land, and census records.
 * Use ages to determine approximate birth dates.
 * Use will filing or probating dates as approximate death dates.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Search for records of people in the county who shared a surname. These may have been the couple’s parents, uncles, or other relatives. Your ancestor may have been an heir who sold inherited land that had belonged to parents or grandparents.
 * To find later generations, search the land records a few years before and after a person’s death. Your ancestor may have sold or given land to his or her heirs before death, or the heirs may have sold the land after the individual died. For daughters, the names of their husbands are often provided. For sons, the given names of their wives may be included. Heirs may have sold their interest in the land to another heir, although the record may not indicate this. Continue this process for identifying each succeeding generation.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Some counties were subdivided or the boundaries may have changed. Consider searching neighboring counties as well since that courthouse may have been more convenient for the person.
 * Witnesses and neighbors, even those with a different surname, may have been relatives, in-laws, or even a widowed mother who has remarried. You may want to check the records of these witnesses and neighbors, especially if they are frequently found in your ancestor’s land records.
 * The information in the records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1900.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for indexes. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes for the “parent” county to find the original purchase of a parcel of land. You may also need to search a neighboring county since that courthouse may have been more convenient for the person to record the deed.
 * Make a list of all residences mentioned in the records within a year or two of when your ancestors came to the county — regardless of surname. Then search the records of places that seem likely or that occur frequently.
 * Create a database for other people with the same surname who lived in the county. Doing this may help you identify which individuals were related. If your ancestor’s records do not contain the information you need, a county database might give you a more complete picture.

Related Websites
North Carolina State Archives

Related Wiki Articles

 * North Carolina Vital Records
 * North Carolina Probate Records
 * North Carolina Naturalization and Citizenship

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry): Image Citation: