Surry County, North Carolina Genealogy

Present-day Surry County is southern living at its best. Because of being somewhat isolated at the base of the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia, it has been able to retain the long-held traditions of the families lines that have remained there for over 220 years. Some have clung to the old Elizabethian English and many have strong roots in their Primitive Baptist upbringing. Most of these second-generation Americans were born in Virginia and migrated to North Carolina looking for the fertile land that had been advertised and scouted.

Settlers from Virginia and Pennsylvania who were of the Quaker religion came from the New Garden and other meetings in Guilford County, North Carolina. Some of those families include Bond, Burcham, Hill, Hiatt, Horton, Love, Pinson, Jackson, Jessup, Simmons, Stanley and Taylor. Many of them moved on to Indiana but numerous descendants are still in the area. Those of the German Moravian faith who came from other North Carolina settlements were the Brinkley, Hauser, Kiger, Moser and Shouse lines. Families of French descent were Hardin, Poindexter, Laffoon, Lambert, and Laurence.

The Riggs family, descended from Edward Riggs III who came to Massachusetts in the 1630s and founded Morristown, New Jersey, came to Surry County with the Henson, Jarvis and Wilmoth families.

Families that came from Albemarle County, North Carolina, were Burrus, Cave, Easley, Fleming, Franklin, Ollesby, Perkins, Snow, Taliaferro and Tucker. Those that came from neighboring Stokes County were East, Hill, King, Pratt, Simpson, Venable and Vernon.

Other prominent familes were Marion, Creed, McKinney, Moore, Dudley and McCraw.

Surry County was originally formed from Rowan County in 1770 and Rowan was formed from Anson in 1753. Anson was formed from Bladen in 1750. In 1779 Wilkes County was formed from Surry. Stokes County was formed ten years later from Surry's eastern border. In 1850 yet another division took place as Yadkin County was formed from the area south of Yadkin River. At this time a new county seat was moved from Rockford to Dobson (named for William Polk Dobson a prominent citizen) and has remained there to this day. The Registrar of Deeds Office welcomes visitors to its very user-friendly collection of vital records.

Andy Griffin (1926 - ), a Mt. Airy native, was able to relay the friendly and simple life style of the area in his 1960s TV series The Andy Griffin Show.  Thousands of visitors come each year to experience a town untouched by the hustle of today's fast pace. The famous Siamese twins, Chang and Eng Bunker (1811-1874) settled in Surry county, married, farmed and raised their 22 children there. Another famous name from the music world is Donna Fargo (1945 - .)

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