Avery County, North Carolina Genealogy

Guide to Avery County, North Carolina ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Avery County is located in the northwestern portion of North Carolina and shares a border with Tennessee. It was named for Col. Waightstill Avery, a Revolutionary War officer and the first attorney general of North Carolina.

County Courthouse
Avery County Courthouse Main Street Newland, NC 28640 Phone: 828-733-8262 Avery County Website Register of Deeds has marriage and death records. Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate, court and land records from 1911.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Bible Records

 * Bible Records at North Carolina Digital Archives - index and images

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images Also at: Ancestry ($)

Church Records

 * 1700-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1911-1963 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1911-1967 (*); State Archives at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1911-1968 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1915-1968 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * 1862-1870   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1863-1872   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Funeral Homes

 * Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home in Newland

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Avery County Military records (USGenWeb Archives)

Revolutionary War 
 * 1778-1833 Delamar Transcripts of Revolutionary War Petitions at North Carolina Genealogical Society - index ($)
 * 1779-1782  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War 
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
 * 1885-1953  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885 and 1901 1885 and 1901 Confederate Pension Applications at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images

World War I 
 * 1914-1918 World War I Papers at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1917-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II 
 * 1939-1945 World Ward II Papers at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1940-1948  at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * Avery County Newspapers (Library of Congress)
 * Avery Journal-Times (Current newspaper)
 * North Carolina Newspapers at DigitalNC

Obituaries

 * Avery County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Other Records
Voter Registration
 * 1868-1898 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1660-1790 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1663-1979 Avery County NC Loose Estates Index, 1663-1979
 * 1663-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1720-1960 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1735-1970  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1833-1970 North Carolina, U.S., County Records, 1833-1970 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
 * 1911-1968 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1911-1968 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1912-1968 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1913-1925 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1916-1955 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * North Carolina Probate Records tips

School Records
Yearbooks 
 * Avery County students at NC colleges. Yearbook Index. (NCGenWeb )

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Vital Records

 * 1800-2000 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Avery County marriage and death records can be ordered from the Register of Deeds.

Birth

 * 1800-2000  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1866-1964  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1913-1922  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1914-1970 Avery County Birth Index 1914-1970. Batch  at FamilySearch.

Marriage

 * 1741-2004 North Carolina, United States Marriages at Findmypast
 * 1741-2004 North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004 at Ancestry $
 * 1759-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1762-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1763-1868  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Death

 * 1833-1970 North Carolina, U.S., County Records, 1833-1970 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
 * 1898-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1906-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;index and images. Also at MyHeritage ($)
 * 1908-2004 North Carolina Death Indexes 1908-2004 at Ancestry $
 * 1909-1975 North Carolina Death Certificates 1909-1975 at Ancestry $
 * 1931-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at MyHeritage ($)

Divorce

 * 1926-1975  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1958-2004 North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $

Voter Records

 * 1833-1970 North Carolina, U.S., County Records, 1833-1970 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)

Libraries
Avery-Mitchell-Yancey Regional Library System Website

Museums
Avery County Historical Museum 1829 Shultz Circle PO Box 266 Newland, NC 28657-0266 Telephone 828-733-7111 or 828-765-4247 Email [mailto:averymuseum@gmail.com averymuseum@gmail.com] Website

Societies
Avery County Genealogical Society and Historical Museum 1829 Schulz Circle P.O. Box 266 Newland, NC 28657-0266 Telephone 828-733-7111 E-mail [mailto:info@averycountyhistorymuseum.com info@averycountyhistorymuseum.com] ACHM Facebook ACGS Facebook Toe Valley Genealogical Society 491 Beaver Creek Road Spruce Pine, NC 28777 Website

Websites

 * NCGenWeb: Avery County genealogy resources; part of the national USGenWeb Project
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.