Wilson County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for Colonel Louis D. Wilson, U.S. Volunteers, who died of fever while on leave from the state senate during the Mexican–American War. It is located in the north central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Wilson County Courthouse 115 E. Nash Street PO Box 1608 Wilson, NC 27894 Wilson County Website Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, death and land records. Clerk of Superior Court has divorce and court records from 1868 and probate records from 1855.

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:

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * Wilson County Cemetery Census
 * Cedar Grove Cemetery- Elm City
 * Contentnea Primitive Baptist Church- Wilson
 * Maplewood Cemetery - Wilson
 * New Vester Cemetery- Buckhorn Crossroads
 * Pleasant Grove Methodist Church -  Conner
 * Rest Haven Cemetery - Wilson
 * Rocky Branch United Church - Buckhorn Crossroads
 * Stantonsburg Town Cemetery - Stantonsburg
 * Town Creek Cemetery -  Elm City
 * William Chapel Church -  Elm City
 * Find-a-Grave - Wilson County

Church Records

 * 1700-1970 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Wilson County North Carolina Churches

Baptist


 * Toisnot. Founded 1756. Edwards published a membership list dated 1758 in Materials Towards a History of the Baptists... (1772), 138. Originally located in Edgecombe.

First Christian

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1963 The church bell; a history of the First Christian Church, Wilson, N. C., Creator- Charles Crossfield Ware. at East Carolina University - Digital Collections
 * FamilySearch Places

African American

 * 1862-1870   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1863-1872   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Black Wide Awake - Documents, transcriptions and information of historical and genealogical interest to researchers of Wilson County, North Carolina's African American community.

Genealogies
Scuffalong: Lineage of Lisa Y. Henderson's ancestors, Wilson County, North Carolina

Land and Property Records

 * Register of Deeds Online Recorder's Index Search - must make an account

Local Histories

 * 1934 Facts about Wilson, North Carolina / compiled and published by the Wilson Chamber of Commerce ; Lester Rose, editorial manager. at East Carolina University - Digital Collections
 * Trees of Wilson, Wilson County Genealogical Society publication

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1925 Color map showing areas of different types of soil in Wilson county, N.C. From Soil survey of Wilson County, North Carolina. Washington : U.S. Government Printing Office. at East Carolina University - Digital Collections
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Wilson County Recorded military discharges

Revolutionary War 


 * 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


 * - 1st Regiment, Heavy Artillery (African Descent)
 * - 1st Regiment, Infantry
 * - 1st Regiment, Infantry (African Descent)
 * - 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 2nd Regiment Mounted Infantry
 * - 2nd Regiment Infantry (African Descent)
 * - 3rd Regiment Infantry (African Descent)
 * - 3rd Regiment Mounted Infantry
 * - 7th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 4th Regiment5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry, Company E
 * - 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company B
 * - 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company H
 * - 4th Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry (59th North Carolina State Troops), Company H
 * - 4th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company F
 * - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company G

World War I 
 * 1917-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II 
 * 1940-1948  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * North Carolina Newspapers at DigitalNC

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 $
 * 1663-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - 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 $
 * 1855-1960  at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1855 - 1960 - SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills. - Free

School Records

 * 1924 Public schools of Wilson County, North Carolina, by Charles L. Coon, superintendent of schools. Ten years, 1913-1914 to 1923-1924 : Board of Education of Wilson County. at East Carolina University - Digital Collections

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
 * Obtain copies of Wilson County Birth, Marriage and Death records.

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

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
 * 1855-1933 Wilson County Marriage Index 1855-1933 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

Death

 * 1898-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1906-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 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

Divorce

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

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Libraries

 * Wilson County Library


 * Two branch locations:
 * East Branch Library 1006-C Ward Blvd Wilson, NC 27893 Phone: 252-237-2627
 * 249 Nash Street W Wilson, NC 27893 Phone: 252-237-5355

Societies

 * Black Wide Awake Email: [mailto:blackwideawake@gmail.com blackwideawake@gmail.com] Website


 * Wilson County Genealogical Society PO Box 802 Wilson, NC 27894-0802 Website Facebook

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * – 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.