United States, Registers of Free People of Color - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
Registers and other types of forms containing records of free people of color for various states in the United States for years 1794-1865. State records may be added as they become available.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Event day, month, year
 * Event place, town and state
 * Surname and given name
 * Gender
 * Birth day, month, and year
 * Birth City, county, state or country

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information
 * Use the place of residence, age, and other information for each person to search for the individuals in census records and other types of records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor
 * Former slaves may have had used multiple names or changed their names until they decided upon one particular name. Search all possible names along with variations or spellings of their known names

Research Helps

 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * United States Research Tips and Strategies

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Oscar Reiss. Blacks in Colonial America North Carolina, Jefferson: McFarland & Co., 2006 FS Library 973 F2rob
 * Warren Eugene Milteer, Jr. North Carolina's free people of color, 1715-1885Baton Rouge, Louisiana : Louisiana State University Press, 2020 FS Library 975.6 F2mw
 * Georgia. Baldwin County. Free persons of color registry, 1832-1864
 * Georgia. Camden County. Registration of free persons of color of Camden County, 1819-1843
 * Georgia. Hancock County. Court of Ordinary. Free persons of color, 1855-1862
 * Georgia, Lincoln County. Registry of free persons of color, 1819-1863; record of bills paid to the county, 1851-1854; and, amnesty oath records, 1865
 * Georgia. Lumpkin County. Registry of free persons of color, v. A, 1848-1864; Court of Ordinary docket, 1873-1896
 * Georgia. Thomas County. Free persons of color and indentures 1858-1895
 * North Carolina. Chatham County. Record of slaves and free persons of color, 1782-1870
 * North Carolina. Cleveland County. Civil actions concerning slaves and free persons of color, Cleveland County, North Carolina, ca. 1841-1868
 * North Carolina. Craven County. Civil actions concerning slaves and free persons of color, 1775-1885
 * North Carolina. Davidson County. Records of slaves and free persons of color, 1826-1896
 * North Carolina. Granville County. Records concerning slaves and free persons of color, 1755-1876
 * North Carolina. New Hanover County. Record of slaves and free persons of color (New Hanover County, North Carolina), 1786-1888
 * North Carolina. Robeson County. Slaves and free persons of color, Robeson County, North Carolina, 1814-1867
 * North Carolina. Tyrrell County. Slave and free persons of color records, 1793-1868
 * North Carolina. Wayne County. Records of slavery and free persons of color, 1783-1869

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.