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

What is in the Collection?
The collection consists of images from the North Carolina State Archives located in Raleigh. It includes a variety of records including:
 * Vital records
 * Naturalization records
 * School records
 * Probate records
 * Military records
 * Voting records

Coverage Table
This table shows the records years available included in this collection. Most of the records are from the time periods listed in the table; however, the collection may have a few records from before or after the time period.

What Can this Collection Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Vital records
 * Date of filing
 * Name of individual
 * 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

Naturalization
 * 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

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

Probate
 * Name of the decedent
 * Approximate date of death
 * Name of the executor
 * Names of relatives
 * Relationships

Military
 * Name of soldier
 * Unit
 * Name of commanding officer
 * Pay allotment
 * Any actions taken against the soldier

Voting
 * Names of those running for office
 * Number of ballots cast

How Do I Search This Collection?
When searching the records it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor.
 * The type of event such as marriage or naturalization.
 * The approximate date of the event.

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.

What Do I Do Next?
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.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church, land, and census records
 * Use ages to determine approximate birth dates
 * Use the date when a will was filed or probated as an approximate death date
 * 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

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking for, What Now?

 * 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

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of North Carolina.
 * North Carolina Guided Research
 * North Carolina Record Finder
 * North Carolina Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step North Carolina Research, 1880-Present

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.