Cherokee County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
Cherokee County is located in the extreme Southwest corner of North Carolina and shares borders with Georgia and Tennessee. It was named for the Cherokee Indians who inhabited its land before European settlement began.

County Courthouse
Cherokee County Courthouse 53 Peachtree Murphy North Carolina 28906 Phone: 282-837-2613 Cherokee County Website Clerk Superior Court has divorce records, Registrar of Deeds has land records

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:

History Timeline
Proud, resourceful people -- many descended from the Cherokee Indians who once lived in the region now known as Cherokee County -- welcome visitors to share their peaceful spot in the Blue Ridge Mountains, if only for a little while. It is no wonder why the Cherokees made the area their home or why they hid in the mountains when the Indian removal took place in 1838.

Hundreds of waterfalls and creeks, forests filled with wildflowers and tall pines wrapped in mountain breezes invite strangers to stay awhile and enjoy one of Mother Nature's finest creations.

Descendants of hearty Scottish and English settlers who married fine young Indian maidens carry on traditions from generations past. Descendants who never lived in Cherokee County venture back "home" to find their roots. Murphy, the county seat, offers a wealth of history at its courthouse, library and the Cherokee County Historical Museum which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Travelers passing through the small communities surrounding the town of Murphy such as Hanging Dog, Culberson and Grape Creek may want to stay and experience the warmth of the people at the spring festival or the Christmas parade in Murphy or the fall festival at the John C. Campbell Folk School in nearby Brasstown.

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * TVA Cemetery Listings

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1700-1970 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * FamilySearch Places

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

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Revolutionary War 
 * 1779-1782 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War 


 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.org - 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


 * 39th Regiment, NC Confederate Troops
 * 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry, Company A
 * 5th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, 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
County Records
 * 1833-1970 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images. (incomplete)

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Records


 * 1660-1790 - North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry $
 * 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.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1760-1800 - North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry $
 * 1869-1934 - - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * Images of Wills and Estates, Vol. 1, 1869-1918; Vol. 2, 1918-1934. North Carolina Pioneers $

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

Birth

 * 1800-2000 - at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1866-1964 - at FamilySearch.org - 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.org - 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

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

Divorce

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

Family History Centers

 * Murphy North Carolina Family History Center

Libraries

 * Murphy North Carolina Family History Center

Societies

 * Buncombe County, North Carolina 128 Bingham Road, Suite 950 Asheville, North Carolina 28806 Website
 * Cherokee County Historical Society 205 Peachtree Street  Murphy 28906 Website
 * Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indian Enrollment Office PO Box 455 Cherokee, NC 28719 Telephone Number: 828-497-7000 fax: 828-497-2952 Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb Project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * NCGenWeb Cherokee County - many records of all kinds for the County
 * Western NC Genealogy Resource Center - Census, Marriage, Birth &amp; Death records, Cemetery,Military, and various other kinds of records for Cherokee 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.