Polk County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
Polk County is located in the southwestern portion of North Carolina and shares a border with South Carolina. It was named for Revolutionary War Colonel William Polk.

County Courthouse
Polk County Courthouse PO Box 308 Columbus, NC 28722 Phone: 828-894-8450 Polk County Website Clerk Superior Court has divorce records from 1932, probate and court records from 1872. Register of Deeds has marriage and 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:

Bible Records

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

Cemeteries

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

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

Court Records

 * 1847-1868 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1847-1897 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1852-1909 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1855-1866 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1855-1968 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1907-1945 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & 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

 * McFarland Funeral Chapel in Tyron.
 * Sanders Funeral and Cremation Service in Columbus.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * North Carolina Land Grants at NC Historical Records Online - index, requires free account to view images

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Polk County for European settlers included:


 * Old Cherokee Path pre-historic
 * Catawba Trail pre-historic
 * Old South Carolina State Road 1747

Military Records
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 and 1901 1885 and 1901 Confederate Pension Applications at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1885-1953  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images


 * - 16th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company K
 * - 1st Battalion, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company C

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

 * 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 ($)
 * 1663-1978 (*); Secretary of State and Clerk of the Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1663-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry ($)
 * 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 ($)
 * 1843-1968 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Wills; index and images. (incomplete); Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * 1855-1921  at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1855-1935 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1855-1968 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1868-1968 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

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 - 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
 * 1866-1969 Polk County Marriage Index 1866-1969 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  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

Divorce

 * 1926-1975  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images


 * 1958-2004 North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $

FamilySearch Centers

 * Asheville North Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Brevard North Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Forest City North Carolina FamilySearch Center


 * Henderson County North Carolina Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Transylvania County Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Polk County Historical Association 60 Walker St PO Box 503 Columbus, NC 28722-0503 Phone: 828-894-3351 E-mail: [mailto:genelady@gmail.com genelady@gmail.com] Facebook Website

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.