Rockingham County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
Rockingham County is located in the north-central portion of North Carolina and shares a border with Virginia. It was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, Second Marquis of Rockingham, the British prime minister at the time of the repeal of the Stamp Act and a supporter of American independence.

County Courthouse
Rockingham County Courthouse 371 NC 65, #212 PO Box 56 Wentworth, NC 27375 Phone: 336-342-8820 Rockingham County Website Register of Deeds has marriage records from 1868, birth and death records from 1913. Clerk Superior Court has probate records from 1804, marriage records 1741-1868, and copies of wills and estate records starting from 1772.

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
On December 29, 1785, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted legislation that created Rockingham County from the northern half of the Guilford County. The assembly chose to name the new county for Charles Watson-Wentworth, second Marquess of Rockingham (1730-1782). Rockingham was a leading Whig and was Prime Minister of Britain from 1765 to 1766 and again in 1782. His popularity in America was assured when he secured repeal of the hated Stamp Act in 1766 and led the ministry that initiated negotiations to terminate the Revolutionary War. From 1768 to 1781 he had been the leading Parliamentary opponent of both the government's American policy and the war.

Bible Records

 * Bible Records at North Carolina Digital Archives - index and image
 * Rockingham County, NC Bibles at USGenWeb Archives

Cemeteries

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

Church Records

 * 1700-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Baptist
 * Haw River. Constituted 1793.
 * Matrimony Creek. Constituted 1780.
 * Wolf Island. Constituted 1777.

Presbyterian List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Speedwell Church, near Reidsville, N.C. Organized about 1759.
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1786-1808 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1786-1868 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1795-1899 (*); County Clerk and Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1804-1953 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1807-1965 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1819-1851 (*); Superior Court Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1822-1868 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1869-1952 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1869-1965 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Rockingham County, NC Court Records at USGenWeb Archives

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

 * Boone and Cooke Funeral Home and Crematory in Eden.
 * Citty Funeral Home in Reidsville.
 * Colonial Funeral Home in Madison.
 * Fair Funeral Home in Eden.
 * Forbis and Dick Funeral Service in Stokesdale.
 * Galloway's Family Funeral Services in Eden.
 * Johnson and Sons Funeral and Cremation Services in Reidsville.
 * McLaurin Funeral Home in Reidsville.
 * Perry-Spencer Funeral Home, Inc. in Eden and Madison.
 * Ray Funeral Home in Madison.
 * Wilkerson Funeral Home in Reidsville.

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
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Eden-area
 * Ellisboro area
 * Madison
 * Mayfield
 * Midway area
 * Reidsville area
 * Stephens Crossroads
 * Stoneville area
 * Wentworth area
 * Williamsburg area
 * 1795 Carey Matthew Map
 * 1796 Carey Matthew Map
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

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


 * - 13th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry formerly the 3rd Volunteers., Company H
 * - 13th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry formerly the 3rd Volunteers., Company I
 * - 13th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry formerly the 3rd Volunteers., Company K
 * - 14th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, formerly the 4th Volunteers, Company G
 * - 4th Battalion, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company D
 * - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry (63rd Regiment Volunteers), Company D
 * - 7th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Captain George F Fisher's Company
 * - 7th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company F

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

Obituaries

 * Rockingham County Obituaries

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 ($)
 * 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1663-1978 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1663-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry ($)
 * 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 ($)
 * 1772-1850 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1785-1965 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1785-1965   at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1790 Pre-1790 Rockingham County, North Carolina Genealogy Wills (North Carolina State Archives)
 * 1804-1829 Images of Wills and Estates. North Carolina Pioneers ($)
 * 1804-1864 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1817-1965 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1864-1965 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Rockingham County Wills and Estates (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

School Records

 * Rockingham Community College Yearbooks: 1967-1976

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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

 * 1815 Rockingham County Tax Lists, 1815 (North Carolina Digital Collections)

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
 * 1861-1892 Dr. Simpsons Birth Books, Rockingham County, NC (NCGenWeb Project)
 * 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
 * 1790-1965 Rockingham County Marriage Index 1790-1965 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * Rockingham County Marriages

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

 * Caswell North Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Durham North Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Eden North Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Elon North Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Greensboro North Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Winston-Salem North Carolina FamilySearch Center

Libraries
Madison-Mayodan Public Library 611 Burton St Madison, NC 27025 Phone: 336-548-6553 Facebook Website

Museums
Bassett Historical Center 3964 Fairystone Park Hwy Bassett, VA 24055 Phone: 276-629-9191 Email: [mailto:bhcenter3964@gmail.com bhcenter3964@gmail.com] Facebook Website
 * Resource for family history research in Henry, Patrick, Floyd, Franklin and Pittsylvania counties in Virginia; the city of Martinsville, Virginia; and Rockingham, Stokes and Surry counties in North Carolina.

Museum and Archives of Rockingham County 1086 NC Hwy 65 Reidsville, NC 27320 PO Box 84 Wentworth, NC 27375-0084 Phone: 336-634-4949 Email: [mailto:info@theMARConline.org info@theMARConline.org] Facebook Website

Societies
Genealogical Society of Rockingham and Stokes Counties PO Box 152 Mayodan, NC 27027-0152 Facebook Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb Project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Rockingham County, NCGenWeb
 * Rockingham County, NCGenWeb Archives
 * – 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.

Research Guides

 * Sweeney, Alice J. "Bassett Historical Center," The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 28, No. 4 (Aug. 2002):1-3. Available at ; Virginia Genealogical Society.