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Research Centers | How to do North Carolina genealogy | Counties and geographic areas | Biographies Maps | Digital collections | History | Early settlers and Native communities | African Americans and Slavery | Civil War | North Carolina Records Online | City Directories | Blogs

Research Centers

  • The Government & Heritage Library at the State Library of North Carolina. Has an extensive genealogy collection to trace families in North Carolina as well as the states from which many migrated. Services to Genealogists include North Carolina newspapers. Over 2,000 newspapers have been published in North Carolina since the North Carolina Gazette first appeared in New Bern in 1751. From January 1991 through March 1999, the North Carolina Division of Archives and History and the State Library of North Carolina coordinated the North Carolina Newspaper Project (NCNP), an extensive program to locate, catalog, and microfilm existing North Carolina newspapers.
  • North Carolina State Archives collects, preserves, and makes available for public use historical and evidential materials relating to North Carolina. Its holdings consist of official records of state, county, and local governmental units, and copies of federal and foreign government materials. In addition to these official records are private collections, organization records, maps, pamphlets, sound recordings, photographs, motion picture film, and a small reference library. In all, the Archives houses over 50,000 linear feet of permanently valuable materials containing millions of individual items. Materials in the Archives collections constitute by far the most valuable assembly of manuscript records and North Caroliniana in existence. The State Archives is part of the Archives and Records Section of the Office of Archives and History and the Department of Cultural Resources.
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill External Link North Carolina Collection has "the country's largest collection of printed materials on a single state." Collections in local history and genealogy. Articles about researching North Carolina local history and genealogy. Biographical index. Clipping Files provide information and often an alphabetical index of articles clipped by the North Carolina Collection primarily from newspapers and magazines. Topical bibliographies (eg. African American Newspapers in North Carolina, City Directories, Telephone Books, etc.). Bibliography of recently acquired materials.
  • Duke University Library. External Link Although there is no separate genealogical division, Perkins Library has many items of interest to the genealogist, including local histories and published family genealogies. Focus on Durham local history.
  • Appalachian State University, Appalachian Collection at Belk Library. External Link The William Leonard Eury Appalachian Collection is a repository with more than 37,000 volumes of books and over 200 periodical subscriptions related to the Southern uplands, with strengths in the social sciences, regional history, folklore, music, religion, genealogy, fiction, and African and Native Appalachia.
  • Guilford College Hege Library, Friends Historical Collection. External Link The collection has a special responsibility for comprehensiveness in preserving the spiritual, intellectual and cultural heritage of Quakerism in the southeastern United States. Includes a section for genealogy of North Carolina Quakers.
  • Meredith College, Carlyle Campbell Library. External Link Located in Raleigh, about 3 miles from the North Carolina State Archives. "If you have North Carolina Baptist ancestors, the library's holdings of the Biblical Recorder, the journal of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, which began publication in 1834, will be essential to your research. A series of printed indices provide access to the contents that are available on microfilm. This resource is the only location in which I have been able to document the birth location and date for one of my husband's ancestors, Rhodes Barkley, a Missionary Baptist preacher in North Carolina. His published obituary, as well as reports of his preaching and conference activities, have enhanced the emerging story of his life" (Source External Link ).
  • Moravian Archives, Winston-Salem. External Link The Moravian Archives is the repository of the records of the Moravian Church, Southern Province, and its members. As such, the Moravian Archives' primary function is to serve the Church in the collecting, cataloging, and safekeeping of its records. The records extend back to 1753, the beginning of the Moravian Church in North Carolina, and give a detailed account of life in earlier times as well as family histories of church members.
  • North Carolina Genealogical Society.External Link Members of the Society can read the complete North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal External Link (1979- ) of more than 11,000 pages, available online. For a list of all the articles published in the history of the Journal, download the PDF document, "North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal: A Listing of Articles." (Free). NGS Newsletter External Link (2003- ), including queries, available for free and NCGS Member Publications.External Link As a benefit of the NCGS, members may publish research, transcriptions, and other documents of genealogical interest on the website to share with other members of the Society. North Carolina Estate Records External Link is database of extracted data on the loose estates records folders that are located in the North Carolina Archives. The results are being shared with members on the NCGS website. The table below includes the county, name, date of probate, notes, record type (usually CR, that is, county records), one or more Family History Library film and item numbers, and limitations, in cases where the file exists either only at the North Carolina Archives or could only be found on microfilm. Societies/Libraries/Archives.External Link North Carolina and Regional Genealogical Societies, Heritage & Hereditary Societies, Libraries, Archives & Museums and Historical Societies (with links).
  • North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Societies.External Link Historical societies are a great resource when you are unable to visit the town of your ancestors. Many societies keep local records, photos and even information about cemeteries.
  • Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies.External Link List of Member societies, and links to their websites.
  • Family History Centers in North Carolina.External Link Family History Centers are branch facilities of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Centers provide access to most of the microfilms and microfiche in the Family History Library to help patrons identify their ancestors. Everyone is welcome to come to the centers and use Family History Center resources.

How to do North Carolina genealogy

  • FamilySearch North Carolina Research Outline. External Link Guide to North Carolina Genealogical Research outline describes major sources of information for and about research in genealogy and family history in the state of North Carolina. Information about various records (census, immigration, county, etc.), bibliographies such as for county histories of North Carolina, history of the state.
  • North Carolina Genealogical Research External Link Perkins Library, Duke University has many items of interest to the genealogist, including local histories and published family genealogies. Although there is no separate genealogical division in the library, a subject search in the online catalog can be used to find items relating to genealogy. Includes a bibliography of published handbooks and guides, and list of nearby libraries for genealogical research.
  • Research Guide for Genealogy in North Carolina Bibliography of Published Sources External Link compiled by Western Carolina University. Tabs across the top of the page guide to the following research categories: Bibliographies and Guides, Biographical Sources; Vital Records, Census Records, Genealogies, Handbooks and Manuals, Indexes, Land Records, Military Records, Other Public Records, Subjects in the Library Catalog, and Websites.
  • North Carolina Genealogy & Family Trees. External Link A guide to websites with research strategies that explore North Carolina genealogy and family history resources, including free online North Carolina genealogy databases.
  • Genealogical Research in the North Carolina State Archives. Topics include: Introduction , County Records and Genealogical Research, Genealogical Research Using State, Federal and Military Records, Doing Your Homework Before You Arrive, MARS (online catalog) and Online Finding Aids, and Quick Links and Frequently Asked Questions.
  • Genealogy and Family History Research at UNC-Chapel Hill Libraries. External Link In addition to generic background sources relevant to all genealogical and family history research, UNC-Chapel Hill libraries may provide access to some genealogy sources, including "actual" information, e.g., birth, marriage, and death data on specific individuals and families. This more specific type of information tends, however, to be limited to that associated with southern states, with a particular emphasis on North Carolina. Mentions the North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library, which offers a wealth of North Carolina-focused materials, and also the sizable collection of papers housed in the Southern Historical Collection of the Manuscripts Department.
  • Newberry Library Guide to North Carolina Genealogy.External Link Bibliography of North Carolina sources.

Counties and Geographic Areas

  • North Carolina Links.External Link Links to information about counties, arranged by county.
  • U. S. Genweb North Carolina.External Link Thousands of records have been contributed to North Carolina, and can be accessed by clicking on any of the county links.
  • The NCGenWeb Project.External Link A part of the national USGenWeb Project, the home of a network of volunteers working to provide genealogical & historical content for each of North Carolina's 100 counties.
  • Western NC Genealogy Resource Center.External Link This site has been developed to aide the Western North Carolina researcher. This site is not affiliated with any group or organization. Pull down menu of counties: Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Swain, Transylvania, Yancey.
  • Ashville and Buncombe Counties. Blog.External Link Began February, 2010. This website is dedicated to Foster Alexander Sondley (1857-1931), who did much to preserve the history of the area and whose extensive library became the nucleus of the Pack Memorial Library's North Carolina Collection. The name of this website was taken from the title of his 1922 book, Asheville and Buncombe County.

Biographies

  • North Carolina Biography.External Link Family Search Wiki. A research strategy for finding North Carolina biographies.
  • North Carolina Biographies. External Link A list of famous people from North Carolina, with short annotations.
  • North Carolina Biographies from GeneaSearch.External Link Biographies from various printed sources reproduced here.
  • Dictionary of North Carolina Biography Index External Link This index lists in alphabetical order the individuals in the entire six-volume set of the Dictionary of North Carolina Biography (find in a library). According to American Reference Books Annual, there is no other state with a biographical dictionary of comparable scope and quality. This index gives the name of the person, place of birth, places of residence, and vital dates.
  • NCPedia Biographies. External Link NCpedia, an online encyclopedia, highlights North Carolina's unique resources, people and culture. There is an A-Z browse, as well as categorization under the following topics: African Americans, Cherokee Indians, Governors, Highland Scots, Lumbee Indians, Poets Laureate, Sports, US Presidents, and Women.

Maps

  • North Carolina History and Geography Bibliography. External Link A bibliography of books about history, geography and maps.
  • North Carolina Maps. External Link North Carolina Maps is a comprehensive, online collection of historic maps of the Tar Heel State. Featuring maps from three of the state's largest map collections -- the North Carolina State Archives, the North Carolina Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill, and the Outer Banks History Center -- North Carolina Maps provides an unprecedented level of access to these materials. North Carolina Maps contains more than 3,000 maps, ranging in date from the late 1500s to 2000, and including detailed maps for each of North Carolina's one hundred counties.
  • Perry-Castaņeda Library Map Collection North Carolina maps.

Digital collections

  • North Carolina State Archives Digital Collection and Library.External Link Materials in the Archives collections constitute by far the most valuable assembly of manuscript records and North Caroliniana in existence. The State Archives is part of the Archives and Records Section of the Office of Archives and History and the Department of Cultural Resources. The North Carolina State Archives collects, preserves, and makes available for public use historical and evidential materials relating to North Carolina. Its holdings consist of official records of state, county, and local governmental units, and copies of federal and foreign government materials. In addition to these official records are private collections, organization records, maps, pamphlets, sound recordings, photographs, motion picture film, and a small reference library.
  • North Carolina GenWeb Digital Bookshelf.External Link A directory for NC-related e-texts/documents that may be useful for family history & genealogical research. Electronic books available online; especially at the Internet Archive & Google Books. This site is useful for browsing and locating texts at either the state level and/or the individual county levels.
  • North Carolina Yearbook Index.External Link North Carolina yearbooks being added to the Internet Archive by the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center. To date, hundreds of yearbooks from the 1800-present have been added. There is an index of students (mostly seniors at this point) listed in these yearbooks. Phase I's focus of this project are on the 1930 and earlier yearbooks. To date, more than 16,000 names are in the searchable database. Phase II will include the integration of 1931-1940 yearbooks. Look for county-specific links to be added to various NCGenWeb project pages during the upcoming weeks.
  • State Library of North Carolina Digital Repository. Digitized books and collections of various formats: maps, photos, archetectural drawings, etc. for the history of the state of North Carolina. Also, over 2000 family bibles have been digitized.
  • Eastern North Carolina Digital Library.External Link
  • North Carolina Historic Sites.External Link A group of 27 unique state historic sites in North Carolina.
  • Documenting the American South.External Link A digital publishing initiative sponsored by The University Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, that provides Internet access to texts, images, and audio files related to southern history, literature, and culture.
  • North Carolina Genealogy Book Links.External Link Digitized books about North Carolina including indexes, abstracts, annual reports, histories and local histories, biographical dictionaries, selected business and city directories. Links to more than 10,000 freely available digitized American biographies, genealogies and history books.

History

Early settlers and Native communities

African Americans and Slavery

Civil War

North Carolina Records Online

City Directories

Blogs

  • North Carolina GenWeb News.External Link
  • Lost Colony Research Blog.External Link
  • Government and Heritage Library Blog,External Link from the State Library of North Carolina. The Government and Heritage Library Blog is an informative online news source focusing on the collections, resources, and expert services of the Government and Heritage Library. The blog's goal is to connect users to the valuable resources in the library's print and digital collections that provide information about North Carolina's past and present and support genealogical research. Includes individual blogs on genealogy, family history month, and African American research.
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  December 11, 2020
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