Lenoir County, North Carolina Genealogy
Guide to Lenoir County, North Carolina ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Lenoir County is located in the southeastern portion of North Carolina and was named for General William Lenoir, a prominent Revolutionary War hero, Speaker of the State Senate, and trustee of the University of North Carolina.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Lenoir County Courthouse
PO Box 3289
Kinston, NC 28502
Phone: 252-523-2390
Lenoir County Website
Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records from 1880.
Register of Deeds has marriage and land records.[3]
Lenoir County, North Carolina Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1914 | 1791 | 1914 | 1880 | 1737 | 1880 | 1784 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1878, 1880 Most court records were destroyed in fires.
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating North Carolina county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation North Carolina County Boundary Maps" (1664-1965) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[6]
Cities | ||
Towns | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
Census-designated places | ||
Townships | ||
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History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1800 | 4,005 | — |
1810 | 5,572 | 39.1% |
1820 | 6,799 | 22.0% |
1830 | 7,723 | 13.6% |
1840 | 7,605 | −1.5% |
1850 | 7,828 | 2.9% |
1860 | 10,220 | 30.6% |
1870 | 10,434 | 2.1% |
1880 | 15,344 | 47.1% |
1890 | 14,879 | −3.0% |
1900 | 18,639 | 25.3% |
1910 | 22,769 | 22.2% |
1920 | 29,555 | 29.8% |
1930 | 35,716 | 20.8% |
1940 | 41,211 | 15.4% |
1950 | 45,953 | 11.5% |
1960 | 55,276 | 20.3% |
1970 | 55,204 | −0.1% |
1980 | 59,819 | 8.4% |
1990 | 57,274 | −4.3% |
2000 | 59,648 | 4.1% |
2010 | 59,495 | −0.3% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
- Lenoir County census records (NCGenWeb)
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- 1700-1970 - North Carolina, Church Records, 1700-1970 at FamilySearch — index
- Lenoir County church records (USGenWeb Archives)
- Various Church records, 1830-1875 available on microfilm at the FHL.
Baptist
- Bear Creek. Established by 1785.[7]
- Beaver Dam. Established by 1808.[8]
- Wheat Swamp, near Kinston, N.C. Organized about 1760. Has belonged to the Disciples of Christ since 1843.[9]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Howard's Chapel Branch was the first congregation of Church members residing in and around Kinston, Lenoir County in the early 1900s.
- Record of members, 1939-1942 available on microfilm at the FHL.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- Lenoir County court records (USGenWeb Archives)
Directories[edit | edit source]
- Statewide NC Business Directories, Lenoir County (NCGenWeb)
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
- Deeds of Lenoir county (USGenWeb Archives)
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- The Story of Kinston and Lenoir County, North Carolina by Talmage Johnson and Charles R. Holloman available at the FHL.
- 200 years of progress : a report of the history and achievements of the people of Lenoir County, 1776-1976 by Mike Kohler available at the FHL.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Lenoir County (North Carolina State Library)
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- Lenoir County military records (USGenWeb Archives)
Revolutionary War
Civil War
- 1861-1865 North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch
- 1861-1865 North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch
- 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 North Carolina, Confederate Soldiers and Widows Pension Applications, 1885-1953 at FamilySearch
Regiments. Men in Lenoir County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Lenoir County:
- - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
- - 13th Battalion, North Carolina Infantry, Company C
- - 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company G
- - 3rd Regiment, North Carolina Artillery, Company A
- - 41st Regiment Volunteers - 3rd Cavalry, Company E
- - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry (63rd Regiment Volunteers), Company B
- - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company D
- - 8th Battalion, North Carolina Cavalry (Partisan Rangers), 2nd Company
Civil War Battles
The following Civil War battles were fought in Lenoir County:
- December 14, 1862 Kinston[10]
- March 7-10, 1865 Wilmington, also known as Wilcox’s Bridge, Wise’s Fork, Second Kinston, Second Southwest Creek, or Kelly's Mill Pond[11]
- Map showing Civil War battles in North Carolina.
World War I
World War II
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1799-1893 Lenoir County marriages are included in Carrie Broughton's 6-volume index of the Raleigh Register & State Gazette newspaper (1799-1893). Marriages are listed by year and PDF files are searchable. Available at North Carolina Digital Collections.
- Kinston Free Press Index, transcriptions of articles from the paper
- Newspaper articles of Lenoir County (USGenWeb Archives)
- Newspapers of Lenoir County. A listing of newspapers published in the county. (Library of Congress)
- North Carolina Newspaper Digitization Project. Historical newspapers from the 18th & 19th century. Includes papers from the New Bern area, which includes Lenoir County,
- Deaths of Lenoir County. Listing of county area deaths reported in various newspapers; dates range from late 1700s to 1900s.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Lenoir County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
- Lenoir County, various records for deaths and obituaries. (NCGenWeb)
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Records
- 1660-1790 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry $
- 1663-1979 North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979 at FamilySearch
- 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry $
- 1735-1970 North Carolina Probate Records 1735-1970 at FamilySearch
- 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry $
- 1861-1891 Images of Wills and Estates. North Carolina Pioneers ($)
- 1869-1922 Will Books A to C (1869-1922) at FamilySearch
- Wills & Estates (NCGenWeb Archives)
School Records[edit | edit source]
- Grainger High School Senior class listings from 1927-1970
- Lenoir County Students at NC colleges, Yearbook Index. (NCGenWeb)
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
- 1769 Tax Lists, Dobbs County, 1769 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, at Ancestry $
- 1769 Tax Lists, Dobbs County, 1769 (images) at North Carolina Digital Collections
- 1769 Tax List, 1769 (images) online at FamilySearch
- 1779 Tax Lists, Dobbs County, 1779 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, at Ancestry $
- 1779 Tax Lists, New Bern District, 1779 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, at Ancestry $
- 1779 Tax Lists, New Bern District, 1779 (images) at North Carolina Digital Collections
- 1780 Tax Lists, Dobbs County, 1780 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, at Ancestry $
- 1780 Tax Lists, Dobbs County, 1780 (images) at North Carolina Digital Collections
- 1844 Tax Lists, Lenoir County, 1844 (images) at North Carolina Digital Collections
- Lenoir County Tax Lists (USGenWeb Archives)
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
- 1800-2000 - North Carolina, Department of Archives and History, Index to Vital Records, 1800-2000 at FamilySearch — index and images
- Uncertified copies of vital records can be ordered for a small fee from the Register of Deeds.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1800-2000 North Carolina Birth Index 1800-2000 at FamilySearch
- 1866-1964 North Carolina Births and Christenings 1866-1964 at FamilySearch
- 1913-1922 North Carolina, Center for Health Statistics, Vital Records Unit, County Birth Records, 1913-1922 at FamilySearch — index and images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1741-2004 North Carolina, United States Marriages at FindMyPast
- 1741-2004 North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004 at Ancestry $
- 1759-1979 North Carolina Marriages 1759-1979 at FamilySearch
- 1762-1979 North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 at FamilySearch
- 1763-1868 North Carolina, Civil Marriages, 1763-1868 at FamilySearch
- 1873-1952 Lenoir County Marriage Index 1873-1952 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch[12]
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1898-1994 North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994 at FamilySearch
- 1906-1930 North Carolina Deaths 1906-1930 at FamilySearch
- 1908-2004 North Carolina Death Indexes 1908-2004 at Ancestry $
- 1909-1975 North Carolina Death Certificates 1909-1975 at Ancestry $
- 1931-1994 North Carolina Deaths 1931-1994 at FamilySearch
- Lenoir County, various records for deaths and obituaries. (NCGenWeb)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1880-1914, 1922-1969 Lenoir County Divorces 1880-1914, 1922-1969 at NC State Archives - free.
- 1926-1975 North Carolina, County Divorce Records, 1926-1975 at FamilySearch
- 1958-2004 North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Lenoir County. For state-wide archival repositories, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Libraries
- Introduction to Family History Centers
- Kinston North Carolina Family History Center
- Woodington North Carolina Family History Center (Deep Run)
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Lenoir County. For state-wide library facilities, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
- Heritage Place
Lenoir Community College
231 Highway 58 South
Kinston, NC 28502-0188
Phone: 252-527–6223
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Lenoir County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see North Carolina Societies.
- Heritage Genealogical Society
PO Box 6204
Kinston, NC 28501 - Historical Preservation Group
Kinston, NC
Phone: 252-522-0540
Email:diamondgp@suddenlink.net
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Lenoir County (NCGenWeb)
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), North Carolina.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ https://www.ncpedia.org/geography/lenoir
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), North Carolina.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Lenoir County, North Carolina. Page 506-514 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 505-509.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), North Carolina.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Lenoir County, North Carolina," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenoir_County%2C_North_Carolina, accessed 20 February 2020.
- ↑ George Washington Paschal, History of North Carolina Baptists, 2 vols. (1930; reprint, Gallatin, Tenn.: Church History Research and Archives, 1990), 1:490. FHL Book 975.6 K2p 1990.
- ↑ Lemuel Burkitt and Jesse Read, A Concise History of the Kehukee Baptist Association: From Its Original Rise Down to 1808 (1808), Chapter 16. Digital version at archive.org.
- ↑ "Wheat Swamp Church," North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program, http://www.ncmarkers.com, accessed 22 October 2012.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 9 August, 2012)
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 9 August, 2012)
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/9/91/Iginorthcarolinag.pdf.