Durham County, North Carolina Genealogy
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Guide to Durham County, North Carolina ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
- This article is about a county in North Carolina. For other uses, see Durham (disambiguation)
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Durham County is located in central North Carolina and was named for Dr. Bartlett Durham who sold 4 acres of land to create the Town of Durham, County seat of Durham, North Carolina.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Durham County Courthouse
200 East Main Street
Durham, NC 27707
Phone: 919-560-0480
Durham County Website
County Health Department has birth, death and burial records.
Register of Deeds has marriage and land records.
Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records from 1881.[3]
Durham 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 |
| 1913 | 1881 | 1913 | 1881 | 1881 | 1875 | 1784 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
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 | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Bible Records at North Carolina Digital Archives - index and images
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- North Carolina, Historical Records Survey, Cemetery Inscription Card Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images Also at: Ancestry ($)
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1890 | 18,041 | — |
| 1900 | 26,233 | 45.4% |
| 1910 | 35,276 | 34.5% |
| 1920 | 42,219 | 19.7% |
| 1930 | 67,196 | 59.2% |
| 1940 | 80,244 | 19.4% |
| 1950 | 101,639 | 26.7% |
| 1960 | 111,995 | 10.2% |
| 1970 | 132,681 | 18.5% |
| 1980 | 152,785 | 15.2% |
| 1990 | 181,835 | 19.0% |
| 2000 | 223,314 | 22.8% |
| 2010 | 267,587 | 19.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- 1700-1970 North Carolina, Church Records, 1700-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- ZSR Library North Carolina Baptist Church records
- Tutorial on finding North Carolina Baptist Church records
- History of St. Philip's Episcopal Church (NCGenWeb)
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- Widow's Dower & Year's Support 1881-1944 included in NC County Records Collections
Directories[edit | edit source]
- Durham County Directories (NCGenWeb)
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African American
- 1862-1870 North Carolina, Freedmen's Bureau Assistant Commissioner Records, 1862-1870 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1863-1872 North Carolina, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1863-1872 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
- Carolina Times . 400+ issues available online from 1937-1950 of this African-American newspaper (DigitalNC)
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Chapel Hill[edit | edit source]
Durham[edit | edit source]
Raleigh[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
- Durham County Deeds, 1881-1984 online search, includes images.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Click a neighboring county
for more resources
for more resources
- Durham County Maps (North Carolina's NC Maps collection)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War
- 1778-1833 Delamar Transcripts of Revolutionary War Petitions at North Carolina Genealogical Society - index ($)
- 1779-1782 North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers 1779-1782 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Civil War
- 1861-1865 North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1861-1865 North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 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
- 1885-1953 North Carolina, Confederate Soldiers and Widows Pension Applications, 1885-1953 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1885 and 1901 1885 and 1901 Confederate Pension Applications at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
World War I
- 1914-1918 World War I Papers at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
- 1917-1919 North Carolina, World War I Service Cards, 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 North Carolina, Discharge and Statement of Service Records, 1940-1948 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- North Carolina Newspapers at DigitalNC
- 1799-1893 Durham County marriages. May be included throughout 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 on the North Carolina Digital Collections website.
- Durham County deaths. List of county area deaths reported in various newspapers; dates range from late 1700s to 1900s.
- Carolina Times . 400+ issues available online from 1937-1950 of this African-American newspaper (DigitalNC)
- Index to the Durham Herald:
- 1981 (index Jan -May)
- 1981 (subject index, May - Dec / name index, May - Dec)
- 1982 (name index | subject index)
- 1983 (name index | subject index)
- 1984 (name index)
- 1985 (name index | subject index)
- Durham County newspapers. Listing of newspapers published in the county & libraries that hold them. (Library of Congress)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Misc. Durham County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
Other Records[edit | edit source]
County Records
- 1881-1944 North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; random records; index and images. (incomplete); Also at: Ancestry ($)
Voter Registration
- 1868-1898 North Carolina, Voter Registration Records, 1868-1898 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1660-1790 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry ($)
- 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
- 1663-1979 North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry ($)
- 1720-1960 Will Books A to F and 1 to 8 (1720-1960) at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
- 1735-1970 North Carolina Probate Records 1735-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
- 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry ($)
- 1875-1926 Wills and Estate Papers (Durham County), 1875-1926(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1881-1907 Will Books A to B (1881-1907) at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
- 1881-1944 North Carolina, Durham County, Widow's Support Records, 1881-1944(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1881-1944 North Carolina, Durham County, Widows Year Support Records, 1881-1944(*); Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1881-1968 Probate Records, 1881-1968(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1881-1968 Record of Wills, 1881-1907; Index to Wills, 1881-1968(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1882-1913 Apprentice Bonds, 1882-1913(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- North Carolina Probate Records tips
School Records[edit | edit source]
Yearbooks
- Durham County students at North Carolina colleges. Yearbook Index. (NCGenWeb)
- Duke University: 1912-1995
- NC Central University: 1929-2009
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]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
- 1800-2000 North Carolina, Department of Archives and History, Index to Vital Records, 1800-2000 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; 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 - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1866-1964 North Carolina Births and Christenings 1866-1964 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1913-1922 North Carolina, Center for Health Statistics, Vital Records Unit, County Birth Records, 1913-1922 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; 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 - How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1762-1979 North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1763-1868 North Carolina, Civil Marriages, 1763-1868 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1881-1951 Durham County Marriage Books 1-6 Index 1881-1951 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.[7]
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1898-1994 North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1906-1930 North Carolina Deaths 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 North Carolina Deaths 1931-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1926-1975 North Carolina, County Divorce Records, 1926-1975 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1958-2004 North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Durham County. For state-wide archival repositories, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- 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 Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Durham County. For state-wide library facilities, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
- Duke Special Collections Library
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Durham County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see North Carolina Societies.
- Durham–Orange Genealogical Society
PO Box 4703
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-4703
Email: info@dogsnc.org
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- NCGenWeb: Durham County genealogy resources; part of the national USGenWeb Project
- 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/Durham
- ↑ 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), Durham 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, "Durham County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durham_County,_North_Carolina, accessed 13 February 2020.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/4/4d/Iginorthcarolinaa.pdf.
