Free NC research tools: county hubs, resources, and a preserved forum archive.

Get the free checklist · Browse counties · On this day

North Carolina Genealogy Genealogy, history, and research resources for the Tar Heel State

Buncombe County Genealogy

Last reviewed July 11, 2026

  • Formed 1791
  • Parent county / earlier Burke, Rutherford
  • County seat Asheville
  • Neighbors madison, yancey, mcdowell, henderson, haywood, transylvania

Photos & maps

Freely licensed images from Wikimedia Commons (and related open sources), cached locally for research context.

Historic view — Buncombe County
Historic view Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons Source
Courthouse — Buncombe County
Courthouse DiscoA340 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Source
Map — Buncombe County
Map US Census, Ruhrfisch, Dincher · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Source

What’s new

  • Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
  • Formation 1791 from Burke, Rutherford — search parents for earlier events.
  • Seat: Asheville · Library: Buncombe County Public Libraries.
  • Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.

In-depth topics

Towns & communities

23 places — view all town pages

Asheville county seat Alexander Arden Barnardsville Biltmore Black Mountain Candler Enka Enka Village Fairview Grace Leicester Montreat Oak Park Oteen Ridgecrest Royal Pines Skyland Swannanoa Weaverville West Asheville West Haven Woodfin

Buncombe County was formed in 1791 from Burke, Rutherford. The county seat is Asheville. Neighboring counties include madison, yancey, mcdowell, henderson, haywood, transylvania.

This hub combines a modern research floor—record matrix, towns, repositories, news—with local history narrative. Always search parent jurisdictions for pre-formation events.

Buncombe County Genealogy - History, Creation and Facts

The county was formed in 1791 from parts of Burke County and Rutherford County. It was named for Edward Buncombe, a colonel in the American Revolutionary War, who was captured at the Battle of Germantown.

In 1808 the western part of Buncombe County became Haywood County. In 1833 parts of Burke County and Buncombe County were combined to form Yancey County, and in 1838 the southern part of what was left of Buncombe County became Henderson County. Finally, in 1851 parts of Buncombe County and Yancey County were combined to form Madison County.

Buncombe County has contributed a word to the English language. In the Sixteenth Congress, after lengthy debate on the Missouri Compromise, members of the House called for an immediate vote on that important question. Instead, Felix Walker, whose district included Buncombe County, rose to address his colleagues, insisting that his constituents expected him to make a speech "for Buncombe." It was later remarked that Walker's untimely and irrelevant oration was not just for Buncombe--it "was Buncombe." Thus, "buncombe," afterwards spelled "bunkum" and then shortened to "bunk," became a term for empty, nonsensical talk. Source Wikipedia

Buncombe county is the father (mother?) of all of the western counties. Originally, it's dimensions were so vast, it was referred to as the "state" of Buncombe. The County seat of Buncombe County is Asheville. The county currently is split into the following townships: Asheville, Avery Creek, Black Mountain, Broad River, Fairview, Flat Creek, French Broad, Ivy, Leicester, Limestone, Lower Hominy, Reems Creek, Sandy Mush, Swannanoa, and Upper Hominy.

Among the notable locations in Buncombe County: The Biltmore Estate, Grove Park Inn, Thomas Wolfe House, Vance Birthplace, the Folk Art Center (located on the Blue Ridge Parkway), Pisgah National Forest, and the Grove Arcade, Basilica of St. Lawrence. Asheville has a great Urban Trail with markers in a self guided tour.

Buncombe County NCGenweb Site

The Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 2122
Asheville, NC 28802

covers the counties that Buncombe originally entailed which is most of current Western North Carolina. (covers present day Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Swain, and Transylvania Counties)

[ad#canvas_on_demand_square]

Buncombe County Courthouse
60 Courthouse Plaza
Asheville, NC 28801
Probably the best public library for research in the county. (Some other libraries in the Asheville Buncombe system have specific content to the town, such as the Weaverville library.)

Pack Memorial Library
67 Haywood Street
Asheville, NC. 28801

If you're interested in Weaverville history and visiting. There is the Dry Ridge Museum which is in the basement of the Library in Weaverville on Main Street. Neat collection of photos, books, etc.

Weaverville Branch of Asheville-Buncombe Library System
41 N. Main Street
Weaverville, NC 28787
The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints has a reading room at their Church building on Sweeten Creek Rd. in the Arden area.

Buncombe County Genealogy - Records

Census

1800 Federal Census index

1810 Federal Census index online text

1850 Federal Census index online text Directory opens to listing of text files by starting page number.

Cemeteries

Buncombe County Genealogy - Other Resources

Query Forums

Cities and towns in Buncombe County:

News related to Buncombe County, NC

History notes

Buncombe County (formed 1791; seat Asheville) is western North Carolina’s gateway jurisdiction. Early research sits on land opened after Cherokee cessions; later research collides with rail, tourism, tuberculosis sanatoria, and mountain-to-mill migration. Many mountain counties later carved from Buncombe or its children inherit parent problems—never assume a modern mountain map equals the courthouse of record.

Asheville’s boom left city directories, newspapers (Citizen-Times lineage), and institutional records that help urban and tourist-era households. Older valley families still appear in deeds along river corridors and in Baptist/Methodist chapel clusters. Neighbor counties—Madison, Haywood, Henderson, McDowell, Yancey—frequently hold the next generation’s marriage or burial.

For African American research in the mountains, combine census, church, and cemetery work with urban Asheville sources and State Archives collections. For Indigenous research, use the Indigenous guide and distinguish tribal enrollment research from ordinary county probate.

Local history & events

Recent news and notices about historic sites, heritage programs, reenactments, and local history related to Buncombe County (and statewide North Carolina heritage stories). Links open external publishers — verify details before traveling.

Updated automatically from public news feeds focused on history and heritage. See statewide local history news · Suggest an event

Research tools

Free printables for field sessions and home research nights.

Starter checklist Cheatsheet bundle Start here guide

Record availability matrix

Guidance for what tends to exist for this county—not a guarantee. Always verify at the repository. Statewide method notes: vitals, land, probate, census.

Record type Coverage Years (approx.) Notes
Federal census good 1790–1950 Federal schedules available for NC with known quirks/losses in some years. Place the household in the correct county for each decade. Before 1791, search parent jurisdiction: Burke, Rutherford.
Birth records sparse 1915– Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1791, search parent jurisdiction: Burke, Rutherford.
Marriage records partial 1800– County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1791, search parent jurisdiction: Burke, Rutherford.
Death records partial 1915– Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1791, search parent jurisdiction: Burke, Rutherford.
Land & deeds good 1791– Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1791, search parent jurisdiction: Burke, Rutherford.
Probate & estates good 1791– Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1791, search parent jurisdiction: Burke, Rutherford.
Church & parish partial varies Church coverage varies by denomination and survival; check local societies and denominational archives.
Newspapers varies varies Title survival varies widely. Search local weeklies plus larger regional papers; use Chronicling America and the State Library of North Carolina and DigitalNC.
Military good 1775– Revolutionary through 20th-century service may generate pensions, CMSRs, and local militia notes. Pair with county context for battles and units.
Cemeteries partial varies Published surveys, Find a Grave, churchyards, and family plots. Unmarked burials are common—use obituaries and church books.
Court records partial 1791– Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1791, search parent jurisdiction: Burke, Rutherford.
Tax lists sparse varies Tax lists can substitute for missing census years. Coverage is uneven by locality and year; check State Archives of North Carolina and published abstracts.

Newspapers

Selected titles and research notes for this county. Confirm runs and repositories—mastheads change often.

Statewide newspapers guide · Libraries & societies directory

Cemeteries & burial research

Starting points and portals—not a complete inventory of every graveyard in the county.

  • Riverside Cemetery
    Asheville
    Historic Asheville municipal cemetery—mountain regional research staple.
    Find a Grave · More
  • Buncombe County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
    Asheville
    Use Find a Grave, published surveys, churchyards, and USGS GNIS. Absence of a stone is not absence of burial.
    Find a Grave · More

Cemeteries research guide

Societies & repositories

Full societies & libraries directory

Research starting points

Census

Federal census schedules are foundational for Buncombe County household reconstruction. Collect every decade, note neighbors (FAN club), and track the county name as it existed that year—especially across formation and split boundaries.

Vital records

North Carolina statewide vital registration expanded in the early 20th century. For many Buncombe County families you will rely on marriage bonds, church registers, Bible records, newspapers, delayed births, and probate—not only a modern certificate.

Cemeteries (legacy notes)

Cemetery surveys for Buncombe County appear in published books, Find a Grave, USGenWeb archives, churchyards, and family plots. Absence of a stone is not absence of burial—pair markers with obituaries and church books.

Courthouse & contacts

The county seat is Asheville. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.

Buncombe County government

Public library: Buncombe County Public Libraries

If not found here, try…

North Carolina brick walls are often jurisdiction problems. Search parent districts and neighbors when deeds, probate, or vitals are missing.

  • Formed 1791
  • Parent / earlier jurisdiction Burke, Rutherford — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).

Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):

Madison Yancey McDowell Henderson Haywood Transylvania

Also use Start here, the counties & formation guide, and local history news for recent heritage context.