Dare County Genealogy
- Formed 1870
- Parent county / earlier Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde
- County seat Manteo
- Neighbors currituck, tyrrell, hyde
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1870 from Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Manteo · Library: Dare County Library.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Dare County was formed in 1870 from Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde. The county seat is Manteo. Neighboring counties include currituck, tyrrell, hyde.
This hub combines a modern research floor—record matrix, towns, repositories, news—with local history narrative. Always search parent jurisdictions for pre-formation events.
Dare County was formed in 1870 from Currituck, Tyrrell and Hyde Counties.
Albemarle Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 87
Currituck, NC 27929
(covers Camden, Currituck, and Dare Counties)
Roanoke Island Historical Association
P.O. Box 40
Manteo, NC 27954
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Dare County Courthouse
PO Drawer 1000
County Courthouse
Manteo, NC 27954
Cemeteries
Query Forums
Cities and towns in Dare County:
- Avon
- Buxton
- Cape Hatteras National Seashore
- Cape Hatteras Naval Facility
- Collington
- East Lake
- Fort Raleigh City
- Fort Raleigh National Historical
- Frisco
- Hatteras
- Kill Devil Hills
- Kinnakeet
- Kitty Hawk
- Manns Harbor
- Manteo (County Seat)
- Nags Head
- Rodanthe
- Salvo
- Southern Shores
- Stumpy Point
- Wanchese
- Waves
- Wright Brothers National Memorial
- Duck
News related to Dare County, NC
History notes
Dare County (seat: Manteo) is a core research hub for families who lived, married, worshipped, or owned land in this part of the Coastal Plain region of North Carolina.
Dare County is part of North Carolina’s coastal plain documentary landscape—river towns, ports, agricultural belts, and free Black/plantation contexts. Formed in 1870 from Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde, early research often depends on parent counties and Albemarle or Cape Fear–era sources.
Neighboring counties—currituck,tyrrell,hyde—frequently hold the “missing” deed, marriage, or burial when households straddle lines or move a few miles for work, church, or better land. Always record the jurisdiction as named in the original, then map it onto modern county pages.
Use the panels on this hub for record availability, towns, repositories, and local history news. Pair them with the statewide Start here path and the counties & formation guide when events predate 1870.
Local history & events
- Dare A250 highlights local stories, student achievements and surfing history in June update - Island Free Press
- Dare County seeks to regulate Kratom sales - Yahoo
- Dare County Board of Commissioners Meeting Highlights - July 7, 2026 - Dare County (.gov)
- Sweet treats presented to Dare County Schools teachers and staff - The Coastland Times
- Dare to host post-disaster response role-playing simulation - Coastal Review
- Press Release June 11, 2026 | News List - Dare County (.gov)
Research tools
Record availability matrix
| 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 1870, search parent jurisdiction: Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1870, search parent jurisdiction: Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1870– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1870, search parent jurisdiction: Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1870, search parent jurisdiction: Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1870– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1870, search parent jurisdiction: Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1870– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1870, search parent jurisdiction: Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde. |
| 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 | 1870– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1870, search parent jurisdiction: Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde. |
| 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. |
Cemeteries & burial research
- Dare County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Dare 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 Dare 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 Dare 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 Manteo. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: Dare County Library
If not found here, try…
- Formed 1870
- Parent / earlier jurisdiction Currituck, Tyrrell, Hyde — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).
Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):