Edgecombe County Genealogy
- Formed 1741
- Parent county / earlier Bertie
- County seat Tarboro
- Neighbors nash, wilson, pitt, martin, halifax
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1741 from Bertie — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Tarboro · Library: Edgecombe County Memorial Library.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Edgecombe County was formed in 1741 from Bertie. The county seat is Tarboro. Neighboring counties include nash, wilson, pitt, martin, halifax.
This hub combines a modern research floor—record matrix, towns, repositories, news—with local history narrative. Always search parent jurisdictions for pre-formation events.
The county was formed in 1741 from Bertie County. It was named for Richard Edgcumbe, a Member of Parliament from 1701 to 1742 and a lord of the treasury, who became 1st Baron Edgcumbe in 1742.
In 1746 part of Edgecombe County became Granville County; in 1758 another part became Halifax County; in 1777 yet another part became Nash County. In 1855 the formation of Wilson County from parts of Edgecombe County, Johnston County, Nash County, and Wayne County reduced Edgecombe to its present dimensions, aside from minor boundary adjustments. Source Wikipedia
Edgecombe County NCGenweb site
Edgecombe County Genealogical Society
909 Main St.
Tarboro, NC 27886
[ad#canvas_on_demand_square]
Edgecombe County Courthouse
PO Box 10
County Courthouse
Tarboro, NC 27886
Census
1790 Federal Census Transcription
Tax Records
1716 Corn List - Beaufort and Hyde precincts
Cemeteries
- USGS listing of cemeteries of Edgecombe County
- Cemetery Transcriptions
- Edgecombe County Cemetery Census
Query Forums
Cities and towns of Edgecombe County:
- Battleboro
- Conetoe
- Crisp
- Dortches
- Drake
- Macclesfield
- Old Sparta
- Pinetops
- Princeville
- Rocky Mount
- Speed
- Tarboro (County Seat)
News related to Edgecombe County, NC
History notes
Edgecombe County (seat: Tarboro) 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.
Edgecombe County is part of North Carolina’s coastal plain documentary landscape—river towns, ports, agricultural belts, and free Black/plantation contexts. Formed in 1741 from Bertie, early research often depends on parent counties and Albemarle or Cape Fear–era sources.
Neighboring counties—nash,wilson,pitt,martin,halifax—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 1741.
Local history & events
- Edgecombe County woman wins $100,000 on lottery scratch-off ticket - CBS 17
- Edgecombe Co. Animal Shelter won’t pay state fine after addressing violations - WITN
- Edgecombe County responds to animal shelter violations, outlines corrective actions - WCTI
- Ward named 10th SouthWest Edgecombe head football coach - springhopeenterprise.com
- Former Edgecombe County school employee charged after alleged assault on student - WCTI
- Ex-Edgecombe County Schools staff member accused of assaulting student: Sheriff - CBS 17
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 1741, search parent jurisdiction: Bertie. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1741, search parent jurisdiction: Bertie. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1800– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1741, search parent jurisdiction: Bertie. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1741, search parent jurisdiction: Bertie. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1741– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1741, search parent jurisdiction: Bertie. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1741– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1741, search parent jurisdiction: Bertie. |
| 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 | 1741– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1741, search parent jurisdiction: Bertie. |
| 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
Cemeteries & burial research
- Edgecombe County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Edgecombe 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 Edgecombe 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 Edgecombe 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 Tarboro. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: Edgecombe County Memorial Library