Forsyth County Genealogy
- Formed 1849
- Parent county / earlier Stokes
- County seat Winston-Salem
- Neighbors stokes, rockingham, guilford, davidson, davie, yadkin, surry
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1849 from Stokes — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Winston-Salem · Library: Forsyth County Public Library.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Forsyth County was formed in 1849 from Stokes. The county seat is Winston-Salem. Neighboring counties include stokes, rockingham, guilford, davidson, davie, yadkin, surry.
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 1849 from Stokes County. It was named for Colonel Benjamin Forsyth, who was killed in the War of 1812 during the battle of Odelltown, Canada. The county seat is Winston-Salem. Portions of Forsyth County are in the Yadkin Valley Wine Region (Yadkin County AVA).
Forsyth County was originally settled in 1753 by Moravians. Bishop August Gottlieb Spangenberg had acquired a 100,000 acre tract from Lord Granville. The settlement was called Wachovia. This name came from the Austrian estate of Austrian estate of Count Nicholas Lewis von Zinzendorf. He had been an early defender of the Moravians. Settlements were established at Bethabara and Bethania and then Salem (1766) which was the principal settlement in Wachovia.
When the county was formed, the town of Winston was named as the county seat just 1 mile north of the Salem.
One of the great attractions of modern day Forsyth County is Old Salem Museums and Gardens. From their website: "Old Salem Museums & Gardens is America's most comprehensive history attraction. Our four museums - the Historic Town of Salem, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), the Old Salem Children's Museum, and the Old Salem Toy Museum - engage visitors in an educational and memorable historical experience about those who lived and worked in the early South."
Also from their website: "Old Salem Museums & Gardens is a unique community of original museum buildings, authentic craftsmen practicing their trade, fascinating collections of rare antiques, and one-of-a-kind retail shopping opportunities.
The stories and activities experienced by visitors in the museums convey a much larger aspect of early America than just the Moravians who settled in Salem, NC. The experiences are a reflection on evolving economy and diversity of lifestyles that made up the early South. Early Southerners struggled with common principles such as freedom, faith, tradition, government, segregation, and war – many of the same issues that remain relevant in today’s world."
Forsyth County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 5715
Winston-Salem, NC 27113-5715
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Forsyth County Courthouse
201 N. Chestnut 5th floor
Winston Salem, NC 27101
Census
- 1850 Federal Census Index by last name only
- 1850 Federal Census Transcription Heads of household
Cemeteries
Query Forums
Cities and towns of Forsyth County:
- Ardmore
- Belews Creek
- Bethania
- Clemmons
- Dosier
- Eller
- Gumtree
- Guthrie
- Hanes
- Kernersville
- Lewisville
- Matthewstown
- Mount Tabor
- Muddy Creek
- NC Baptist Hospital
- North
- Oldtown
- Peace Haven Estates
- Pfafftown
- Rural Hall
- Sedges Garden
- Seward
- Stanleyville
- Talleys Crossing
- Tobaccoville
- Union Cross
- Vienna
- Walkertown
- Waughtown
- West Bend
- Winston Salem (County Seat)
- Winston-Salem (County Seat)
News related to Forsyth County, NC
History notes
Forsyth County (formed 1849 from Stokes; seat Winston-Salem) combines Moravian Wachovia’s exceptional church documentation with later industrial urban sources. Pre-1849 events usually live in Stokes. Post-1880 research thrives on directories, newspapers, and multi-ethnic church communities in the Twin City.
Moravian memoirs and catalogs can reconstruct households with unusual detail; non-Moravian neighbors still appear as witnesses, buyers, and spouses. Always search broadly.
Local history & events
- New Historical Novel Explores America's Worst Maritime Disaster and the Violence of the Reconstruction Era - The Manila Times
- Forsyth County Urges Water Conservation to Avoid Mandatory Restrictions - WXII
- Family mourns as man taken off life support days after Forsyth County crash - Yahoo
- Exclusive: ICE obtains local voter files in Forsyth County - Axios
- Cone Health planning to expand; proposing $320 million Forsyth County hospital - WXII
- Forsyth County Commissioner Don Martin Announces Retirement Effective July 31 - WS Chronicle
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 1849, search parent jurisdiction: Stokes. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1849, search parent jurisdiction: Stokes. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1849– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1849, search parent jurisdiction: Stokes. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1849, search parent jurisdiction: Stokes. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1849– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1849, search parent jurisdiction: Stokes. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1849– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1849, search parent jurisdiction: Stokes. |
| Church & parish | good | varies | Colonial Albemarle, Moravian Wachovia, and older coastal congregations can be unusually rich when they survive. |
| 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 | 1849– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1849, search parent jurisdiction: Stokes. |
| 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
- God's Acre (Moravian) and related burial grounds
- Forsyth County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Forsyth 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 Forsyth 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 Forsyth 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 Winston-Salem. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: Forsyth County Public Library
If not found here, try…
- Formed 1849
- Parent / earlier jurisdiction Stokes — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).
Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):