Greene County Genealogy
- Formed 1799
- Parent county / earlier Dobbs / Glasgow
- County seat Snow Hill
- Neighbors lenoir, pitt, wayne, wilson
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1799 from Dobbs / Glasgow — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Snow Hill · Library: Neuse Regional Library / Greene County.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Greene County was formed in 1799 from Dobbs / Glasgow. The county seat is Snow Hill. Neighboring counties include lenoir, pitt, wayne, wilson.
This hub combines a modern research floor—record matrix, towns, repositories, news—with local history narrative. Always search parent jurisdictions for pre-formation events.
Greene County, being a part of land grant by King Charles II of England in 1663, was first settled around 1710 by immigrants from Maryland, Virginia, and parts of North Carolina. The original inhabitants of the area, the Tuscarora Indians, fought with these immigrants and on March 20-23, 1713, a fighting force of South Carolinians and Yemassce Indians, under Colonel Maurice Moore, defeated the Tuscarora, under the leadership of Chief Hancock. This was the final major battle of the Tuscarora War at Fort Neoheroka near current day Snow Hill.
In 1758, the area now recognized as Greene and Lenoir Counties was separated from Johnston and named Dobbs for the Royal Governor. The county was formed in 1791 from the northern part of Dobbs County. It was originally named Glasgow County, for James Glasgow, North Carolina Secretary of State from 1777 to 1798. In 1799, Glasgow's involvement in military land grant frauds forced him to resign and leave the state. Glasgow County was then renamed Greene County in honor of Nathanael Greene, one of General Washington's right-hand men.
The county seat, Snow Hill, is the largest town and major commercial center in the county. The town draws its name from the historic white sandy banks of nearby Contentnea Creek. Source Wikipedia
Greene County NCGenweb site
Greene County NCGenweb Archives
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Greene County Courthouse
229 Kingold Blvd Suite D
County Courthouse
Snow Hill, NC 28580
Census
1850 Federal Census Transcription and Index Directory opens to listing of text files, index and files by page number
Tax Records
Cemeteries
Query Forums
Cities and towns of Greene County:
News related to Greene County, NC
History notes
Greene County (seat: Snow Hill) 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.
Greene County is part of North Carolina’s coastal plain documentary landscape—river towns, ports, agricultural belts, and free Black/plantation contexts. Formed in 1799 from Dobbs / Glasgow, early research often depends on parent counties and Albemarle or Cape Fear–era sources.
Neighboring counties—lenoir,pitt,wayne,wilson—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 1799.
Local history & events
- Greeneville Christian Women's Club hear about Greeneville-Greene County History Museum - GreenevilleSun.com
- Genealogical Society to print new edition of historic Greene County book - GreenevilleSun.com
- Greene County celebrates America’s 250th birthday with Heritage Trail adventure - MSN
- Eastern Carolina Firefighters Association Makes History in Greene County - Neuse News
- One hospitalized after car and tractor-trailer crash in Greene County - WCTI
- Driver sought after fleeing crash involving farmworkers in Greene County - WCTI
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 1799, search parent jurisdiction: Dobbs / Glasgow. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1799, search parent jurisdiction: Dobbs / Glasgow. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1800– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1799, search parent jurisdiction: Dobbs / Glasgow. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1799, search parent jurisdiction: Dobbs / Glasgow. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1799– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1799, search parent jurisdiction: Dobbs / Glasgow. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1799– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1799, search parent jurisdiction: Dobbs / Glasgow. |
| 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 | 1799– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1799, search parent jurisdiction: Dobbs / Glasgow. |
| 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
- Greene County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Greene 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 Greene 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 Greene 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 Snow Hill. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: Neuse Regional Library / Greene County
If not found here, try…
- Formed 1799
- Parent / earlier jurisdiction Dobbs / Glasgow — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).
Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):