Guilford County Genealogy
- Formed 1771
- Parent county / earlier Rowan, Orange
- County seat Greensboro
- Neighbors rockingham, alamance, randolph, davidson, forsyth
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1771 from Rowan, Orange — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Greensboro · Library: Greensboro Public Library / High Point Public Library.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Guilford County was formed in 1771 from Rowan, Orange. The county seat is Greensboro. Neighboring counties include rockingham, alamance, randolph, davidson, forsyth.
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 1771 from parts of Rowan County and Orange County. It was named for Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford, father of Frederick North, Lord North, British Prime Minister from 1770 to 1782.
On March 15, 1781, the Battle of Guilford Court House was fought in present-day Greensboro between Generals Charles Cornwallis and Nathanael Greene during the American Revolution.
In 1779 the southern third of Guilford County became Randolph County. In 1785 the northern half of its remaining territory became Rockingham County. Source Wikipedia
Gold was discovered around 1800 in Jamestown and the town grew for quite a period of time. The later, richer discoveries in California and other places drew a lot of attention away from this part of the country. Around the gold rush time there was a mill built that has become known as Castle McCulloch - it's been restored and expanded and is today the host to more weddings in NC than any other site as well as other interesting events and festivals.
Guilford County Genealogy Resources
Guilford County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 9693
Greensboro, NC 27429-0693
High Point Historical Society, Inc.
1805 East Lexington Avenue
High Point, NC 27262
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Guilford County Government
Guilford County Courthouse
PO Box 3427
County Courthouse
Greensboro, NC 27402
Census
- 1790 Federal Census Transcription sorted by last name
- 1790 Federal Census Transcription
- 1790 Federal Census Images Directory opens to listing of image files by page number
- 1790 Federal Census transcription - Salisbury District
- 1800 Federal Census Images Directory opens to listing of image files by page number
- 1810 Federal Census Images Directory opens to listing of image files by page number
- 1820 Federal Census Images Directory opens to listing of image files by page number
- 1830 Federal Census Images Directory opens to listing of image files by page number
- 1840 Federal Census Images Directory opens to listing of image files by page number
- 1850 Federal Census Index - by last name only
- 1850 Federal Census Transcription - partial
- 1850 Federal Census Transcription and Index Directory opens to listing of text files by index name and page number.
Cemeteries
The following Cemeteries are located within Guilford County:
Cone Cemetery
Floral Garden Cemetery
Forest Lawn Cemetery
Gilmore Memorial Park
Green Hall Cemetery
Green Hill Cemetery
Green Hill Cemetery
Guilford Memorial Park Cemetery
Lakeview Memorial Park
Midway Cemetery
Oakwood Cemetery
Phibbs Cemetery
Piedmont Memorial Cemetery
Shady Grove Cemetery
Query Forums
Cities and towns of Guilford County:
- Allen Jay
- AMF Greensboro
- Archdale
- Brightwood
- Browns Summit
- Busick
- Climax
- Colfax
- Country Park Acres
- Deep River
- Emerywood
- Forest Oaks
- Freemans Mills
- Friendship
- Gibsonville
- Glenola
- Greensboro (County Seat)
- Greensboro BMC
- Groomtown
- Guilford
- Guilford College
- Guilford Courthouse National
- Hamtown
- High Point
- Hilltop
- Jamestown
- Julian
- McLeansville
- Monticello
- Mount Zion
- Oak Ridge
- Osceola
- Plaza
- Pleasant Garden
- Rankin
- Ridgefield
- Rudd
- Sedalia
- Sedgefield
- South Greensboro
- Spring Valley
- Stokesdale
- Stoney Creek
- Summerfield
- Summit
- Tennessee Acres
- Vandalia
- Whitsett
News related to Guilford County, NC
History notes
Guilford County (formed 1771 from Rowan and Orange; seat Greensboro) is a Piedmont research powerhouse. Quaker meetings, Protestant churches, and Revolutionary geography (Guilford Courthouse, 15 March 1781) create unusually rich substitute sources when civil vitals are thin. Later, Greensboro and High Point industrial growth added directories, mill churches, and regional newspapers.
Pre-1771 events may live in Rowan or Orange. Post-1850 research often requires both rural church/cemetery work and urban directory trails. Neighbor FAN clubs spill into Rockingham, Alamance, Randolph, Davidson, and Forsyth.
Local history & events
- America250 Guilford hosts time capsule dedication ceremony at High Point Museum - FOX8 WGHP
- Guilford Native American Association highlights Indigenous history ahead of America's 250th birthday - Yahoo
- Guilford County Schools Faces Lawsuit After Rehiring Coach with Alleged Sexual Misconduct History - thencbeat.com
- Lawsuit alleges Guilford County Schools rehired coach with prior sexual misconduct history, failed to protect student - wfmynews2.com
- Guilford County task force seizes 5 kilos of cocaine, arrests Greensboro man - WCTI
- Air quality in Guilford County - IQAir
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 1771, search parent jurisdiction: Rowan, Orange. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1771, search parent jurisdiction: Rowan, Orange. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1800– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1771, search parent jurisdiction: Rowan, Orange. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1771, search parent jurisdiction: Rowan, Orange. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1771– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1771, search parent jurisdiction: Rowan, Orange. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1771– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1771, search parent jurisdiction: Rowan, Orange. |
| 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 | 1771– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1771, search parent jurisdiction: Rowan, Orange. |
| 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
- Guilford County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Guilford 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 Guilford 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 Guilford 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 Greensboro. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: Greensboro Public Library / High Point Public Library
If not found here, try…
- Formed 1771
- Parent / earlier jurisdiction Rowan, Orange — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).
Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):