Hyde County Genealogy
- Formed 1705
- Parent county / earlier Bath (colonial)
- County seat Swan Quarter
- Neighbors beaufort, dare, tyrrell, washington
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1705 from Bath (colonial) — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Swan Quarter · Library: Hyde County Public Library / Mattamuskeet.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Hyde County was formed in 1705 from Bath (colonial). The county seat is Swan Quarter. Neighboring counties include beaufort, dare, tyrrell, washington.
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 December 3, 1705, as Wickham Precinct, one of three precincts within Bath County. The name "Wickham" was derived from the manor of "Temple Wycombe" in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, the family home of John Archdale, Governor of North and South Carolina from 1695 to 1696. In 1712 it was renamed Hyde Precinct, for Edward Hyde, Governor of North Carolina from 1711 to 1712. In 1739 Bath County was abolished, and Hyde Precinct became Hyde County.
Various boundary adjustments followed. In 1745 Lake Mattamuskeet and its adjoining territory were transferred from Currituck County to Hyde County. In 1819 the part of Hyde County west of the Pungo River was annexed to Beaufort County. In 1823 the part of Currituck County south of New Inlet was annexed to Hyde County. In 1845 Ocracoke Island was transferred from Carteret County to Hyde County. In 1870 Hyde County was reduced to its present dimensions, when its northeastern part was combined with parts of Currituck County and Tyrrell County to form Dare County. Source Wikipedia
Hyde County Historical and Genealogical Society
7820 Piney Woods Rd.
Fairfield, NC 27826
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Hyde County Courthouse
PO Box 188
County Courthouse
Swanquarter, NC 27885
Census
1790 Federal Census Transcription
1790-1860 Federal Census Transcription - Free Persons of Color
1790 Federal Census Transcription (1 of 3)
1790 Federal Census Transcription (2 of 3)
1790 Federal Census Transcription (3 of 3)
- 1800 Federal Census Transcription and Index Directory opens to listing of index file and text file named by page number.
- 1800 Federal Census Transcription
1800 Federal Census Transcription (1 of 7)
1800 Federal Census Transcription (2 of 7)
1800 Federal Census Transcription (3 of 7)
1800 Federal Census Transcription (4 of 7)
1800 Federal Census Transcription (5 of 7)
1800 Federal Census Transcription (6 of 7)
1800 Federal Census Transcription (7 of 7)
- 1810 Federal Census Transcription
- 1820 Federal Census Transcription
- 1830 Federal Census Transcription
- 1840 Federal Census Transcription
- 1850 Federal Census Index - by last name only
- 1860 Federal Census Transcription
- 1870 Federal Census Transcription
- 1880 Federal Census Transcription
- 1890 Federal Census Transcription - Union Veterans Schedule
- 1920 Federal Census Transcription
- 1930 Federal Census Transcription
Tax Records
Cemeteries
USGS listing of cemeteries in Hyde County
Query Forums
Cities and Towns of Hyde County:
- Engelhard
- Fairfield
- Middletown
- Ocracoke
- Portsmouth
- Scranton
- Swanquarter (County Seat)
- Swan Quarter (County Seat)
News related to Hyde County, NC
History notes
Hyde County (seat: Swan Quarter) 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.
Hyde County is part of North Carolina’s coastal plain documentary landscape—river towns, ports, agricultural belts, and free Black/plantation contexts. Formed in 1705 from Bath (colonial), early research often depends on parent counties and Albemarle or Cape Fear–era sources.
Neighboring counties—beaufort,dare,tyrrell,washington—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 1705.
Local history & events
- Hyde County publishes history booklet for America’s 250th - Ocracoke Observer
- Firefighters continue battling Hyde County wildfire - WCTI
- Rose Bay Canal fire grows to over 600 acres in Hyde County - WCTI
- Wildfire at NC coast grows to 600+ acres in Hyde County, officials say - CBS 17
- Rose Bay Canal wildfire grows to 455 acres in Hyde County, remains 20% contained - WCTI
- Popular boating access renamed to honor Hyde County resident and conservationist - 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 1705, search parent jurisdiction: Bath (colonial). |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1705, search parent jurisdiction: Bath (colonial). |
| Marriage records | partial | 1800– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1705, search parent jurisdiction: Bath (colonial). |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1705, search parent jurisdiction: Bath (colonial). |
| Land & deeds | good | 1705– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1705, search parent jurisdiction: Bath (colonial). |
| Probate & estates | good | 1705– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1705, search parent jurisdiction: Bath (colonial). |
| 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 | 1705– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1705, search parent jurisdiction: Bath (colonial). |
| 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
- Hyde County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Hyde 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 Hyde 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 Hyde 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 Swan Quarter. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: Hyde County Public Library / Mattamuskeet
If not found here, try…
- Formed 1705
- Parent / earlier jurisdiction Bath (colonial) — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).
Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):