Moore County Genealogy
- Formed 1784
- Parent county / earlier Cumberland
- County seat Carthage
- Neighbors lee, chatham, randolph, montgomery, richmond, scotland, hoke, cumberland, harnett
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1784 from Cumberland — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Carthage · Library: Moore County Library.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Moore County was formed in 1784 from Cumberland. The county seat is Carthage. Neighboring counties include lee, chatham, randolph, montgomery, richmond, scotland, hoke, cumberland, harnett.
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 1784 from Cumberland County. It was named for Alfred Moore, an officer in the American Revolutionary War and associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
In 1907 parts of Moore County and Chatham County were combined to form Lee County.
Moore County has many golf resorts in the Southern Pines/Pinehurst area, and has played host to the 1996 and 2001 Women's U.S. Opens as well as the 1999 and 2005 Men's U.S. Opens. The Women's Open returned to Southern Pines in 2007.
As a result of the area's rare combination of prestige and isolation, many celebrities escape to this area from time to time. Among those who frequent or have private homes in the area are Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Sean Connery. Past residents of the area include Annie Oakley, Adlai Stevenson,[citation needed] Harvey Firestone, and John D. Rockefeller.
John Edwards, Charles Brady, Shannon Moore, Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy were also raised here.
The county is divided into ten townships, which are both numbered and named: 1 (Carthage), 2 (Bensalem), 3 (Sheffields), 4 (Ritter), 5 (Deep River), 6 (Greenwood), 7 (McNeill), 8 (Sandhill), 9 (Mineral Springs), and 10 (Little River).
The county seat of Moore County is Carthage. Source Wikipedia
Moore County Genealogy Resources
- Moore County NCGenWeb site - new address
- Moore County NCGenWeb Archives
Moore County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 1183
Pinehurst, NC 28374-1183
Malcolm Blue Farm Aberdeen, NC
The Malcolm Blue Historical Society
P.O. Box 603
Aberdeen, NC 28315
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Census
Moore County Cemeteries
- USGS Listing of Cemeteries in Moore County, NC
- Cemetery Transcriptions
- Moore County Cemetery Transcriptions
- Moore County Cemetery Census
Query Forums
News related to Moore County, NC
Cities and towns
History notes
Moore County (seat: Carthage) is a core research hub for families who lived, married, worshipped, or owned land in this part of the Piedmont region of North Carolina.
Moore County belongs to North Carolina’s Piedmont research zone, shaped by Great Wagon Road settlement, mill and market towns, and dense 19th–20th century paper trails. Formed in 1784 from Cumberland, it rewards researchers who respect parent jurisdictions and neighbor FAN clubs.
Neighboring counties—lee,chatham,randolph,montgomery,richmond,scotland,hoke,cumberland,harnett—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 1784.
Local history & events
- Inmate dies at Moore County Detention Center, SBI investigating - WRAL
- Peach Week in Moore County returns for fourth year - Sandhills Sentinel
- 12 weird Southeast vacations worth the detour - Moore County Observer
- Secretary Smythe Leads Rural Listening Session in Moore County - NC DPS (.gov)
- 1 killed in head-on crash on NC Highway 705 in Moore County - WRAL
- Chase with West Virginia man in Moore County ends with 2-car crash: Police - 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 1784, search parent jurisdiction: Cumberland. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1784, search parent jurisdiction: Cumberland. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1800– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1784, search parent jurisdiction: Cumberland. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1784, search parent jurisdiction: Cumberland. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1784– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1784, search parent jurisdiction: Cumberland. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1784– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1784, search parent jurisdiction: Cumberland. |
| 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 | 1784– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1784, search parent jurisdiction: Cumberland. |
| 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
- Moore County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Moore 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 Moore 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 Moore 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 Carthage. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: Moore County Library
If not found here, try…
- Formed 1784
- Parent / earlier jurisdiction Cumberland — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).
Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):