New Hanover County Genealogy
- Formed 1729
- Parent county / earlier Craven
- County seat Wilmington
- Neighbors brunswick, pender, onslow
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1729 from Craven — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Wilmington · Library: New Hanover County Public Library.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
New Hanover County was formed in 1729 from Craven. The county seat is Wilmington. Neighboring counties include brunswick, pender, onslow.
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 1729 as New Hanover Precinct of Bath County, from Craven Precinct. It was named for the House of Hanover, which was then ruling Great Britain.
In 1734 parts of New Hanover Precinct became Bladen Precinct and Onslow Precinct. With the abolition of Bath County in 1739, all of its constituent precincts became counties.
In 1750 the northern part of New Hanover County became Duplin County. In 1764 another part of New Hanover County was combined with part of Bladen County to form Brunswick County. Finally, in 1875 the separation of northern New Hanover County to form Pender County reduced it to its present dimensions. Some of the closing battles of the American Civil War happened in the county with the Second Battle of Fort Fisher (the last major coastal stronghold of the Confederacy) and the Battle of Wilmington. The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898 and its establishment of Jim Crow laws closes out the 19th-Century with civil rights conditions which would last until the African-American Civil Rights Movement through the second half of the 20th century, three generations later.
The county seat of New Hanover County is Wilmington. New Hanover county is divided into the following townships: Cape Fear, Federal Point, Harnett, Masonboro, and Wilmington.
Source: Wikipedia.
One of the notable sites in New Hanover County is Poplar Grove Plantation. It was built in 1850.
New Hanover County Genealogy Resources
Old New Hanover Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 2536
Wilmington, NC 28402-2536
(covers Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, and Sampson Counties)
Lower Cape Fear Historical Society
P.O. Box 813
Wilmington, NC 28402
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New Hanover County Government
New Hanover County Government - Official Site
New Hanover County Public Libraries
Main Branch
201 Chestnut Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 798-6305 Local History Room
Monday & Tuesday 9AM - 8PM
Wednesday & Thursday 9AM - 6PM
Friday & Saturday 9AM - 5 PM
Sunday Closed
Vital Records
New Hanover County Vital Records
Census
- 1800 Federal Census Index - New Hanover County
- 1800 Federal Census Transcription - Partial (2 pages?)
Cemeteries
- USGS listing of cemeteries in New Hanover County
- Cemetery Transcriptions
- New Hanover Cemetery Census
Query Forums
News related to New Hanover County, NC
Cities and towns
History notes
New Hanover County (formed 1729; seat Wilmington) anchors Cape Fear research. Port trade, free Black communities, Civil War blockade, and later industrial/urban growth create multi-layered sources. Several southeastern counties inherit New Hanover parent problems—always check formation dates for Pender and others.
City research thrives on newspapers, directories, churches, and Cape Fear Museum / library digital collections. Rural and sound-side families may require neighbor searches in Brunswick, Pender, and Onslow.
Local history & events
- Historic Pender County, NC, home to reopen to public for one day - Wilmington Star-News
- Learning history: 8 of the oldest public school buildings in New Hanover County - AOL.com
- New Hanover County begins mailing 2026 property tax bills - WWAYTV3
- New Hanover opens library that carries a rare distinction - Wilmington Star-News
- New Hanover County recycling rate sits at 11%, officials push for change during Plastic-Free July - WECT
- From interim to official: Eric Navagh named New Hanover County elections director - WECT
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 1729, search parent jurisdiction: Craven. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1729, search parent jurisdiction: Craven. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1800– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1729, search parent jurisdiction: Craven. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1729, search parent jurisdiction: Craven. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1729– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1729, search parent jurisdiction: Craven. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1729– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1729, search parent jurisdiction: Craven. |
| 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 | 1729– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1729, search parent jurisdiction: Craven. |
| 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
- Oakdale Cemetery
- New Hanover County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for New Hanover 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 New Hanover 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 New Hanover 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 Wilmington. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: New Hanover County Public Library
If not found here, try…
- Formed 1729
- Parent / earlier jurisdiction Craven — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).
Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):