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Pasquotank County Genealogy

Last reviewed July 11, 2026

  • Formed 1668
  • Parent county / earlier Albemarle (colonial)
  • County seat Elizabeth City
  • Neighbors camden, perquimans, gates

Photos & maps

Freely licensed images from Wikimedia Commons (and related open sources), cached locally for research context.

Historic view — Pasquotank County
Historic view Calvin Beale · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons Source
Courthouse — Pasquotank County
Courthouse Calvin Beale · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons Source
Map — Pasquotank County
Map US Census, Ruhrfisch, Dincher · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Source

What’s new

In-depth topics

Towns & communities

3 places — view all town pages

Elizabeth City county seat Weeksville Nixonton

Pasquotank County was formed in 1668 from Albemarle (colonial). The county seat is Elizabeth City. Neighboring counties include camden, perquimans, gates.

This hub combines a modern research floor—record matrix, towns, repositories, news—with local history narrative. Always search parent jurisdictions for pre-formation events.

Pasquotank County is a county located in the State of North Carolina. As of 2007, its population was 41,897. Pasquotank's county seat is Elizabeth City.

Pasquotank County is part of the Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Part of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - National Protected Area is in Pasquotank County.

Source: Wikipedia.

Pasquotank County was a portion of the area of North Carolina that was earliest settled. It was a portion of Albemarle County which was established in 1663. The name Pasquotank comes from the Pasquotank River. Pasquotank is from an Algonquin word pasketanki meaning "where the current of the stream divides or forks".

The first settlement was Nixonton along the Little River and was planned out in 1746 and incorporated by 1758 and was the county seat from 1785-1799. In 1799 the county seat was moved to Elizabethton which had been founded in 1793 at the narrows of the Pasquotank River.

Local folklore holds that the Brick House in Elizabethton was used as a headquarters of Edward Teach - the infamous pirate "Blackbeard". The house though only dates to the 1750s and Edward Teach died in 1718 however there may have been a structure on the property dating to 1709.

Pasquotank County History from the County Official Site

Pasquotank County Genealogy

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Pasquotank County Government

Pasquotank County Government - Official Site

WC Witherspoon Memorial Library
100 East Colonial Avenue
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
252-335-2473
252-335-7536
fax 252-331-7449
Hours: Monday - Wednesday -Friday 8:30 am -6:30 pm, Tuesday - Thursday, 8:30 - 7:00 pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm.

Cemeteries

Query Forums

Cities and Towns of Pasquotank County

* Elizabeth City
* Nixonton

News related to Pasquotank County, NC

Cities and towns

History notes

Pasquotank County (seat: Elizabeth City) 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.

Pasquotank County is part of North Carolina’s coastal plain documentary landscape—river towns, ports, agricultural belts, and free Black/plantation contexts. Formed in 1668 from Albemarle (colonial), early research often depends on parent counties and Albemarle or Cape Fear–era sources.

Neighboring counties—camden,perquimans,gates—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 1668.

Local history & events

Recent news and notices about historic sites, heritage programs, reenactments, and local history related to Pasquotank County (and statewide North Carolina heritage stories). Links open external publishers — verify details before traveling.

Updated automatically from public news feeds focused on history and heritage. See statewide local history news · Suggest an event

Research tools

Free printables for field sessions and home research nights.

Starter checklist Cheatsheet bundle Start here guide

Record availability matrix

Guidance for what tends to exist for this county—not a guarantee. Always verify at the repository. Statewide method notes: vitals, land, probate, census.

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 1668, search parent jurisdiction: Albemarle (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 1668, search parent jurisdiction: Albemarle (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 1668, search parent jurisdiction: Albemarle (colonial).
Death records partial 1915– Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1668, search parent jurisdiction: Albemarle (colonial).
Land & deeds good 1668– Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1668, search parent jurisdiction: Albemarle (colonial).
Probate & estates good 1668– Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1668, search parent jurisdiction: Albemarle (colonial).
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 1668– Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1668, search parent jurisdiction: Albemarle (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.

Newspapers

Selected titles and research notes for this county. Confirm runs and repositories—mastheads change often.

  • Pasquotank County local newspapers (verify titles by decade)
    Elizabeth City · Weekly/varies
    Start with DigitalNC, Chronicling America, and the county public library microfilm/digital portal. Title names change—search county + “herald”, “news”, “gazette”, “times”.
  • Regional / nearest city dailies
    Elizabeth City · Daily
    Many rural events appear first in larger nearby city papers (Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro, Asheville, Wilmington, etc.).

Statewide newspapers guide · Libraries & societies directory

Cemeteries & burial research

Starting points and portals—not a complete inventory of every graveyard in the county.

  • Pasquotank County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
    Elizabeth City
    Use Find a Grave, published surveys, churchyards, and USGS GNIS. Absence of a stone is not absence of burial.
    Find a Grave · More

Cemeteries research guide

Societies & repositories

Full societies & libraries directory

Research starting points

Census

Federal census schedules are foundational for Pasquotank 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 Pasquotank 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 Pasquotank 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 Elizabeth City. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.

Pasquotank County government

Public library: East Albemarle Regional Library / Elizabeth City

If not found here, try…

North Carolina brick walls are often jurisdiction problems. Search parent districts and neighbors when deeds, probate, or vitals are missing.

  • Formed 1668
  • Parent / earlier jurisdiction Albemarle (colonial) — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).

Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):

Camden Perquimans Gates

Also use Start here, the counties & formation guide, and local history news for recent heritage context.