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Richmond County Genealogy

Last reviewed July 11, 2026

  • Formed 1779
  • Parent county / earlier Anson
  • County seat Rockingham
  • Neighbors anson, montgomery, moore, scotland, robeson

Photos & maps

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

Historic view — Richmond County
Historic view Indy beetle · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons Source
Courthouse — Richmond County
Courthouse Mauser1488 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Source
Map — Richmond County
Map US Census, Ruhrfisch, Dincher · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Source

What’s new

  • Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
  • Formation 1779 from Anson — search parents for earlier events.
  • Seat: Rockingham · Library: Richmond County Public Library.
  • Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.

In-depth topics

Towns & communities

8 places — view all town pages

Rockingham county seat Dobbins Heights East Rockingham Norman Hamlet Ellerbe Hoffman Cordova

Richmond County was formed in 1779 from Anson. The county seat is Rockingham. Neighboring counties include anson, montgomery, moore, scotland, robeson.

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

Richmond County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 46,564. Its county seat is Rockingham.

The county was formed in 1779 from Anson County. It was named for Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond and Lennox.

In 1899 the southeastern part of Richmond County became Scotland County.

Keader Keaton, a colonial American officer in the American Revolutionary War, was a founder of Anglo-American settlement in Richmond County.

Source: Wikipedia.

Richmond County Genealogy Resources

Richmond County Historical Society
P.O. Box 1041
Rockingham, NC 28379

Society of Richmond County Descendants
P.O. Box 848
Rockingham, NC 28379

Richmond County Government

Richmond County Government - Official Site
P.O. Box 504
Rockingham, NC 28380
(910)-997-8200

Richmond County Register of Deeds - Online Search
Richmond County Register of Deeds
114 E. Franklin St Room 101
Rockingham, NC 28379

Richmond County Public LIbrary
(Sandhill Regional Library System)
Thomas H. Leath Memorial Library
412 East Franklin Street
Rockingham, NC 28379
Phone: 910.895.6337
Fax: 910.895.5851

Hours:
Monday - 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Tuesday - Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday - 9:00 am - 5:00 pm and Saturday 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Information on Genealogy Resources available for Richmond County Genealogy Research at the library.

Cities and Towns of Richmond County, NC

Census

Tax Records

Cemeteries

Query Forums

News related to Richmond County, NC

History notes

Richmond County (seat: Rockingham) is a core research hub for families who lived, married, worshipped, or owned land in this part of the Piedmont region of North Carolina.

Richmond 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 1779 from Anson, it rewards researchers who respect parent jurisdictions and neighbor FAN clubs.

Neighboring counties—anson,montgomery,moore,scotland,robeson—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 1779.

Local history & events

Recent news and notices about historic sites, heritage programs, reenactments, and local history related to Richmond 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 1779, search parent jurisdiction: Anson.
Birth records sparse 1915– Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1779, search parent jurisdiction: Anson.
Marriage records partial 1800– County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1779, search parent jurisdiction: Anson.
Death records partial 1915– Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1779, search parent jurisdiction: Anson.
Land & deeds good 1779– Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1779, search parent jurisdiction: Anson.
Probate & estates good 1779– Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1779, search parent jurisdiction: Anson.
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 1779– Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1779, search parent jurisdiction: Anson.
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.

  • Richmond County local newspapers (verify titles by decade)
    Rockingham · 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
    Rockingham · 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.

  • Richmond County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
    Rockingham
    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 Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Rockingham. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.

Richmond County government

Public library: Richmond County Public Library

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 1779
  • Parent / earlier jurisdiction Anson — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).

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

Anson Montgomery Moore Scotland Robeson

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