Transylvania County Genealogy
- Formed 1861
- Parent county / earlier Henderson, Jackson
- County seat Brevard
- Neighbors henderson, haywood, jackson, buncombe
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1861 from Henderson, Jackson — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Brevard · Library: Transylvania County Library.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Transylvania County was formed in 1861 from Henderson, Jackson. The county seat is Brevard. Neighboring counties include henderson, haywood, jackson, buncombe.
This hub combines a modern research floor—record matrix, towns, repositories, news—with local history narrative. Always search parent jurisdictions for pre-formation events.
Transylvania County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 29,334. Its county seat is Brevard.
The county was formed in 1861 from parts of Henderson County and Jackson County. Its name is derived from the Transylvania Company and has Latin origins: trans ("across") and silva or sylva ("woods").
Source: Wikipedia.
Transylvania County Genealogy Resources
Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 2122
Asheville, NC 28802
Transylvania County Genealogical Society
189 West Main St
Brevard, NC 28712
(two driveways past the Brevard Post Office in a white two story farm house on left)
Transylvania Genealogical Society (Mailing Address)
P.O. Box 2347
Brevard, NC 28712
Hours of Operation
Wednesday: 3:00pm - 7:00pm
Additional hours to be announced
and by appointment
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Transylvania County Government
Transylvania County Government - Official Website
Register of Deeds
7 E Main St.
Brevard, NC 28712
Transylvania County Public Library
212 South Gaston Street
Brevard, North Carolina 28712
828-884-3151
* Monday (9:30-8:00)
* Tuesday (9:30-5:30)
* Wednesday (9:30-5:30)
* Thursday (9:30-8:00)
* Friday (9:30-5:30)
* Saturday (9:30-5:30)
* Sunday Closed
Effective July 1, 2009 the Rowell Bosse Local History Room is closed from 12-1 each weekday and all day on Saturday. Call the Local History Room at 884-3151, ext. 242 for more information.
Cities and Towns
- * Balsam Grove
- * Brevard
- * Pisgah Forest
- * Rosman
- Brevard (County Seat)
- Rosman
- Pisgah Forest
- Cedar Mountain
- Lake Toxaway
- Balsam Grove
Townships:
Brevard
Catheys Creek
Dunns Rock
Cedar Mountain
Lake Toxaway
Balsam Grove
Pisgah Forest
Rosman
Little River
Census
1900 Transylvania County Federal Census Images
Cemeteries
Query Forums
News related to Transylvania County, NC
History notes
Transylvania County (seat: Brevard) is a core research hub for families who lived, married, worshipped, or owned land in this part of the Mountains region of North Carolina.
Transylvania County sits in North Carolina’s mountain corridor, where Cherokee boundary history, gap roads, and later rail/tourism eras layer onto farm and valley communities. Formation in 1861 from Henderson, Jackson means many pre-1861 events live in parent counties—never search the modern map alone.
Neighboring counties—henderson,haywood,jackson,buncombe—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 1861.
Local history & events
- Appalachian Folk Festival brings history to life - The Transylvania Times
- Historic surf rescue reenactments return to Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station in Rodanthe on Thursday - Island Free Press
- Reenactors bring Revolutionary War history to life for July Fourth weekend - Watauga Democrat
- Hickory Ridge History Museum to celebrate Independence Day with several activities - The Daily Reflector
- State History Museums, Including Kenly Site, To Standardize Hours - JoCo Report
- Construction worker falls in downtown Raleigh at NC Museum of History site - WRAL
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 1861, search parent jurisdiction: Henderson, Jackson. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1861, search parent jurisdiction: Henderson, Jackson. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1861– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1861, search parent jurisdiction: Henderson, Jackson. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1861, search parent jurisdiction: Henderson, Jackson. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1861– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1861, search parent jurisdiction: Henderson, Jackson. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1861– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1861, search parent jurisdiction: Henderson, Jackson. |
| 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 | 1861– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1861, search parent jurisdiction: Henderson, Jackson. |
| 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
- Transylvania County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Transylvania 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 Transylvania 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 Transylvania 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 Brevard. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Transylvania County government
Public library: Transylvania County Library
If not found here, try…
- Formed 1861
- Parent / earlier jurisdiction Henderson, Jackson — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).
Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):