Wilson County Genealogy
- Formed 1855
- Parent county / earlier Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne
- County seat Wilson
- Neighbors edgecombe, nash, johnston, wayne, greene, pitt
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1855 from Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Wilson · Library: Wilson County Public Library.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Wilson County was formed in 1855 from Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne. The county seat is Wilson. Neighboring counties include edgecombe, nash, johnston, wayne, greene, pitt.
This hub combines a modern research floor—record matrix, towns, repositories, news—with local history narrative. Always search parent jurisdictions for pre-formation events.
Wilson County was formed in 1855 from parts of Edgcombe, Johnston, Nash and Wayne Counties. It was named for a Mexican American War veteran and state legislator from Edgecombe county, Colonel Louis Dicken Wilson. He died in Veracruz in 1847 of fever.
Wilson County is split into the following townships: Black Creek, Cross Roads, Gardners, Old Fields, Saratoga, Springhill, Stantonsburg, Taylors, Toisnot, and Wilson.
Source: Wikipedia.
Wilson County Genealogy Resources
Wilson County Genealogical Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 802
Wilson, NC 27894-0802
Black Creek Historical Society
P.O. Box 204
Black Creek, NC 27813
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Wilson County Government
Wilson County Government - Official Site
Wilson County Register Of Deeds
101 Goldsboro Street East
Wilson, NC 27893-4001
(252) 399-2935
P.O. Box 1728
Wilson, NC 27894
Ph: (252) 399-2935
Fx: (252) 399-2942
Hours
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday - Friday
Wilson County Public Library
249 Nash St. W.
Wilson, N.C. 27893
Mon. thru Wed. 9 AM till 9 PM
Thurs. thru Sat. 9 AM till 6 PM
Phone:
252-237-5355
Genealogy and Local History Room
Cities and Towns
- * Black Creek
- * Elm City
- * Lucama
- * Saratoga
- * Sims
- * Stantonsburg
- * Wilson
- Wilson (County Seat)
- Elm City
- Lucama
- Stantonsburg
- Black Creek
- Sims
Census
- 1860 Federal Census Transcription - Folder of text files - named by page number
- 1900 Federal Census Transcription - Home and Farm Ownership
Cemeteries
- USGS listing of cemeteries in Wilson County
- Cemetery Transcriptions
- Wilson County Cemetery Transriptions
- Wilson County Cemetery Census
Query Forums
News related to Wilson County, NC
History notes
Wilson County (seat: Wilson) 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.
Wilson County is part of North Carolina’s coastal plain documentary landscape—river towns, ports, agricultural belts, and free Black/plantation contexts. Formed in 1855 from Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne, early research often depends on parent counties and Albemarle or Cape Fear–era sources.
Neighboring counties—edgecombe,nash,johnston,wayne,greene,pitt—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 1855.
Local history & events
- County won’t buy Winstead Elementary - The Wilson Times
- One injured during Wilson County Fair fireworks incident; event ends early - FOX8 WGHP
- Liam Stribling Earns 2026 MLS NEXT All-Star Selection - Wilson County Source
- County tightening water restrictions - The Wilson Times
- Severe drought triggers fish kill at Lake Wilson. Conditions expected to worsen in coming weeks - WRAL
- It’s official: Marlin Fever is record-setting Big Rock champ - The Wilson Times
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 1855, search parent jurisdiction: Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1855, search parent jurisdiction: Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1855– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1855, search parent jurisdiction: Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1855, search parent jurisdiction: Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1855– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1855, search parent jurisdiction: Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1855– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1855, search parent jurisdiction: Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne. |
| 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 | 1855– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1855, search parent jurisdiction: Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, Wayne. |
| 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
- Wilson County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Wilson 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 Wilson 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 Wilson 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 Wilson. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: Wilson County Public Library