Yadkin County Genealogy
- Formed 1850
- Parent county / earlier Surry
- County seat Yadkinville
- Neighbors surry, forsyth, davie, iredell, wilkes
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1850 from Surry — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Yadkinville · Library: Northwestern Regional Library / Yadkin.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Yadkin County was formed in 1850 from Surry. The county seat is Yadkinville. Neighboring counties include surry, forsyth, davie, iredell, wilkes.
This hub combines a modern research floor—record matrix, towns, repositories, news—with local history narrative. Always search parent jurisdictions for pre-formation events.
Yadkin County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 36,348. Its county seat is Yadkinville.
The county was formed in 1850 from the part of Surry County south of the Yadkin River, for which it was named.
Yadkin County is part of the Yadkin Valley AVA, an American Viticultural Area recognized by the United States government as a unique grape-growing region. Wines made from grapes grown in this area may use the appellation "Yadkin Valley" on the label. Yadkin County is also home to the second North Carolina AVA, the Swan Creek Wine Region.
Yadkin County is covered by two community newspapers, The Yadkin Ripple and The Tribune of Elkin. The Winston-Salem Journal, a larger daily paper, also covers the county. Yadkin Valley Living, a bimonthy lifestyles publication, is based in East Bend.
WSGH, an AM Spanish contemporary station, broadcasts from eastern Yadkin County.
Yadkin County is part of the Piedmont Triad radio and television market but many broadcasts from the Charlotte market also can be received.
Some notable residents of Yadkin County:
* Leo Arnaud, French-born film composer.
* Thomas Lanier Clingman, U.S. senator and representative and Confederate brigadier general.
* Dickie Hemric, basketball star for Wake Forest and the Boston Celtics.
* Richmond Mumford Pearson, North Carolina Supreme Court chief justice, and his son, Richmond Pearson, a diplomat and U.S. representative.
* Richard Clauselle Puryear, U.S. congressman.
* Ernie Shore, a Major League baseball pitcher and former Forsyth County sheriff.
Source: Wikipedia.
Yadkin County Genealogy Resources
The Yadkin County Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 1250
Yadkinville, NC 27055
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Yadkin County Government
Yadkin County Government - Official Site
Yadkin County Register of Deeds
Location: Yadkin County Courthouse
Address:
Post Office Box 211
101 State Street
Yadkinville, North Carolina 27055
Phone: (336) 679-4225
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm
Northwestern Regional Library System - Serving Alleghany, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin Counties.
Yadkin County Public Library
233 East Main Street
PO Box 607
Yadkinville, North Carolina 27055
Voice: (336) 679-8792
Fax: (336) 679-4625
Email: ydk@nwrl.org
Monday
8:30 am - 6:30 pm
Tuesday
8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Wednesday
8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Thursday
8:30 am - 6:30 pm
Friday
8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Sunday
Closed
Cities and Towns
- * Boonville
- * East Bend
- * Jonesville
- * Yadkinville
- Yadkinville (County Seat)
- Jonesville
- Boonville
- East Bend
- Hamptonville
- Courtney
Townships:
* Boonville
* Deep Creek
* East Bend
* Forbush
* North Buck Shoals
* North Fall Creek
* North Knobs
* North Liberty
* South Buck Shoals
* South Fall Creek
* South Knobs
* South Liberty
Non-extant towns:
* Arlington, merged with Jonesville in 2001.
* Hamptonville, chartered in 1818.
* Huntsville, incorporated in 1792.
* Shore, incorporated from 1903-1911.
* Smithtown, incorporated in 1924.
Unincorporated Communities:
* Barney Hill
* Branon
* Buck Shoals
* Center
* Brooks' Crossroads
* Courtney
* Enon
* Flint Hill
* Footville
* Forbush
* Hamptonville
* Huntsville
* Lone Hickory
* Longtown
* Marler
* Richmond Hill
* Swan Creek
* Union Hill
* Windsor's Crossroads
* Wyo
Census
Cemeteries
- USGS listing of cemeteries in Yadkin County
- Cemetery Transcriptions
- Yadkin County Cemetery Transcriptions
- Yadkin County Cemetery Census
Query Forums
News related to Yadkin County, NC
History notes
Yadkin County (seat: Yadkinville) is a core research hub for families who lived, married, worshipped, or owned land in this part of the Piedmont region of North Carolina.
Yadkin 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 1850 from Surry, it rewards researchers who respect parent jurisdictions and neighbor FAN clubs.
Neighboring counties—surry,forsyth,davie,iredell,wilkes—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 1850.
Local history & events
- Two dead in crash at Yadkinville Park - The Daily Reflector
- The Yadkin Arts Council Awards Scholarships to Yadkin County High School Graduating Seniors, Class of 2026 - YES! Weekly
- Yadkin County deputies investigate possible child abuse after 1-year-old hospitalized - WXLV
- 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
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 1850, search parent jurisdiction: Surry. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1850, search parent jurisdiction: Surry. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1850– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1850, search parent jurisdiction: Surry. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1850, search parent jurisdiction: Surry. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1850– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1850, search parent jurisdiction: Surry. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1850– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1850, search parent jurisdiction: Surry. |
| 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 | 1850– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1850, search parent jurisdiction: Surry. |
| 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
- Yadkin County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Yadkin 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 Yadkin 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 Yadkin 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 Yadkinville. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: Northwestern Regional Library / Yadkin