Forsyth County, North Carolina Genealogy

United States

North Carolina

Forsyth County

Guide to Forsyth County, North Carolina ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

North Carolina Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Winston-Salem Organized: January 16, 1849 Parent County(s): Stokes Neighboring Counties Davidson • Davie • Guilford • Rockingham • Stokes • Surry • Yadkin See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

Forsyth County is located in the central portion of North Carolina and was named for Colonel Benjamin Forsyth, a state legislator who fought and died in the War of 1812.

County Courthouse

Forsyth County Courthouse
102 W 3rd Street
PO Box 20639
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 316-727-2903
Forsyth County Website

Register of Deeds has birth, marriage and death records.
Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records from 1849.

Forsyth County, North Carolina Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1913	1849	1913	1848	1849	1849	1784
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1913. General compliance by 1920.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

1849 Forsyth County was created 16 January 1849 from Stokes County. County seat: Winston-Salem North Carolina Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county North Carolina Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating North Carolina county boundary changes

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Cities
High Point	King	Winston-Salem
Towns
Bethania Kernersville	Lewisville Rural Hall	Walkertown
Villages
Clemmons	Tobaccoville
Unincorporated communities
Belews Creek Donnaha Dozier	Pfafftown Seward Stanleyville	Union Cross Vienna
Census-designated places
Germanton
Townships
Abbotts Creek Belews Creek Bethania Broadbay Clemmonsville	Kernersville Lewisville Middle Fork I Middle Fork II Old Richmond	Old Town Salem Chapel South Fork Vienna Winston
Historic communities
Middle Fork	Bethabara Historic District

Resources

Bible Records

• Bible Records at NCGenWeb
• Bible Records at North Carolina Digital Archives - index & images

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Forsyth County, North Carolina online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Findagrave.com NCGenWeb NCGenWeb Archives Tombstone Project North Carolina Cemeteries BillionGraves
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com BillionGraves FamilySearch Places
See North Carolina Cemeteries for more information

• North Carolina, Historical Records Survey, Cemetery Inscription Card Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images Also at: Ancestry ($)

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	11,168	—
1860	12,692	13.6%
1870	13,050	2.8%
1880	18,070	38.5%
1890	28,434	57.4%
1900	35,261	24.0%
1910	47,311	34.2%
1920	77,269	63.3%
1930	111,681	44.5%
1940	126,475	13.2%
1950	146,135	15.5%
1960	189,428	29.6%
1970	214,348	13.2%
1980	243,683	13.7%
1990	265,878	9.1%
2000	306,067	15.1%
2010	350,670	14.6%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records

• 1700-1970 North Carolina, Church Records, 1700-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Dunker

• Fraternity Church of the Brethren, near Clemmons, N.C. Established about 1775. Previously located in Surry and Stokes counties.

Lutheran

• Nazareth Church aka Old Dutch Meeting House Organized about 1778 by German settlers. Formerly located in Surry and Stokes counties.

Moravian

• Friedberg Church Begun 1759; organized 1773. Formerly located in Surry and Stokes counties.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Court Records

• 1849-1868 Trial Minute Docket, 1849-1868(*); Court of Equity HERE at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1849-1968 Miscellaneous Index, 1849-1968(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1874-1879 Bastardy Bonds, 1874-1879(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1891-1949 Petitions to Change Names (Forsyth County, North Carolina), 1891-1949(*); Clerk of the Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories

• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

• 1862-1870 North Carolina, Freedmen's Bureau Assistant Commissioner Records, 1862-1870 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1863-1872 North Carolina, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1863-1872 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Funeral Homes

Winston-Salem

• Affordable Cremations of Winston-Salem in Winston-Salem.
• Carolina Cremation Center in Winston-Salem.
• Clark S. Brown and Sons Funeral Home in Winston-Salem.
• Cumby Family Funeral Service in High Point.
• Damien C Shell Funeral Service Practitioner in Kernersville.
• Davidson Funeral Home in Winston-Salem.
• Douthit Funeral Services in Winston-Salem.
• Frank Vogler and Sons in Clemmons.
• Gilmore Memorial Funeral Services in Winston-Salem.
• Hayworth-Miller Funeral Homes and Crematory in Kernersville, Lewisville, Rural Hall and Winston-Salem.
• Hooper Funeral Home and Cremation in Winston-Salem.
• J. C. Green and Sons Funeral Home in Winston-Salem.
• Johnson and Sons Funeral Home, Inc. in High Point.
• Lambert Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Clemens.
• People's Funeral and Cremation Service in High Point.
• Phillips Funeral Service, Inc. in High Point.
• Pierce-Jefferson Funeral and Cremation Services in Kernersville.
• Roberts Funeral Service in Winston-Salem.
• Russell Funeral Home, Inc. in Winston-Salem.
• Salem Funeral and Cremation Services in Winston-Salem.
• Sechrest-Davis Funerals and Cremations in High Point.
• Slate Funeral Home in King.
• Twin City Cremations and Funeral Services in Winston-Salem.

Land and Property Records

Online Land Indexes and Records

• North Carolina Land Grants at NC Historical Records Online - index, requires free account to view images
• Deeds: 1849-1965, Forsyth County Register of Deeds online search.
• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Forsyth County Maps (NC Maps project)
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

Revolutionary War

• 1778-1833 Delamar Transcripts of Revolutionary War Petitions at North Carolina Genealogical Society - index ($)
• 1779-1782 North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers 1779-1782 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Civil War

• 1861-1865 North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1861-1865 North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
• 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
• 1885-1953 North Carolina, Confederate Soldiers and Widows Pension Applications, 1885-1953 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1885 and 1901 1885 and 1901 Confederate Pension Applications at North Carolina Digital Collections - index & images

Regiments. Men in Forsyth County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Forsyth County:

- 2nd Battalion, North Carolina Infantry

- 2nd Battalion, North Carolina Infantry, Company G

- 4th Battalion, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company B

- 7th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Captain Eli E Holland's Company

- 7th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Captain George F Fisher's Company

- 7th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company B

World War I

• 1914-1918 World War I Papers at North Carolina Digital Collections - index & images
• 1917-1919 North Carolina, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War II

• 1939-1945 World Ward II Papers at North Carolina Digital Collections - index & images
• 1940-1948 North Carolina, Discharge and Statement of Service Records, 1940-1948 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Newspapers

• North Carolina Newspapers at DigitalNC
• 1799-1893 Forsyth County marriages. May be included throughout Carrie Broughton's 6-volume index of the Raleigh Register & State Gazette newspaper (1799-1893). Marriages are listed by year and PDF files are searchable. Available on the North Carolina Digital Collections website.
• Forsyth County newspapers. Listing of newspapers published in the county & libraries that hold them. (Library of Congress)
• Forsyth County residents in the newspaper. Name listing of people from the county as located in misc. newspaper articles; time span varies. Articles indexed in the NC People in the Papers database.
• Forsyth County deaths. County area deaths reported in various newspapers; dates range from late 1700s to 1900s.
• 1800s-Current Nebraska, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Obituaries

• Misc. Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Other Records

County Records

• 1833-1970 North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; random records; index & images. (incomplete); Also at: Ancestry ($)

Voter Registration

• 1868-1898 North Carolina, Voter Registration Records, 1868-1898 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Probate Records

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1660-1790 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry ($)
• 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - index & images
• 1663-1979 North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry ($)
• 1720-1960 Will Books A to F and 1 to 8 (1720-1960) at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
• 1735-1970 North Carolina Probate Records 1735-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
• 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry ($)
• 1763-1968 North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; random records; index & images. (incomplete); Also at: Ancestry ($)
• 1833-1969 North Carolina, Forsyth County, Wills, 1833-1969(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1833-1969 Probate Records (Forsyth County, North Carolina), 1833-1969(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1842-1932 Will Books (1842-1932) at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
• 1842-1969 Record of Wills, 1842-1932; Index to Wills, Devisor, 1849-1969; Devisee, 1849-1969(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1849-1868 Inventories of Estates, 1849-1868(*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1849-1968 Appointments of Executors, Administrators, Guardians, 1868-1898, 1923-1928; Index to Administrators, Executors, Guardians, 1849-1968(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1868-1907 Record of Settlements, 1868-1907(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1868-1932 Record of Accounts, 1868-1878, 1882-1932(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1875-1903 Guardian Bonds, 1875-1903(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1882-1893 Administrators' Bonds, 1882-1893(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1946-1953 Guardian Bonds, 1946-1953(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• North Carolina Probate Records tips
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

School Records

Yearbooks

• Wake Forest University: 1903-2008
• Wake Forest University School of Medicine Yearbooks: 1943-2011
• Salem College: 1902-1983
• Forsyth County students at North Carolina colleges. Yearbook Index. (NCGenWeb)

Social Security Records

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Vital Records

• 1800-2000 North Carolina, Department of Archives and History, Index to Vital Records, 1800-2000 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Birth

• 1800-2000 North Carolina Birth Index 1800-2000 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1866-1964 North Carolina Births and Christenings 1866-1964 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1913-1922 North Carolina, Center for Health Statistics, Vital Records Unit, County Birth Records, 1913-1922 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

• 1700-Onward North Carolina Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1741-2004 North Carolina, United States Marriages at Findmypast
• 1741-2004 North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004 at Ancestry $
• 1759-1979 North Carolina Marriages 1759-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1762-1979 North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and imag
• 1763-1868 North Carolina, Civil Marriages, 1763-1868 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• Forsyth County Marriages (USGenWeb Archives)

Death

• 1898-1994 North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1906-1930 North Carolina Deaths 1906-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;index & images Also at: MyHeritage ($)
• 1908-2004 North Carolina Death Indexes 1908-2004 at Ancestry $
• 1909-1975 North Carolina Death Certificates 1909-1975 at Ancestry $
• 1931-1994 North Carolina Deaths 1931-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Divorce

• 1926-1975 North Carolina, County Divorce Records, 1926-1975 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1958-2004 North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Forsyth County. For state-wide archival repositories, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

• FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
• FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
  

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• Elon North Carolina FamilySearch Center
• Greensboro North Carolina FamilySearch Center
• North Wilkesboro North Carolina FamilySearch Center
• Statesville North Carolina FamilySearch Center
• Winston-Salem North Carolina FamilySearch Center

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Forsyth County. For state-wide library facilities, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.

North Carolina Collection
Forsyth County Public Library, Central Library
660 W Fifth St
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-703-3070
Website

Societies

Listed below are societies in Forsyth County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see North Carolina Societies.

Forsyth County Genealogical Society
PO Box 30187
Winston-Salem, NC 27130-0187
Email: forsythgensoc@gmail.com
Facebook
Website

Websites

• NCGenWeb: Forsyth County - part of the USGenWeb Project
• FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.