Stokes County, North Carolina Genealogy

United States

North Carolina

Stokes County

Guide to Stokes 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: Danbury Organized: 1789 Parent County(s): Surry Neighboring Counties Forsyth • Guilford • Henry (VA) • Patrick (VA) • Rockingham • Surry • Yadkin See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

Stokes County is located in the northwestern portion of North Carolina and shares a border with Virginia. It was named for Captain John Stokes, a Revolutionary War officer and a member of the North Carolina House of Commons.

County Courthouse

Stokes County Courthouse
Hwy 89
Danbury, NC 27016
Phone: 336-593-2811
Stokes County Website

Register of Deeds has marriage and land records.
Clerk Superior Court has probate records.

Stokes 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	1790	1913	1782	1760	1753	1784
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1913. General compliance by 1920.

Record Loss

Some early records are missing. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see: Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle. When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog. Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. List of counties in the United States with Record Loss

Boundary Changes

1789 Stokes County was created from Surry County. County seat: Danbury 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
Danbury	King
Towns
Walnut Cove
Villages
Tobaccoville
Unincorporated communities
Aarons Corner Asbury Boyles Chapel Brook Cove Brown Mountain Campbell Capella Ceramic Chestnut Grove Collinstown Dalton Delta	Dillard Dodgetown Flat Rock Flat Shoals Francisco Gap Hartman Lawsonville Meadows Moores Springs Mountain View	Mount Olive Neatman Oak Ridge Pine Hall Poplar Springs Prestonville Quaker Gap Rosebud Sandy Ridge Volunteer Westfield
Census-designated places
Germanton	Pinnacle
Townships
Beaver Island Big Creek Danbury	Meadows Peters Creek Quaker Gap	Sauratown Snow Creek Yadkin

Resources

Bible Records

• Bible Records at North Carolina Digital Archives - index and image
• Stokes County, NC Bibles at USGenWeb Archives

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Stokes 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.	%±
1790	8,423	—
1800	11,026	30.9%
1810	11,645	5.6%
1820	14,033	20.5%
1830	16,196	15.4%
1840	16,265	0.4%
1850	9,206	−43.4%
1860	10,402	13.0%
1870	11,208	7.7%
1880	15,353	37.0%
1890	17,199	12.0%
1900	19,866	15.5%
1910	20,151	1.4%
1920	20,575	2.1%
1930	22,290	8.3%
1940	22,656	1.6%
1950	21,520	−5.0%
1960	22,314	3.7%
1970	23,782	6.6%
1980	33,086	39.1%
1990	37,223	12.5%
2000	44,712	20.1%
2010	47,401	6.0%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records

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

Baptist

• Belew's Creek. Constituted 1781.
• Soapstone Creek. Constituted 1779.

Dunker

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

Lutheran

• Nazareth Church aka Old Dutch Meeting House. Organized about 1778 by German settlers. Previously located in Surry and currently situated in Forsyth.

Moravian

• Friedberg Church. Begun 1759; organized 1773. Formerly located in Surry and presently situated in Forsyth.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Court Records

• 1782-1942 North Carolina, Stokes County, Civil Action Papers, 1782-1942(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1790-1800 Minutes, 1790-1800(*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1790-1868 Jury Records, 1790-1868(*); Superior, County and Open Court, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1790-1940 Minutes of Stokes County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1790-1868; and Superior Court Minutes, 1878-1940(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1794-1931 Lunacy Records, 1794-1931(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1798-1911 Military Correspondence, Pension, Court/Government Related Papers, 1798-1911(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1869-1952 Orders and Decrees of Court, 1869-1952(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1914-1965 Record of Accounts of the Court, 1914-1965(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1813. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1814. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1815. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1816. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1817. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1818. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1819. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1820. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1821. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1822. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Stokes County, North Carolina, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions : Transcript of Court Minutes; 1823. By Hallecook, Deborah J. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

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

• Burroughs Funeral Home in Walnut Cove.
• Colonial Funeral Home in Sandy Ridge.
• Slate Funeral Home in King.

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
• 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

• 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 and 1901 1885 and 1901 Confederate Pension Applications at North Carolina Digital Collections - index & images
• 1885-1953 North Carolina, Confederate Soldiers and Widows Pension Applications, 1885-1953 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Regiments. Men in Stokes 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 Stokes County:

- 2nd Battalion, North Carolina Infantry

- 4th Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry and Infantry) (Confederate). Company H.

- 23rd Battalion, Virginia Infantry Reserves (Confederate). Company H.

- 2nd Battalion, North Carolina Infantry, Company A

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

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

- 7th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, William H Watt's Company

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
• 1800s-Current Nebraska, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Other Records

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)
• 1753-1971 Probate Records (Stokes County, North Carolina), 1753-1971 ; Indexes 1753-1965(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry ($)
• 1775-1971 Wills and Estate Papers (Stokes County, North Carolina), 1775-1971(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1790 Pre-1790 Stokes County, North Carolina Genealogy Wills (North Carolina State Archives)
• 1790-1809 Inventories, 1790-1809(*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1792-1864 Images of Wills, Inventories, Estates, Vol. 1, 1792-1800; Vol. 2, 1801-1816; Vol. 3, 1817-1837; Vol. 4, 1837-1864. North Carolina Pioneers ($)
• 1792-1865 Will Books 1 to 5 (1792-1865) at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
• Stokes County, North Carolina Will Abstracts, Volumes I & II (1790-1816). By Mrs. W. O. Absher, Mrs. Robert K. Hayes. Stokes County, North Carolina : Stokes County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

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 & images
• 1763-1868 North Carolina, Civil Marriages, 1763-1868 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images  

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 Stokes 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

• Caswell North Carolina FamilySearch Center
• Eden North Carolina FamilySearch Center
• Mount Airy North Carolina FamilySearch Center

Libraries

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

Museums

Bassett Historical Center
3964 Fairystone Park Highway
Bassett, VA 24055
Phone: 276-629-9191
Email: bhcenter3964@gmail.com
Facebook
Website

Resource for family history research in Henry, Patrick, Floyd, Franklin and Pittsylvania counties in Virginia; the city of Martinsville, Virginia; and Rockingham, Stokes and Surry counties in North Carolina.

Societies

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

Rockingham-Stokes Counties Genealogical Society
PO Box 152
Mayodan, NC 27027-0152
Facebook
Website

Stokes County Historical Society
403 Main St
PO Box 304
Danbury, NC 27016-0304
Email: stokescountyhistoricalsociety@yahoo.com
Facebook
Website

Websites

• Piedmont Trails - Piedmont Trails offers detailed history of Stokes County by offering data on early settlers, genealogy records, etc. Personal collection, maps and documents.
• 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.

Research Guides

• Sweeney, Alice J. "Bassett Historical Center," The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 28, No. 4 (Aug. 2002):1-3. Available at FS Library; digital version at Virginia Genealogical Society website.