Statewide Records: The first federal census was taken in 1790 and all of
North Carolina's enumerations survive except Caswell, Granville,
and Orange counties. The North Carolina State Archives
has either bound original copies or microfilm copies of the
extant federal censuses of North Carolina. The 1810 U.S. census of North Carolina is complete except
for Craven, Greene, New Hanover, and Wake counties. The 1820 census is missing Currituck, Franklin, Martin, Montgomery, Randolph, and Wake counties. Those schedules surviving for the 1890 population schedules
are South Point and River Ben townships in Gaston County and
Township No. 2 in Cleveland County.
Apparently there was no colonial census of North Carolina,
but tax records, used judiciously, may be substituted. A census
was conducted in 1775 by direction of the Continental Congress,
and the enumeration of Pitt County has survived. In 1784
the North Carolina General Assembly requested that a list of
inhabitants be taken. Age and sex categories for whites and
blacks are included. Compliance was slow and apparently incomplete,
with some counties not responding until 1786. There is some
evidence that another census was conducted in 1787; the so-called
1784–87 state census may be two censuses intermingled.
Additional portions of the 1784–87 censuses have been located
since the Register's publication
Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in the State of North Carolina are Industry and Agriculture Schedules which are availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.
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