In 2009, the WCGS published Wilson County’s Founding Families, a compilation of the 363 families with a sustained residence in the area that became Wilson County in 1855. The listings include the members of the households found in at least two consecutive census records between 1850 (in the parent counties of Wilson County) and 1870, extended to 1880 for African-Americans. Included is a description of each family unit with that surname, the townships in which the family lived, and when it could be determined, their origin, how and where they immigrated, and their arrival in North Carolina.

The material included in the family narratives is a compilation of census and marriage information supported by wills, land, and other court records. About seventy-five members and friends of the Wilson County Genealogical Society contributed the research of their family histories that has been included.  Most of the family descriptions compiled by the editors came from abstracts that have been published. Some information was found on the Internet. A diligent effort was made to be accurate; however, since the original records were not used and some data included was circumstantial, mistakes may have been made.

The following list of surnames have been confirmed as Founding Families of Wilson County and are included in the WCFF volume, which may be purchased online.

 

A – C D – H J – P R – Y
ADAMS
ALLEY
AMERSON
ANDERS
ANDERSON
APPLEWHITE
ARMSTRONG
ARRINGTON
ARTIS
ATKINSON
AUSTIN
AYCOCK
AYRES
BAGLEY
BAILEY
BAKER
BARBER
BARDIN
BAREFOOT
BARGHAM
BARHAM
BARNES
BARRON
BASS
BATCHELOR
BATTLE
BATTS
BEAMON
BECTON
BELAND
BELL
BENNETT
BENTON
BEST
BIGGS
BIRD
BLACKWELL
BLOUNT
BONE
BOON
BOSWELL
BOTTOMS
BOWDEN
BOYCE
BOYETTE
BOYKIN
BRANTLEY
BRASWELL
BREWER
BRIDGERS
BRIGGS
BRINKLEY
BROOKS
BROWN
BRYANT
BULLOCK
BUNN
BURNETT
BURRESS
BUTLER
BYNUM
CALLAGHAN
CAMPBELL
CARTER
CAWTHORN
CHEEKS
CHERRY
CHRISTMAN
CLARK
CLEMENTS
COBB
COGGINS
COLEMAN
COLSTON
CONDON
CONE
CONNER
COOK
COOPER
COPELAND
CORBETT
CORNISH
COTTEN
COX
CRAFTON
CRAPP
CREECH
CRUMPLER
CROMWELL
DALTON
DANCY
DANFORD
DANIEL
DARDEN
DAVIS
DAWSON
DEANS
DEW
DICKINSON
DILDAY
DIXON
DONNELL
DOWNING
DRAKE
DRAUGHN
DRIVER
DUNN
DUNSTON
EARP
EASON
EATMAN
EDMUNDSON
EDWARDS
ELLIS
EPPS
ETHERIDGE
EURE
EVANS
EVERETT
EXUM
FALKLAND
FARMER
FELTON
FELTS
FERRELL
FINCH
FITZGERALD
FLEMING
FLORA
FLOWERS
FORBES
FOUNTAIN
FOY
FRANKLIN
FREEMAN
FRIAR
FULGHAM
FULLER
GALLOWAY
GARDNER
GAY
GILL
GLEN
GODWIN
GRAVES
GRAY
GRIFFIN
GRIMES
GRIZELL
HACKNEY
HADLEY
HAGAN
HALES
HALL
HAMILTON
HAMMONS
HAMLET
HANES
HARDY
HARPER
HARRELL
HARRIS
HARRISON
HAWLEY
HAYES
HEARN
HEATH
HEGANS
HIGH
HILL
HILLIARD
HINES
HINNANT
HODGE
HOGG
HOCUTT
HOLLAND
HOLLERMAN
HOLT
HOOKS
HORN
HOWARD
HUNT
JACKSON
JENKINS
JOHNSON
JOHNSTON
JONES
JORDAN
JOYNER
KEEN
KENT
KERSEY
KING
KINGSMORE
KIRBY
KNIGHT
LAMM
LANCASTER
LANE
LASSATER
LAWRENCE
LEE
LEWIS
LILES
LINDSAY
LIPSCOMB
LOCUS
LODGE
LOVE
LUCAS
LYNCH
MADDREY
MANNING
MARSHALL
MARSHBOURN
MARSHMAN
MATHEWS
MATHIS
MATTOCKS
MAYO
MCGOWN
MCNAIR
MEEKS
MERCER
MERRITT
MILLER
MITCHELL
MOORE
MORDICA
MORGAN
MORRIS
MOYE
MUMFORD
MURRY
NADAL
NARRON
NEWSOME
NICHOLS
NEAL
NOLLY
ODOM
O’NEIL
OUTLAW
OVERMAN
OWENS
PAGE
PARISH
PARKER
PATE
PATTERSON
PEACOCK
PEARSON
PEEL/PEELE/PEELLE
PENDER
PERKINS
PERRY
PETTYFOOT
PETWAY
PITT
PITTMAN
POPE
PORTICE
POWELL
PRICE
PRIDGEN
PRIVETTE
PROCTOR
RANDOL
RAPER
RASBERRY
RAY
REASON
RENFROW
REVEL
RHODES
RICE
RICKS
RIVERS
ROBBINS
ROBINSON
ROGERS
ROSE
ROUNTREE
ROWE
RUFFIN
SANDERS
SANDERSON
SASSER
SAULS
SCARBOROUGH
SCOTT
SELBY
SHARP
SHAW
SHELTON
SHERARD
SHORT
SIMMS
SIMSON
SKINNER
SMILLY
SMITH
SPEIGHT
STALLINGS
STANCIL
STANTON
STEVENS
STOKES
STOTT
STRICKLAND
SUGG
SUGGS
SULLIVAN
SUMMERLIN
SWIFT
TABON
TATE
TAYLOR
TEDDER
THIGPEN
THOMAS
THOMPSON
THORN
THORNELL
TODD
TOMLINSON
TREVATHAN
TYSON
UZZELL
VALENTINE
VESTER
VICK
WALKER
WALSTON
WARD
WARREN
WASHINGTON
WATSON
WEAVER
WEBB
WELLS
WHEELER
WHITE
WHITEHEAD
WHITLEY
WIGGINS
WILDER
WILKINS
WILKINSON
WILLIAMS
WILLIAMSON
WILLIFORD
WILSON
WINBORN
WINSTEAD
WOMBLE
WOODARD
WOOTEN
WORRELL
WYATT
YELVERTON
YOUNG
Above photo: Smith Tobacco Warehouse, Wilson,  prior to demolition. The warehouse was built in 1928. © Copyright 2007 Krista Williamson. All Rights Reserved. See Wilson Warehouses, Empty of All but Memories, Becoming Memories Themselves.