
Another type of genealogy record that provides tremendous value is tax records. Like city directories and voting registers, they provide information for us between federal censuses. They also can go back to colonial times.
Types of Taxes
- Income tax
- Federal direct tax
- Poll or head tax
- Real property, e.g., land
- Personal property, e.g., livestock, equipment, carriages, enslaved persons
- Other, such as special levies for roads, schools, etc.
Types of Information
- Date
- Residence address; property, license, or goods; value; tax amount; possibly profession, occupation, or trade
- Name of taxpayer, usually white adult males
- Town/township/city, county, and state of residence
- Owner and/or renter of the property
- Number of white adult males in the home
- Type and value of property
- Livestock owned
- Personal property owned
- Amount of tax owed
- Profession, occupation, or trade
- Number of school-aged children
- Number of enslaved persons
Derivative information, such as birth date, death date, and date of marriage can often be estimated or determined from the presence or absence of a person in a tax list.
Good primers regarding the genealogical value of tax records and more details can be found in these articles:
- The Genealogical Benefits of Tax Records
- Using Poll Tax Records for Genealogy
- Genealogy 101: Tax Records
- Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 1
- Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 2
- Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 3
- United States Taxation
- The Value of Using US Tax Records in Genealogy Research
Note: Some of the links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage, please make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
(Updated December 2022)
Listed below are links to tax records that are available for free online for the state:
- Alamance County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1924-1963
- Albemarle County, Tax Lists
- Alleghany County, Tax, Election and Road Records, 1848-1913
- Alleghany County, Tax, Election and Road Records, 1848-1913
- Anson County, Tax Lists
- Anson County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1920-1962
- Anson County, Tax Cards, 1961
- Ashe County, Tax Lists
- Beaufort County Tax List, 1755
- Beaufort County Tax Lists, 1779-1927
- Beaufort County, Tax Lists
- Beaufort County, Tax Record
- Beaufort County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1920-1960
- Beaufort County, Tax Lists, 1832-1852
- Bertie County, Confederate Tax Census for 1862
- Bertie County, Tax Lists
- Bertie County, Tax Record
- Bladen County Tax List, 1763
- Bladen County, Tax List, 1784
- Bladen County, Tax List, 1883-1899
- Brunswick County, Taxpayer Lists
- Brunswick County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1924-1963
- Brunswick County, Tax Scrolls, 1873-1925
- Burke County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1924-1963
- Burke County, Levies on Land for Taxes, 1867-1888
- Burke County, Record of Land Sold for Taxes, 1931-1941
- Bute County, Tax Records, 1765-1778
- Cabarrus County, Tax Scrolls, 1872-1900, 1905, 1915
- Caldwell County, List of Taxables, 868
- Camden County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1923-1960
- Camden County, Orphans Accounts, 1800-1809
- Camden County, Tax Scrolls, 1872-1893
- Carteret County, Tax Lists
- Carteret County, Tax Records, 1879-1880
- Caswell County, Federal Tax Lien Index, 1935-1963
- Caswell County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1923-1963
- Caswell County, List of Taxables, 1777-1867
- Caswell County, Tax Lists, 1777, 1780 and 1784
- Catawba County, List of Taxables, 1843-1868
- Chatham County, Tax Lists
- Chatham County, Commissioners Ledgers, 1878-1909
- Chatham County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1923-1959
- Cherokee County, Tax Records, 1870-1946
- Chowan County, Taxables
- Chowan County, Taxables, 1717-1909
- Cleveland County, Tax Record
- Cleveland County, Record of Taxes, 1840-1857
- Cleveland County, Tax Records, 1823-1896
- Columbus County, Poll Tax Records, 1910-1916
- Craven County Tax List, 1779
- Craven County, Tax Lists
- Craven County, Tax List, 1829-1888
- Cumberland County, Miscellaneous Records
- Cumberland County, Tax Lists
- Cumberland County, Tax Record
- Cumberland County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1921-1962
- Cumberland County, List of Taxables, 1777-1884
- Currituck County Tax Lists, Voters Lists and Census Records
- Currituck County, Miscellaneous Records, 1787-1914
- Currituck County, Tax Lists
- Davidson County, Miscellaneous Records, 1822-1946
- Davidson County, Tax Lists
- Davie County, Tax Records (Davie County, 1838-1905
- Dobbs County, Tax Lists
- Dobbs County, Tax Lists
- Dobbs County, List of Taxables, 1780
- Dobbs County, Tax List, 1769
- Duplin County, Miscellaneous Record, 1754-1947
- Duplin County, Tax Lists, 1811-1817
- Duplin County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1919-1961
- Duplin County, Tax Lists, 1783-1817
- Duplin County, Tax Lists, 1786-1838
- Durham County, Tax Scroll, 1882-1902
- Edgecombe County, Poll Tax Records, [1901], 1907-1910
- Edgecombe County, Tax List of the city of Tarboro, 1896-1897
- Edgecombe County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1920-1961
- Franklin County Poll Tax Records, 1902-1904
- Franklin County, 1815 Tax List
- Franklin County, Assessment of Land for Taxation 1859-1868
- Franklin County, Orphans Accounts, Widows Settlements, 1787-1796, 1814; Lists of Taxables 1798
- Franklin County, Record of Land Sold for Taxes, 1926-1933
- Franklin County, Tax List, 1915, 1925
- Gaston County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1923-1959
- Gaston County, Tax Records, 1851-1902
- Gates County, Tax Lists
- Gates County, Federal Tax Lien Index, 1950-1964
- Gates County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1923-1964
- Gates County, Tax Lists, 1784-1935
- Granville County Tax List, 1755
- Granville County, Miscellaneous Records
- Granville County, Tax Lists
- Granville County, Tax Lists
- Granville County, Federal Tax Lien Index, 1925-1961
- Granville County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1923-1950
- Granville County, Poll Tax Records, 1902
- Granville County, Tax Lists, 1755-1935
- Greene County, Tax Lists
- Greene County, Tax Records, 1875-1924
- Halifax County, Tax Lists for years 1782 and 1790
- Halifax County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1920-1963
- Halifax County, Lists of Taxables, 1784-1834, 1863
- Halifax County, Tax Scrolls, 1915-1935
- Haywood County, Tax List, 1866-1868
- Hertford County, Tax Lists
- Hertford County, Inheritance Tax Collection Records, 1920-1963
- Hertford County, Records of Taxes for mortgages, 1931-1934
- Hertford County, Tax Lists 1782-1866
- Hyde County, Tax Lists
- Hyde County, Tax Lists
- Hyde County, List of Taxables, 1837-1868
- Hyde County, Tax Records, 1740-1936
- Iredell County, Land Valuation for Direct Taxes, 1800
- Johmston County, Tax Lists
- Johnston County, Tax Lists, 1809-1915
- Jones County, Tax Lists
- Jones County, Inheritance Tax and Tax Lists, 1779, 1924-1964
- Lenoir County, Tax Lists
- Lincoln County, Probate Records, 1831-1964
- Lincoln County, Tax Records, 1868-1924
- Lincoln County, Tax Records, 1868-1924
- Lincoln County, Official bonds, 1874-1921
- Lincoln County, Tax Lists, 1784-1886
- Macon County, Tax Record
- Martin County, Tax Lists
- Martin County, Tax Scrolls, Inheritance Tax and Federal Tax Liens Records, 1885-1963
- McDowell County, Tax Records 1839-1927
- Mecklenburg County, Rural Directory with Approximate Tax Returns
- Mitchell County, Tax Records, 1873-1911
- Montgomery County, Tax Lists
- Montgomery County, Federal Tax Lien Index, 1925-1964
- Montgomery County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1923-1964
- Montgomery County, List of Taxables, 1782
- Montgomery County, Tax List, 1843-1846
- Montgomery County, Tax Lists, 1872-1916
- Moore County, Tax Lists
- Nash County, 1782 Tax List
- Nash County, Tax Lists
- Nash County, Tax Records ,1788-1875
- New Bern, Taxable Property, 1816-1819
- New Hanover County, Tax Lists, 1856-1925
- North Carolina, Internal Revenue Assessment List, 1864-1866
- North Carolina, Tax Lists and Records (by county)
- North Carolina, Tax Lists of Various Counties
- North Carolina, Tax Lists of Various Counties
- Northampton County, List of Taxables, 1823-1851
- Northampton County, Tax Records, 1784-1879
- Onslow County Tax List, 1769
- Onslow County, Tax Lists
- Onslow County, Tax Lists, 1769-1912
- Orange County, Tax Lists
- Orange County, Tax Lists
- Orange County, Federal Tax Lien Index, 1928-1962
- Orange County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1923-1962; Record of Inheritance Tax Collections , 1921-1923
- Orange County, Poll Tax Register, 1902-1914
- Pasquotank County, Tax Lists, 1735-1904
- Perquimans County, Tax Lists
- Perquimans County, Tax Lists
- Perquimans County, Tax Receipts, 1875
- Perquimans County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1923-1959
- Perquimans County, Tax Records, 1795-1868
- Perquimas County, Tax Lists
- Person County, Tax Lists
- Person County, School Records 1832-1868
- Person County, Tax Lists 1792-1886, 1915, 1925
- Person County, Will, Inventories and Taxables, 1792-1876
- Pitt County, Tax Lists
- Pitt County, Tax Lists
- Pitt County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1923-1963
- Pitt County, Miscellaneous Papers, 1762-1851
- Pitt County,List of Taxables, 1762
- Raleigh City Tax Lists, 1890-1895
- Randolph County, 1815 Tax List
- Randolph County, 1820 Tax List
- Randolph County, Index to federal Tax Liens, 1933-1964
- Randolph County, Tax Record
- Randolph County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1923-1964
- Randolph County, Land Entries, 1783-1795; Lists of Taxables, 1779
- Randolph County, Taxables 1784-1866, 1884
- Richmond County, Tax List of 1915
- Richmond County, Tax Lists
- Richmond County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1923-1964
- Richmond County, List of Taxables, 1790, 1793-1812
- Richmond County, Sheriff’s Tax Book, 1792-1793
- Rockingham County, Federal Tax Lien Index, vols. 1-2, 1924-1965
- Rockingham County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1922-1965
- Rockingham County, Tax Records, 1857-1915
- Rowan County, Historical Records
- Rowan County, List of Taxable Property, 1778
- Rowan County, Miscellaneous Records
- Rowan County, Tax Lists
- Rowan County, Tax Record
- Rowan County, County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions Minutes, 1753-1868
- Rowan County, Federal Tax Lien Index, 1925-1962
- Rowan County, Historical Records kept by Register of Deeds
- Rowan County, Tax Lists, 1802-1807; Land Entries, 1778-1795
- Rowan County, Tax Records, 1758-1892
- Rowan County, Taxables, 1814
- Rutherford County, 1790 Census and 1782 Tax List
- Rutherford County, Federal Tax Lien Index, 1926-1949
- Sampson County, Tax List, 1877-1893
- Stanly County, Poll Tax Records, 1912-1918
- Stanly County, Tax Lists, 1841-1869
- Stokes County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1964-1965
- Stokes County, Tax Records, 1790-1945
- Surrey County, An Alphabetical List of Taxable Property, 1790-1800
- Surry and Wilkes Counties, Taxables, 1771-1800
- Surry County, Federal Tax Liens, Index, 1928-1963
- Surry County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1923-1963
- Surry County, Tax Lists, 1815-1866; List of Taxables and Sheriff’s Accounts, 1789- 1795
- Surry County, Wills,Inventories & Settlements of Estates, 1777-1796; Land Entries, 1778-1795; Lists of Taxables, 1771-1772, 1782
- Tarboro, Tax Lists of Property, 1896-1897
- Transylvania County, Tax Scrolls, 1876-1905
- Tyrrell County, Tax Lists
- Tyrrell County, Tax Lists, 1877-1901, 1915
- Union County, Tax Lists
- United States Internal Revenue Assessment Lists, 1862-1874
- Wake County, Record of Federal Direct Taxes Collected, 1865
- Wake County, List of Persons Paying Poll Tax 1891-1918
- Wake County, Tax Records, 1781-1939
- Warren County, Notice of Tax Lien, 1926-1964
- Warren County, Tax Lists
- Warren County, Tax Record
- Warren County, Land Sold for Taxes, 1931; Tax Liens, 1933-1934
- Warren County, Tax List 1779-1915
- Watauga County, Tax Records, 1873-1936
- Wayne County, Federal Tax Lien Index, 947-1965
- Wayne County, Tax Lists
- Wayne County, Tax Record
- Wayne County, Inheritance Tax Collections, 1914-1965
- Wayne County, Tax Records, 1780-1920
- Wilkes County Tax List, 1782
- Wilkes County Tax List, 1782
- Wilkes County, Wills, Deeds, Tax Lists
- Wilkes County, Inheritance Tax Record, 1919-1964
- Wilkes County, Record of Sale of Land for Taxes, 1870-1887
- Wilkes County, Tax List, 1904
- Wilkes County, Tax Records, 1778-1908
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