Buncombe County Obituary and Vital Records

Searching for Buncombe County obituary records places you at the center of Western North Carolina's richest genealogical resources. The Buncombe County Register of Deeds in Asheville holds death records from 1913, birth records from 1887, and marriage records from 1842. The Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society adds thousands of books and compiled records to the research environment. This guide covers every major source for Buncombe County obituary and death record research.

Buncombe County Register of Deeds Obituary and Death Records

The Buncombe County Register of Deeds in Asheville is the primary repository for vital records in Western North Carolina's largest county. Death records are available from 1913 onward, birth records from 1887, and marriage records from 1842. Land records extend to 1791, the year the county was formed from Burke and Rutherford counties. Together these collections form a broad base for Buncombe County obituary research.

Certified death certificate copies cost $10 each. NCGS 130A-93 restricts certified copies to eligible parties such as the registrant's immediate family, legal representatives, and others with a tangible interest. Researchers without that standing can request informational copies. The office at 69 Court Plaza Run Suite 110 in Asheville is open during regular business hours.

The Register of Deeds website at buncombecounty.org provides guidance on requesting records and the forms needed for different types of requests. Online searching is available for some record types. For older or more specialized records, in-person visits remain the most effective approach.

Note: The Buncombe County Register of Deeds observes state holidays, so confirm office hours before making a special trip to Asheville for obituary or death record research.

Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society Obituary Resources

The Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society is one of the premier genealogical organizations in Western North Carolina. Based in Asheville, OBCGS maintains a library of more than 10,000 books covering Western NC genealogy, family histories, county records, cemetery transcriptions, and compiled obituary indexes. This collection is an outstanding resource for anyone researching Buncombe County obituary and death records beyond the official vital records system.

OBCGS is located at 128 Bingham Road, Suite 950, Asheville, NC 28806. The society publishes research guides and offers help from experienced volunteers. Members have compiled indexes of local newspaper obituaries, cemetery inscriptions from dozens of Buncombe County burial grounds, and church records from congregations throughout the region. These finding aids significantly reduce search time.

The OBCGS website at obcgs.com gives a sense of the library holdings and membership options. Visiting in person allows direct access to the book collection and the expertise of society members who know Buncombe County genealogy deeply.

Research through OBCGS often turns up obituary information that does not appear anywhere in the official death record system. Family history books, church membership rolls, and compiled cemetery surveys held here provide additional confirmation of death dates, burial locations, and surviving family members for Buncombe County decedents.

The image below shows the Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society, which holds one of the finest genealogical libraries in Western North Carolina for obituary and death record research.

OBCGS is a uniquely valuable supplement to the official records held at the Buncombe County Register of Deeds and the NC State Archives.

Note: OBCGS library hours and access policies may differ from the Register of Deeds, so check their website or call ahead before visiting.

Buncombe County History and Death Record Context

Buncombe County was formed in 1791 from Burke and Rutherford counties. Asheville became a mountain resort destination in the nineteenth century, drawing visitors from across the South and giving the county a more cosmopolitan character than many rural NC counties of the era. This history shaped the record-keeping environment in ways that benefit obituary researchers today.

Asheville newspapers began publishing in the early nineteenth century. The Asheville Citizen-Times has deep historical roots and its archives carry obituary notices stretching back generations. These newspaper obituaries often include richer family detail than the corresponding death certificate. Finding the obituary to accompany the official death record gives a more complete picture of the deceased's life in Buncombe County.

Mountain communities throughout Buncombe County maintained their own church records, often in German Reformed, Baptist, and Presbyterian traditions. Some of these records survive and have been microfilmed by the LDS Family History Library, which makes copies available through local Family History Centers. The OBCGS library holds many of these microfilmed records as well.

Buncombe County Newspaper Obituary Archives

The Asheville Citizen-Times is the primary newspaper of record for Buncombe County obituaries. Published continuously since the 1800s, its obituary columns document generations of Asheville and Western NC residents. Current obituaries appear on the newspaper's website. Historical issues are accessible on microfilm at Pack Square Library in Asheville and through online newspaper archive services.

DigitalNC at digitalnc.org has digitized selected issues of Western NC newspapers. Searching the platform by surname or place name can surface obituary notices that might otherwise require page-by-page microfilm research. The NC Newspaper Project has worked to identify and preserve all known North Carolina newspaper titles, including those from Buncombe County.

Genealogists working with Buncombe County obituary records often find that OBCGS compiled newspaper indexes cover the gaps between digitized runs of the Asheville Citizen-Times. These indexes, organized by surname, make searching straightforward when you have a specific name in mind.

State Archives and NC Vital Records for Buncombe County Obituaries

The North Carolina Vital Records office in Raleigh holds death records for all counties including Buncombe. Certified copies from the state office follow the same fee structure as the county office and are subject to the same eligibility rules under NCGS 130A-93. Mail and online requests are accepted. The state office also administers delayed death registration under NCGS 130A-115 for deaths that were never properly registered at the time they occurred in Buncombe County.

The NC State Archives holds pre-registration death-related records for Buncombe County. Wills, estate files, and probate records from the county's early history are available in the archives reading room in Raleigh. Some materials have been microfilmed and digitized. The NC State Archives online catalog at archives.ncdcr.gov lets you search finding aids before visiting.

For deaths occurring before 1887 in Buncombe County, the State Archives and OBCGS library together represent the strongest research combination available.

Nearby Counties

Buncombe County is surrounded by other mountain counties in Western North Carolina. If an ancestor moved or lived near a county boundary, check neighboring counties for additional obituary and death records.