Return to Currituck Co.

The first white settlement in North Carolina prior to 1700 began about 1660 in the Chowan area of Albemarle sound. It is generally thought that people from the Virginia Colony moved south to form this first settlement.

The first charter for land and governance in this area was made in 1663. By the time of the second in 1665, the sound and the colony were named Albemarle. As the early settlement grew, Albemarle County was divided into four precincts -- Currituck, Perquimans, Pasquotank, and Chowan. As early as 1668 (some say 1671), Currituck was formed as a precinct of Albemarle County.

Traditionally it is said to have been "Coratank", an Indian word for wild geese -- and spellings in early records range from Currytuck to Coratuck.

Currituck forms the most northeast region in North Carolina and as part of the original Albemarle County was called Carteret for portion of the time prior to 1681. It abuts Virginia just across from what is now the Virginia Beach area.

There are a few issues with Currituck records. Parts of Currituck, Bertie, Chowan, and Pasquotank were taken in 1729 to form Tyrell. The 1820 census is missing. An 1842 courthouse fire destroyed many remaining pre-1842 records for Currituck County, including marriage records.