WELCOME to the Wake County Genealogical Society Website
We enjoy 'Finding Our Roots' and want to help you do the same!
The Wake County Genealogical Society is a great place to research, learn, collaborate, and preserve family history.
Research
Explore research links for Wake County, North Carolina, and beyond. Connect with members researching common surnames, and browse our archives of award-winning Wake Genealogy Watch newsletters and Wake Treasures journals that preserve decades of local genealogy and family history.
Learn
Learn from experienced genealogists through our monthly meetings, guest speakers and workshops. Whether you're just beginning or an experienced researcher, you'll find opportunities to expand your skills and discover new research techniques.
Collaborate
Genealogy is more fun when shared with others. Join us to connect with fellow researchers, exchange ideas, volunteer, and participate in projects that strengthen our genealogy community and help others discover their family history.
Preserve
Help preserve Wake County's rich genealogical heritage through our Cemetery Survey Project and other preservation efforts. Together we're documenting cemeteries, recording family histories, and ensuring valuable information is available for future generations.
Upcoming Events
WW II Service: Discovering your Ancestor's Story using Online Resources
Virtual - Zoom
Military service is an important part of an ancestor’s story. Fortunately, many records exist—but a service record tells only part of that story. Understanding what an ancestor actually experienced adds another dimension. This presentation will focus on World War II service and explore sources and techniques for gathering and analyzing information about both military service and personal experiences. For those researching Army ancestors, we’ll also explore online sources that can help reconstruct information lost in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.
What's New
Ancestry Custom Clusters Plus Unknown Matches
Have you spent much time working with your DNA matches using Ancestry Clusters?
The clustering tool* is part of the add-on Ancestry Pro Tools subscritption. If you are working to validate your research or break through any major brick walls, this tool can be very helpful. If you choose to use the cluster tool, you may want to take a passing glance at your large personal cluster map for familiarity, but then take a look at the custom cluster layouts to work with specific lines and questions.
Read the full newsletter article
Pin Down Your Ancestor
August 13, 2026
With a FAN and a Map!
Good maps are great for genealogical research. Landowner maps are perfect tools for assisting your ancestor hunt.
Legacy Learning Paths
September 18, 2026
There is a new learning model at Legacy Webinars - Learning Paths.
From our Scrapbook
2026 10 FamilySearch Meet-up
2026 10 FamilySearch Center orientation outing.
Our October Meet-up event at the Apex FamilySearch Center was well attended by ten inquisitive WCGS members. The award for farthest traveled goes to new member, Nancy Coombs who drove up from South Carolina!
2025 12 Holiday Meet-up
2025 12 WCGS Holiday Meet-up at Relish Craft Kitchen.
We had a great crowd and lots of fun catching up with everyone.
2025 05 NC Archives and Library
February Meet-up Recap - Our Tour of Archives & Library on February 10, 2025
About 30 people, members of the Wake County Genealogical Society and interested parties, toured the NC Archives and Government & Heritage Library in downtown Raleigh. After the tour, about a dozen of us walked to lunch next door in the legislature building.
Detailed account and photos are here.