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.
What's New
October Meet-up Apex Family History Center
The next WCGS Meet-up is this coming Saturday, Oct 24, at the Apex FamilySearch Center.
On Saturday, October 24, The Apex FamilySearch Center has invited us to have a brief orientation followed by research time at their center.
The center is adjacent to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 590 Bryan Dr, Apex, NC 27502.
There are a few spaces still available for this group outing. Claim yours asap!
Full details and registration link at this article.
DNA Download: Ancestry Custom Clusters - Working with Unknown Matches - Nicole Dyer
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.
From our Scrapbook
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.
2026 03 Historic Raleigh Trolley
March 28, 2026
The Historic Raleigh Trolley Tour
It was a lovely, crisp and breezy Saturday. A perfect day for the Historic Raleigh Trolley tour, a scenic ride that covers roughly three centuries of Raleigh's history in buildings and stories. We did not expect to get an Easter Egg hunt on the side. Lunch at High Park Grill was great time to catch up with friends.
Experience the day in words and pictures here.