Early North Carolina Phillips Families

Ashe County was formed from Wilkes County in 1799. Part of the county was later divided and Watauga was formed in 1849 taking the southern half. A member of Phillips DNA Family Group 9 can be traced to Ashe County.

Chatham County, North Carolina was formed from Orange County in 1770. Through DNA testing, some of Phillips DNA Family Group 10 can be traced back to Chatham County.

Craven County was first created as the Archdale Precinct of Bath County in 1705. The name was changed in about 1712 to Craven. The land area of Craven County was very large, stretching WNW from the coast until 1746. This was the year when Johnston County was created, essentially cutting Craven in half with Johnston County taking the western part of Craven. In 1757, Beaufort County gained some of the northern area of Craven. It wasn't until 1778 that Craven again lost more territory, its southwestern section, to the newly created Jones County. Through DNA testing, Phillips DNA Family Group 5 can be traced back to Craven County as well as the Phillips DNA Family Group 2, a line of Phillips from Maryland.

Even though this is a historical county and no longer in existence in North Carolina, it can be associated with the Phillips Families of Phillips Family DNA Group 2 and DNA Group 5.

Phillips Families found in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. This is the county were the Hartwell Phillips line was prominent. Also the brothers of Hartwell, Ethelred and Exum Phillips can be found in this county.

Lenoir County was formed from Dobbs County in 1791. At this time, Dobbs was split into two counties, Lenoir, the southern half, Glasgow(now Greene) the northern half. This county can be associated with Phillips Family DNA Group 2 and DNA Group 5.

Rockingham County was formed in 1785 from Guilford County. Abraham Phillips that is believed to be part of Phillips DNA Group 16 originally settled in the part of Guilford County that became Rockingham County.

Rowan County was formed in 1753 when Anson County was split in half with Rowan taking the northern half. Rowan was fairly large until 1770, this is when parts of Guilford County and all of Surry County were cut from Rowan County. Later, Wilkes, Burke, Randolph and Ashe to name a few, were also carved from the original county of Rowan or one of the early counties that came from Rowan. There are several Phillips DNA Family Groups the can be associated with Rowan or a county that created from Rowan. They are families from Group 2, Group 9(Surry Co., Wilkes Co., & Ashe Co., Group 16(Surry Co. & Guilford Co.) and Group 20(Surry Co.).

Surry County was formed from Rowan in 1771. There are two families that can identified with Surry County, the Abner Phillips Family which is identified as part of the Phillips DNA Family Group 20. Another is the John Phillips who died 1801 in Rowan County which is Phillips DNA Family Group 9.

Wake County can be associate with the John Phillips who married Sarah Sexton. They moved to Georgia in the 1790's with their children. More information is sought on this John Phillips.