North Carolina

Craven

100,720
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Craven

Craven, North Carolina, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 10,469. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 100,720.

Its recorded population peaked at 103,505 in 2010, and has since declined by roughly 3 percent.

On the ground today, 36 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Tuscarora War — Massacre of New Bern Settlers, Palatine Settlement Attack 1711 (Tuscarora), Tuscarora War — Massacre of New Bern (1711), and 57 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020100,720
2010103,505
200091,436
199081,613
198071,043
197062,554
196058,773
195048,823
194031,298
193030,665
192029,048
191025,594
190024,160
189020,533
188019,729
187020,516
186016,268
185014,709
184013,438
183013,734
182013,394
181012,676
180010,245
179010,469
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Craven

Military engagements that took place in Craven, North Carolina.

Tuscarora War — Massacre of New Bern Settlers
1711
Palatine Settlement Attack 1711 (Tuscarora)
1711
Tuscarora War — Massacre of New Bern (1711)
1711
Tuscarora Massacre at Catechna 1711
1711
Tuscarora War Opening Attacks 1711
1711
Tuscarora War — North Carolina Massacre
1711
Pocotaligo Massacre (Tuscarora)
1711
Tuscarora Uprising (NC, 1711)
1711
Capture of Chief Hancock 1712
1712
Battle of Catechna
1712
Siege of Fort Hancock 1712
1712
Battle of New Bern — naval support
1862
New Bern Defenses Expansion (1862-1863)
1862
Confederate Evacuation of New Bern 1861
1862
Burnside Expedition — Battle of New Bern
1862
Battle of Beech Grove / Bryce's Creek
1862
Battle of New Bern
1862
Battle of New Bern — Naval Component
1862
Action at Brice's Creek NC
1862
Battle of New Bern — Picket Skirmishes 1862
1862
Battle of Batchelder's Creek 1863
1863
Confederate Attack on New Bern — March 1863
1863
Union Supply Line Defense — New Bern to Kinston Road
1863
Skirmish at Croatan NC
1863
Battle of Second Batchelder's Creek — February 1864
1864
Battle of Batchelder's Creek North Carolina
1864
Hoke's Attack on New Bern — February 1864
1864
New Bern Operations — Confederate Assault January 1864
1864
Battle of Hoke's Run North Carolina (New Bern)
1864
Battle of Batchelder's Creek (February 1, 1864)
1864
Second Battle of New Bern
1864
Engagement at Bachelor's Creek January 1864
1864
Attack on USS Underwriter — Confederate Commando Raid
1864
Confederate Assault on New Bern (February 1-2, 1864)
1864
New Bern Confederate Assault — Spiers Farm (February 1, 1864)
1864
Battle of Wyse Fork (Southwest Creek)
1865

Historic places in Craven

National Register of Historic Places listings in Craven, North Carolina.

Stanly, John Wright, House
New Bern
New Bern Battlefield Site
New Bern
Attmore-Oliver House
New Bern
Bryan House and Office
New Bern
Cedar Grove Cemetery
New Bern
St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church
New Bern
Central Elementary School
New Bern
Masonic Temple and Theater
New Bern
New Bern Municipal Building
New Bern
Coor-Gaston House
New Bern
First Presbyterian Church and Churchyard
New Bern
Christ Episcopal Church and Parish House
New Bern
Harvey Mansion
New Bern
Smallwood, Eli, House
New Bern
Slover-Bradham House
New Bern
St. Peter's AME Zion Church
New Bern
Jones-Jarvis House
New Bern
York-Gordon House
New Bern
U.S. Post Office, Court House, and Custom House
New Bern
Baxter Clock
New Bern
Coor-Bishop House
New Bern
New Bern National Cemetery
New Bern
Barber, J.T., School
New Bern
Cedar Street Recreation Center
New Bern
Browse all North Carolinahistoric sites ›

Other counties in North Carolina

Explore census history and historic records for more North Carolina counties.

BrunswickBuncombeBurkeCabarrusCaldwellCamdenCarteretCaswellCatawbaChathamCherokeeChowanClayClevelandColumbusCumberlandCurrituckDareDavidsonDavie
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Everything a full report reveals about Craven County, North Carolina

This page charts the census history of Craven County, North Carolina. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Craven

When does Craven first appear in the US census?
Craven, North Carolina first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 10,469.
What is the population of Craven?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Craven had a recorded population of 100,720.
When did Craven's population peak?
Craven's recorded population peaked at 103,505 in 2010.
Were any battles fought in Craven?
36 documented military engagements took place in Craven, including Tuscarora War — Massacre of New Bern Settlers, Palatine Settlement Attack 1711 (Tuscarora), Tuscarora War — Massacre of New Bern (1711).
How many historic places are in Craven?
57 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Craven, North Carolina.
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