North Carolina

New Hanover

225,702
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About New Hanover

New Hanover, North Carolina, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 6,831. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 225,702.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 29 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Yamasee War — Cape Fear Campaign, Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge – Loyalist advance, Fort Fisher — Confederate Construction and Defense 1862-64, and 30 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020225,702
2010202,667
2000160,307
1990120,284
1980103,471
197082,996
196071,742
195063,272
194047,935
193043,010
192040,620
191032,037
190025,785
189024,026
188021,376
187027,978
186021,715
185017,668
184013,312
183010,959
182010,866
181011,465
18007,060
17906,831
Source

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

Battles & engagements in New Hanover

Military engagements that took place in New Hanover, North Carolina.

Yamasee War — Cape Fear Campaign
1715
Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge – Loyalist advance
1776
Fort Fisher — Confederate Construction and Defense 1862-64
1862
Engagement at Masonboro Sound NC
1863
Wilmington Blockade Running
1863
Confederate Salt Works Defense — Masonboro NC
1864
First Battle of Fort Fisher — Naval Bombardment
1864
Fort Fisher — Lamb's Naval Gun Defense vs. Blockaders
1864
Destruction of CSS Advance at Wilmington
1864
Fort Fisher First Assault NC Dec 1864
1864
First Battle of Fort Fisher
1864
Engagement at McLaws' Line — December 1864 Fort Fisher
1864
First Battle of Fort Fisher — December 1864
1864
Battle of Fort Fisher
1865
Colonel Lamb Wounded at Fort Fisher — January 15 1865
1865
Capture of Wilmington
1865
Skirmishes at Sugar Loaf NC
1865
Battle of Forks Road (Wilmington, February 20, 1865)
1865
Fort Fisher Second Assault NC Jan 1865
1865
Second Battle of Fort Fisher — Ground Assault
1865
Skirmish at Forks Road — Wilmington 1865
1865
Engagement at Half Moon Battery (Fort Fisher)
1865
Action at Federal Point
1865
Capture of Wilmington NC
1865
Battle of Fort Fisher — Second
1865
Battle of Wilmington NC Feb 1865
1865
Fort Anderson Cape Fear River (February 18-19, 1865)
1865
Union Siege Approaches — Second Fort Fisher January 14 1865
1865
Wilmington Massacre
1898

Historic places in New Hanover

National Register of Historic Places listings in New Hanover, North Carolina.

Walker, James, Nursing School Quarters
Wilmington
Sunset Park Historic District
Wilmington
Hooper, William, School (Former)
Wilmington
Carolina Place Historic District
Wilmington
Cape Fear Civil War Shipwreck Discontiguous District
Wilmington Beach
Carolina Heights Historic District
Wilmington
Carolina Heights Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Wilimington
U.S.S. PETERHOFF
Fort Fisher
Market Street Mansion District
Wilmington
Federal Building and Courthouse
Wilmington
Audubon Trolley Station
Wilmington
City Hall/Thalian Hall
Wilmington
Fort Fisher
Wilmington
Brookwood Historic District
Wilmington
Wilmington National Cemetery
Wilmington
Newton Homesite and Cemetery
Carolina Beach
Tinga Nursery
Wrightsboro
Delgrado School
Wilmington
Westbrook-Ardmore Historic District
Wilmington
Gabriel's Landing
Wilmington
USS NORTH CAROLINA (BB-55) National Historic Landmark
Wilmington
Mount Lebanon Chapel and Cemetery
Wrightsville Beach
Masonboro Sound Historic District (Additional Documentation)
Wilmington
Joy Lee Apartment Building and Annex
Carolina Beach
Browse all North Carolinahistoric sites ›

Other counties in North Carolina

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

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Everything a full report reveals about New Hanover County, North Carolina

This page charts the census history of New Hanover 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 New Hanover

When does New Hanover first appear in the US census?
New Hanover, North Carolina first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 6,831.
What is the population of New Hanover?
At the most recent federal census (2020), New Hanover had a recorded population of 225,702.
Were any battles fought in New Hanover?
29 documented military engagements took place in New Hanover, including Yamasee War — Cape Fear Campaign, Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge – Loyalist advance, Fort Fisher — Confederate Construction and Defense 1862-64.
How many historic places are in New Hanover?
30 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in New Hanover, North Carolina.
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