North Carolina

Wayne

117,333
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Wayne

Wayne, North Carolina, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 6,133. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 117,333.

Its recorded population peaked at 122,623 in 2010, and has since declined by roughly 4 percent.

On the ground today, 29 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Tuscarora War — Battle of Narhantes, Battle of Nooherooka (First Tuscarora Fort Attack), Foster's Goldsboro Expedition — Goldsboro Bridge (December 17, 1862), and 19 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020117,333
2010122,623
2000113,329
1990104,666
198097,054
197085,408
196082,059
195064,267
194058,328
193053,013
192043,640
191035,698
190031,356
189026,100
188024,951
187018,144
186014,905
185013,486
184010,891
183010,331
18209,040
18108,687
18006,772
17906,133
Source

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

Battles & engagements in Wayne

Military engagements that took place in Wayne, North Carolina.

Tuscarora War — Battle of Narhantes
1712
Battle of Nooherooka (First Tuscarora Fort Attack)
1712
Foster's Goldsboro Expedition — Goldsboro Bridge (December 17, 1862)
1862
Goldsboro Bridge Destruction (December 17, 1862)
1862
Engagement at Everettsville NC — December 1862
1862
Foster's Goldsboro Expedition — Whitehall (December 16, 1862)
1862
Union Expedition to Goldsboro — November 1862
1862
Battle of Goldsborough (NC)
1862
Raid on Goldsboro Railroad Bridge
1862
Battle of Goldsboro Bridge
1862
Battle of Goldsborough Bridge North Carolina
1862
Raid on Wilmington and Weldon Railroad — Foster's 1862
1862
Battle of Whitehall North Carolina
1862
Skirmish at Cox's Bridge NC
1865
Action at Hannah's Creek — Goldsboro
1865
Skirmish at Mount Olive NC
1865
Action at Elevation Road — Sherman's March to Goldsboro
1865
Skirmish at Goldsboro NC — Schofield's Advance
1865
Battle of Bentonville – First Day Confederate Assault
1865
Battle of Bentonville – Second Day Consolidation
1865
Battle of Bentonville – Third Day Union Counterattack
1865
Battle of Bentonville – Harper House
1865
CSS Neuse scuttled on the Neuse River
1865
Capture of Goldsboro NC
1865
Battle of Young's Cross Roads
1865
Advance on Goldsboro
1865
Goldsborough Railroad Destruction
1865
Battle of Bentonville (Day 3 — Mower's Attack)
1865
B-52 Nuclear Weapon Accident — Goldsboro North Carolina (1961)
1961

Historic places in Wayne

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

Goldsboro Union Station
Goldsboro
Aycock, Charles B., Birthplace
Fremont
Mount Olive High School (Former)
Mount Olive
Giddens, L. D., and Son Jewelry Store
Goldsboro
Barnes-Hooks Farm
Fremont
Mount Olive Historic District
Mount Olive
First Presbyterian Church
Goldsboro
Borden Manufacturing Company
Goldsboro
Yelverton, Dred and Ellen, House
Fremont
Lee, Harry Fitzhugh, House
Goldsboro
Perry-Cherry House
Mount Olive
US Post Office, Former
Mount Olive
Browse all North Carolinahistoric sites ›

Other counties in North Carolina

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

ChathamCherokeeChowanClayClevelandColumbusCravenCumberlandCurrituckDareDavidsonDavieDuplinDurhamEdgecombeForsythFranklinGastonGatesGraham
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Everything a full report reveals about Wayne County, North Carolina

This page charts the census history of Wayne 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 Wayne

When does Wayne first appear in the US census?
Wayne, North Carolina first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 6,133.
What is the population of Wayne?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Wayne had a recorded population of 117,333.
When did Wayne's population peak?
Wayne's recorded population peaked at 122,623 in 2010.
Were any battles fought in Wayne?
29 documented military engagements took place in Wayne, including Tuscarora War — Battle of Narhantes, Battle of Nooherooka (First Tuscarora Fort Attack), Foster's Goldsboro Expedition — Goldsboro Bridge (December 17, 1862).
How many historic places are in Wayne?
19 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Wayne, North Carolina.
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