Surnames: Rockingham County, 1850.
by Lisa Y. Henderson
ALEXANDER, ARTIS, ASH, BARKER, BENNETT, BELTON, BROCKS, CASSIE, COAL, COUZENS, CUMMINGS/CUMMINS, CURTIS,DAVIS, DISER, DYESS, DYSON, EDWARDS, EDWELL, ELLIS, FRIEND, FLINN, FRASER, GIBSON,GILSON, GOINGS, GOOLSBY, GRADY, GRIFFIS, GUIN, HAMLIN, HARRIS, HOOD, HUGHES, IRWIN, JAMES, JARRELL, JOHNSON, JORDON, JONES, JUMPER, KANE, KING, LONG, MANN, MARTIN, MASON, McBRIDE, MILLER, MOON, MOORE, NICHOLAS, OAKLEY, OLIVER, ORREN, OVERTON, PATTERSON, PRICE, PURSELL, RICKMAN, ROBERTS, SMALL, SMOTHERS, SNOW, STEWART, STUBBEFIELD, SUMPTER, SYLES, TAYLOR, VARNUM, WHEELER, WILSON and WOOD.
Fourth Generation Inclusive 
Hello.
My great great grandfather George Artis was born in Rockingham County, NC after the Civil War (around 1868). I have been trying to find more information about his parents and their origins. From what documents did you find information about free people of color in Rockingham County named Artis? Was it the 1850 Federal Census? Thank you!
I believe that George’s father was George Artis Sr. I think he may have been the son of Anderson Artis (b. about 1812) and Matilda Aikens, I have found an Anderson Artis living in Leaksville, NC in 1860, but not prior to that. Any information you have would be helpful, Thank you. I’m so glad I stumbled upon your site!
Hi, Adrienne. Yes, this is simply a list of surnames abstracted from the census. I am an Artis descendant, but my lines were in Wayne and Greene Counties. I’m a little intrigued by the Rockingham County set, as the family originated in southside Virginia and the vast majority of its NC branches were in the eastern part of the state in the 19th century. — Lisa H.
Thank you. I am equally intrigued; I can find information, about those Wayne and Greene county lines, but not Rockingham. The free Artis families of VA and NC descend from Hester Anderson who was freed. I found it interesting that my third great grandfather was named Anderson Artis; I thought perhaps it was a family name relating to Hester. However, aside from sharing a surname I have not found any information that would link my great grandfather to the free Artis branches. Perhaps with more time and research I can learn more about his origins. Thanks again for your response!
I struggle with mine, too. I can’t get further back than two sisters born circa 1805-1810, both of whom took slave husbands. They live surrounded by other Artises, but I don’t know the relationships between them. There were 40 Artis households in the 1840 census — surely they were related, but how?