This database began documenting two separate North Carolina Austin clans, Thomas Austin of Currituck County and William D. Austin of Hyde County. In the 1960's Janet Austin Curtis, AFAOA genealogist, gathered Austin records, and worked with and corresponded with many Austin descendants in the area. This material has been archived in two notebooks in the AFAOA Archive. People who contributed at that time were Phyllis Austin Huderwitz, Amanda Austin Scarborough, and Andrew S. Austin. More recently, there have been contributions from Gregory W. Williams, Winnie Austin Minson, Kay Austin, Kathleen Austin Tripp, Tom Austin, Patty Austin DiSabatino, Norris Austin, and Georgia Clasing.
Hatteras Bank was chosen as the place name for the families because in the early generations the heaviest concentration of Austins was in the Hatteras area. However, the earliest generation appears in Princess Anne Co., VA (now in the Virginia Beach City jurisdiction). Later generations will spread out from Hatteras north along the Banks as fishermen, lighthouse keepers, Coast Guardsmen and ship-builders, and west to Ocracoke and the other major ports of Pamlico Sound. This area was of high strategic importance during the Civil War, since it was estimated that 80% of the goods moving into and out of North Carolina went through Pamlico Sound and past the small inlets near Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. Early in 1862, Union forces gained control of the area.
In browsing the database, you should note that the Hatteras area, from 1790 to 1823, was in Currituck County, from 1823 to 1870, in Hyde County, and from 1870 to the present, in Dare County. Roanoke Island, Nag's Head and other northern towns, from 1790 to 1870, were in Currituck County, and from 1870 to the present, in Dare County. Ocracoke Island, from 1790 to 1845, was in Carteret County, and from 1845 to the present, in Hyde County.
Liz Austin Carlin is acting as compiler for this database. Please contact Liz for any additions or corrections.
Please note: For privacy reasons, this database follows the criteria for living people.
Browse the list of non-Austin surnames
Browse the database starting at the top with Cornelius Austin
Browse the database starting at the top with Thomas Austin