The First Families Project - NC - Anson County The following counties were once part of Anson County: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Guilford, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Tryon, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey. Today Anson County remains largely rural with 25,000 inhabitants. The earliest Census available is the 1790 Federal Census which shows 789 families representing 393 different surnames. Early militia rolls and land plats date back to 1750 however and shows many earlier settlers. Many of these families later migrated into South Carolina and on west to Texas after the Revolutionary War. By 1860 the population of Anson County was 13,489, of whom 6657 were free, and 6832 slaves. The same 50% black / white mix is generally represented today.