Pender County is located in the southeastern portion of North Carolina and is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and New Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus, Bladen, Sampson, Duplin and Onslow counties. The land area is 870.76 square miles (2,255.3 km2). The county was named for William D. Pender of Edgecombe County, a Confederate General mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. Registrar of deeds has birth, marriage and death and land records. Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records.