As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 25, 1997

                                                  Registration No. 333-_______

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 --------------
                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             TRIANGLE BANCORP, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

       NORTH CAROLINA                                      56-1764546
(State or other jurisdiction of                         (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                          Identification No.)

    4300 GLENWOOD AVENUE
    RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA                                  27612
(Address of principal executive offices)                   (Zip Code)



==============================================================================


        BANK OF MECKLENBURG 1988 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLAN AND BANK OF
MECKLENBURG 1996 DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN AS ASSUMED BY TRIANGLE BANCORP, INC.
                            (Full Title of the Plan)
===============================================================================


                             ALEXANDER M. DONALDSON
                    SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                             TRIANGLE BANCORP, INC.
                              4300 GLENWOOD AVENUE
                          RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27612
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (919) 881-0455
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)




===============================================================================

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                                                                Proposed Maximum
Title of Securities to be       Amount to be       Proposed Maximum Offering    Aggregate Offering     Amount of
Registered                     Registered (1)      Price Per Share              Price (1)              Registration Fee
- --------------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------
                                                                                             

Common Stock                   232,432 shares            Not applicable              $2,533,703               $767.79
- --------------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------------- ---------------------- -----------------------



(1)  Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(h)(1) under the Securities Act of
     1933, solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee, based
     upon the exercise prices of the options covering shares of the Common
     Stock.








                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The following documents heretofore filed by Triangle Bancorp, Inc. (the
"Company" or the "Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") pursuant to the Securities Act are incorporated herein by
reference:

         (a) The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K (File Number 0-21346) for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996;

         (b) The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
September 30, 1997;

         (c) The Company's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated April 1, 1997, May
16, 1997, May 23, 1997, September 22, October 17, 1997, and October 31 1997;
and,

         (d) The description of the Company's Common Stock (the "Common Stock")
contained in the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 27, 1996.

         In addition, all documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant
to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
hereto which indicates that all the securities offered hereby have been sold or
which deregisters all the securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to
be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

     The opinion of counsel files as Exhibit 5 hereto has been provided by
Alexander M. Donaldson who is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the
Company. As of November 21, 1997, Mr. Donaldson beneficially owned of record 600
shares of the Company's Common Stock.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     Section 55-2-02 of the North Carolina Business Corporation Act (the
"Business Corporation Act") enables a corporation in its articles of
incorporation to eliminate or limit, with certain exceptions, the personal
liability of a director for monetary damages for breach of duty as a director.
No such provision is effective to eliminate or limit a director's liability for
(i) acts or omissions that the director at the time of the breach knew or
believed to be clearly in conflict with the best interests of the corporation,
(ii) improper distributions described in Section 55-8-33 of the Business
Corporation Act, (iii) any transaction from which the director derived an
improper personal benefit, or (iv) acts or omissions occurring prior to the date
the exculpatory provision became effective. The Company's Articles of
Incorporation limit the personal liability of its directors to the fullest
extent permitted by the Business Corporation Act.

     Section 55-8-50 through 55-8-58 of the Business Corporation Act permit a
corporation to indemnify its directors and officers under either or both a
statutory or nonstatutory scheme of indemnification. Under the statutory scheme,
a corporation may, with certain exceptions, indemnify a director or officer of
the corporation who was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to any
threatened, pending or completed legal action, suit or proceeding, whether
civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, because of the fact that such
person was a director or officer of the corporation, or is or was serving at the
request of such corporation as a director, officer, agent or employee of another
corporation or enterprise. This indemnity may include the obligation to pay any
judgment, settlement, penalty, fine (including an excise tax assessed with
respect to an employee benefit plan) and reasonable expenses, including
attorneys' fees, incurred in connection with a proceeding; provided that no such
indemnification may be granted unless such director or officer (i) conducted
himself or herself in good faith, (ii) reasonably believed that (A) any action
taken in his or her official capacity with the corporation was in the best
interests of the corporation 
                                       1


and (B) in all other cases, his or her conduct was at least not opposed to the
corporation's best interest, and (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding,
had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. In
accordance with Section 55-8-55 of the Business Corporation Act, the
determination of whether a director has met the requisite standard of conduct
for the type of indemnification set forth above is made by the board of
directors, a committee of directors, special legal counsel or the shareholders.
A corporation may not indemnify a director under the statutory scheme in
connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation in which the
director was adjudged liable on the basis of having received an improper
personal benefit.

     In addition to, and notwithstanding the conditions of and limitations on
indemnification described above under the statutory scheme, Section 55-8-57 of
the Business Corporation Act permits a corporation in its articles of
incorporation or bylaws or by contract or resolution to indemnify or agree to
indemnify any of its directors or officers against liability and expenses,
including attorneys' fees, in any proceeding (including proceedings brought by
or on behalf of the corporation) arising out of their status as such or their
activities in such capacities, except for any liabilities or expenses incurred
on account of activities that were, at the time taken, known or believed by the
person to be clearly in conflict with the best interest of the corporation.
Pursuant to this nonstatutory scheme, the Company's Bylaws provide for
indemnification of the Company's directors, officers, employees and agents.

     Sections 55-8-52 and 55-8-56 of the Business Corporation Act require a
corporation, unless its articles of incorporation provide otherwise, to
indemnify a director or officer who has been wholly successful on the merits or
otherwise in the defense of any proceeding to which such director or officer
was, or was threatened to be made, a party. Unless prohibited by the articles of
incorporation, a director or officer also may make application and obtain
court-ordered indemnification if the court determines that such director or
officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to such indemnification in view of all
the relevant circumstances as provided in Sections 55-8-54 and 55-8-56 of the
Business Corporation Act.

     In addition, Section 55-8-57 of the Business Corporation Act authorizes a
corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of an individual who is
or was a director or officer of the corporation against certain liabilities
incurred by such persons, whether or not the corporation is otherwise authorized
by the Business Corporation Act to indemnify such party. The Company's directors
and officers are currently covered by a directors' and officers' insurance
policy, which policy indemnifies such persons against certain liabilities
arising from acts or omissions in the discharge of their duties. Such insurance
policy provides coverage of $10.0 million for liabilities.

     In May 1997, the Company established a Delaware business trust subsidiary,
Triangle Capital Trust (the "Trust"), to issue securities, the principal and
interest of which are guaranteed by the Company, and the proceeds of which may
be counted as regulatory capital by the Company. As part of the establishment of
the Trust, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement
dated June 3, 1997 (the "Trust Agreement") among the Company, Bankers Trust
Company and Bankers Trust (Delaware). Debra L. Lee, Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and Alexander M. Donaldson, Senior Vice
President and General Counsel of the Company, serve as the administrators of the
Trust (the "Administrators"). Pursuant to the Trust Agreement, the Company has
agreed, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to indemnify and hold
harmless the Administrators from and against any loss, damage, liability, tax,
penalty, expense or claim of any kind or nature whatsoever incurred by the
Administrators arising out of or in connection with the creation, operation or
dissolution of the Trust or any act or omission performed or admitted by the
Administrators in good faith on behalf of the Trust, and in a manner the
Administrators reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority conferred
on them by the Trust Agreement, except that the Administrators shall not be
entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss, damage, or claim incurred by
them by reason of negligence or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or
omissions.
                                       2





ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT NO.    DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT

  5.1          Opinion of Alexander M. Donaldson, Senior Vice President and
               General Counsel of Registrant.

 23.1          Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., independent public
               accountants.

 23.2          Consent of Alexander M. Donaldson (included in the opinion
               filed as Exhibit No. 5.1.).

 24.1          Power of Attorney (included on the signature page).


ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

         (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

              (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
         made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to
         include any material information with respect to the plan of
         distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
         any material change to such information in the registration statement.

              (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
         Securities Act of 1993 (the "Securities Act"), each such post-effective
         amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating
         to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
         at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
         thereof.

              (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
         amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
         the termination of the offering.

         (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.


                                       3





                                   SIGNATURES

              Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Raleigh, State of North Carolina, on November 24,
1997.

                                  TRIANGLE BANCORP, INC.


                                  By:    /s/ Michael S. Patterson
                                         ----------------------------
                                         Michael S. Patterson
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

              Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints
Michael S. Patterson his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with
full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her
name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he or she might, or could,
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and
agent, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

              Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.






              SIGNATURE                TITLE                              DATE
                                                               

/s/ Michael S. Patterson         President, Chief Executive          November 24, 1997
- ------------------------         Officer, Chairman and
Michael S. Patterson             Director (Principal Executive
                                 Officer)

/s/ Debra L. Lee                 Chief Financial Officer             November  24, 1997
- ------------------------         (Principal Financial and
Debra L. Lee                     Principal Accounting Officer)

/s/ Carole S. Anders             Director                            November 24, 1997
- -------------------------------
Carole S. Anders

/s/ Charles H. Ashford, Jr.      Director                            November 24, 1997
- -------------------------------
Charles H. Ashford, Jr.

_______________________________  Director                            November __, 1997
Cy N. Bahakel

H. Leigh Ballance, Jr.           Director                            November 24, 1997
- -------------------------------
H. Leigh Ballance, Jr.
                                       4






___________________________________Director                          November __, 1997
   Edwin B. Borden    

/s/ Robert E. Bryan, Jr.           Director                          November 24, 1997
- ---------------------------------
Robert E. Bryan, Jr.

/s/ David T. Clancy               Director                            November 24, 1997
- ---------------------------------
David T. Clancy

/s/ N. Leo Daughtry               Director                            November 24, 1997
- --------------------------------
N. Leo Daughtry

/s/ Syd W. Dunn, Jr.              Director                            November 24, 1997
- --------------------------------
Syd W. Dunn, Jr.

/s/ Willie S. Edwards             Director                            November 24, 1997
- --------------------------------
Willie S. Edwards

________________________________  Director                            November __, 1997
James P. Godwin, Sr.

________________________________  Director                            November __, 1997
Robert L. Guthrie

/s/ John B. Harris, Jr.           Director                            November  24, 1997
- --------------------------------
John B. Harris, Jr.

/s/ George W. Holt                Director                            November 24, 1997
- ---------------------------------
George W. Holt

/s/ Earl Johnson, Jr.             Director                            November  24, 1997
- ---------------------------------
Earl Johnson, Jr.

/s/ Edythe P. Lumsden             Director                            November 24, 1997
- --------------------------------
Edythe P. Lumsden

________________________________  Director                            November __, 1997
J.L. Maxwell, Jr.

/s/ Michael A. Maxwell            Director                            November 24, 1997
- -------------------------------
Michael A. Maxwell

________________________________  Director                            November __, 1997
Wendell H. Murphy

/s/ Patrick H. Pope               Director                            November  24, 1997
- --------------------------------
Patrick H. Pope

/s/ William R. Pope               Director                            November 24, 1997
- -----------------------------
William R. Pope

/s/ Billy N. Quick, Sr.           Director                            November 24, 1997
- -----------------------------
Billy N. Quick, Sr.
                                       5


/s/ J. Dal Snipes                 Director                            November  24, 1997
- ------------------------------
J. Dal Snipes

/s/ N. Johnson Tilghman          Director                            November 24, 1997
- ------------------------------
N. Johnson Tilghman

/s/ Sydnor M. White, Jr.         Director                            November 24, 1997
- ------------------------------
Sydnor M. White, Jr.

/s/ J. Blount Williams           Director                            November 24, 1997
- ------------------------------
J. Blount Williams



                                    6




                                 EXHIBIT INDEX





                                                                                            SEQUENTIAL
EXHIBIT NO.   DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT                                                         PAGE NO.

         

  5.1        Opinion of Alexander M. Donaldson, Senior Vice President and
             General Counsel of Triangle Bancorp, Inc.

 23.1        Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., independent public accountants

 23.2        Consent of  Alexander M. Donaldson (included in the opinion filed as
             Exhibit No. 5.1.)

 24.1        Power of Attorney (included on the signature page)