If you're new to genealogy, here are some strategies to begin your research:
When researching, keep these tips in mind:
Use this chart to record your ancestors and their relationships:
If you are unable to conduct research in person or need additional assistance, some genealogical organizations maintain lists of professional researchers. The Library of Virginia is unable to recommend researchers.
Researching African American ancestors may require persistence, particularly when searching for records prior to 1870. Records differ depending on an individual's status as free or enslaved.
Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative provides digital access to records that document some of the lived experiences of enslaved and free Black and multiracial people.
To search records and learn more about the collection, visit Virginia Untold:
The systematic statewide recording of births, marriages, and deaths began in 1853. Between 1897 and 1911, Virginia discontinued the recording of births and deaths, though some metropolitan areas did maintain records during this time. Virginia reinstituted the recording of births and deaths in 1912.
To access these records, see the following guide:
Prior to 1853, marriages were recorded by ministers and county clerks, and birth and deaths were not recorded systematically.
For information about pre-1853 marriage records, see the following guide:
Other records with information about births, marriages, and deaths include:
Publications and compilations created by family and local historians are useful supplements to original records. Materials include:
To find books held by the Library of Virginia, search the catalog.
Additionally, some books are available online via sites listed below.
Local and family history journals publish genealogy and local history articles, as well as indexes, transcripts, and abstracts of historical records.
The Library of Virginia houses a small collection of genealogical notes and charts in its archives.
Cemetery records include registers showing internment dates and burial locations. Published indexes, transcripts, or abstracts of cemetery registers are available for some locations.
Search the catalog by county, city, or cemetery name to find cemetery records available at the Library of Virginia. Examples of searches include:
Some registers have been indexed or digitized and can be searched online.
Federal census records are a key source for genealogy research. Prior to 1850, census records list:
Starting in 1850, federal censuses show:
The following guide discusses how to access and use census records:
Religious records may contain birth, marriage, and death information and other details of ancestors' lives.
In early Virginia, parish records of the established Anglican church include registers and vestry books. Parishes were charged by law with keeping registers of births or baptisms, marriages, and deaths or burials. Parishes were also required to keep minutes of vestry meetings. Vestry books are less likely to contain genealogical information.
Non-Anglican faith communities were not required to record births, deaths, and marriages. Some records include this information, while others emphasize business meetings and financial affairs.
The Library of Virginia has original records of churches and faith communities and published transcripts of records. Note that not all records of early parishes have survived.
To find records, search the catalog by denomination, county or city, congregation name, or parish name.
Example search terms:
A Guide to Church Records in the Library of Virginia
County and city records capture interactions between individuals and county and city government. Record types include court orders and minutes, deeds and survey books, guardians' records, marriage bonds, and wills and estate records.
Many county and city records are available at the Library of Virginia. Others are held by the counties and cities that created them. Not all county and city records at the Library of Virginia are indexed in our catalog; if you are unable to locate a particular record, please ask us for assistance.
Virginia family Bible records are an important source for birth, death, and marriage dates. They may contain other personal and family information, including the births and deaths of enslaved persons.
To search all Bible records, search the catalog for a family name + "Bible."
View the Bible Records Digital Collection guide to search digitized records only:
Prior to 1820, there was no requirement for recording passenger arrival information. Few passenger lists survived from the colonial era. To locate passenger lists, see the following resources:
Passenger and Immigration Lists Index
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Records and publications that may contain information about a person's arrival in Virginia include:
The Library of Virginia has some, but not all, naturalization records for Virginians who became citizens. For help locating records, see the following guide:
The Library of Virginia has some records of counties that are now in Kentucky and West Virginia. Records include personal property tax records, land patents and grants, and legislative petitions.
Local records were retained by the counties in those states. Additionally, West Virginia land tax records are held by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
For an overview of record availability, see the following guides:
Land Office records contain information about land distributed by the colonial, and later state, government. These records refer to individuals who were issued land, as well as those transported through the colonial headright system, in which land was exchanged for the "importation" of laborers.
Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants
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For more information about using Virginia Land Office records, see the following guides:
Legislative petitions document community political opinion between 1776 and 1865. Petitions may contain supplementary documentation such as maps, wills, naturalizations, deeds, resolutions, affidavits, and court judgments.
View digitized petitions at the following link:
The Library of Virginia holds some records of Virginia military service, chiefly prior to the 1950s. Additional records are held by the National Archives, and many can be accessed through the Fold3 database. Fold3 is available at the Library of Virginia and many public libraries.
Limited records survive from colonial-era conflicts. Please ask us for help locating specific records.
The following books provide helpful entry points for researching military participation in colonial wars:
Virginia's Colonial Soldiers
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List of the Colonial Soldiers of Virginia
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Additionally, some records from Dunmore's War Payroll and Service Claims have been digitized:
The Library of Virginia has a variety of records documenting military service during the American Revolution, some of which are digitized. For assistance locating records, see the following guide:
For documentation of Virginia military service in the War of 1812, see the following resources:
The Library has an index of published and archival sources documenting Virginians' participation in the Mexican War:
For records of Virginians' participation in the American Civil War, see the following guide:
For general information about collections related to Civil War history, see:
For resources documenting Virginia military participation in the Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War, see:
Due to record loss at the National Archives, the Library of Virginia's WWI records provide important documentation of Virginians' WWI service. For a general overview of records pertaining to Virginia's participation in World War I, see:
The Virginia War History Commission Questionnaires contain information about participants' lives and military service. Questionnaires were completed by both military veterans and civilian personnel. This collection has been digitized:
Due to record loss at the National Archives, the Library of Virginia's WWII records provide important documentation of Virginians' WWII service.
Note that digitization of WWII Separation Notices and Personal War Service Records of Virginia's War Dead is in progress.
The Library of Virginia has a list of Virginia military deaths compiled from a wide variety of sources. This resources is not comprehensive and is no longer being updated but may contain useful information.
Records documenting Indigenous peoples in Virginia can be found in various collections, including colonial, state, and county records, Indian School files, and private papers. The following guide describes these record types and how to access them:
There are 11 state-recognized tribes in Virginia. The following website provides information about tribes' history and state recognition, as well as additional resources:
Information in newspapers may include:
The Library of Virginia has a wide variety of records created by individuals and organizations. These include business records, cemetery records, church and religious records, family Bible records, organizational records, and personal papers created by individuals and families.
To locate records, search the catalog for names of businesses, organizations, individuals, or families. Keep in mind that indexing of records is limited, so searching by name may not always be successful.
Personal property and land tax records document individuals' place of residence, age, or family members. Personal property tax records may be used to research enslaved ancestors.
The following guides provide information about accessing and using tax records:
