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Virginia Genealogy Research

A guide to resources available for Virginia family history research

Start Your Research

If you're new to genealogy, here are some strategies to begin your research:

  • To trace your family history, begin with yourself and work backward.
  • A good first step is to gather family data from living relatives and compile a genealogical chart.  
  • From there, you can search for family records in archives, libraries, courthouses, and online.

When researching, keep these tips in mind:

  • County and city boundaries have changed over time. Knowing the formation history of a county or city can help you identify which locality to search for records.
  • Historically, there was no standardized spelling of names. You may need to try a variety of searches.
  • Always record the source of any information found.

Use this chart to record your ancestors and their relationships:

Researchers for Hire

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. 

Record Types

Census Records and Birth, Marriage, and Death Records

Other Government Records

Organizational and Personal Records

Family and Local History Resources

African American and Native American Ancestors

African American Research

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.

Research Guides

Virginia Untold

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:

Birth, Marriage, and Death Records

Records 1853–Present

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:

Other Records

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:

  • Bible records (internal link)
  • Cemetery records (internal link)
  • Church records (internal link)
  • County and city records (internal link), including wills, deeds, chancery records, and probate records

Books, Journals, and Genealogical Notes

Publications and compilations created by family and local historians are useful supplements to original records. Materials include:

  • Family histories and genealogies of specific family lines
  • Local histories about specific places or regions, sometimes featuring information about residents
  • Indexes, transcriptions, or abstracts (summaries) of historical records

Books

To find books held by the Library of Virginia, search the catalog.

  • To find book-length family histories, search for the family name or the author/compiler.
    • Example: "Carter family genealogy"
  • To find local history books, search for the county or city name.
    • Example: "Fairfax County history" or "Fairfax County genealogy"
  • To find book-length indexes, transcripts, or abstracts, search for the city/county and record type.
    • Example: "Craig County marriages"

Additionally, some books are available online via sites listed below.

Journals

Local and family history journals publish genealogy and local history articles, as well as indexes, transcripts, and abstracts of historical records. 

  • To find genealogical journals available at the Library of Virginia, search the catalog for "genealogy." Use the filters to limit the Resource Type to "Journals."

Genealogical Notes and Charts

The Library of Virginia houses a small collection of genealogical notes and charts in its archives.

Cemetery Records

Cemetery records include registers showing internment dates and burial locations. Published indexes, transcripts, or abstracts of cemetery registers are available for some locations.

Published and Archival Sources

Search the catalog by county, city, or cemetery name to find cemetery records available at the Library of Virginia. Examples of searches include:

  • Mount Hebron Cemetery (Winchester, Va.)
  • Stonewall Cemetery (Winchester, Va.)
  • Cemeteries -- Virginia -- Winchester

Digital Collections and Indexes

Some registers have been indexed or digitized and can be searched online.

Census Records

Federal census records are a key source for genealogy research. Prior to 1850, census records list:

  • Name of head of household
  • Sex and age of other household members
  • Number of enslaved people, recorded under the head of house

Starting in 1850, federal censuses show:

  • Name, race, sex, age, and birthplace of each free member of the household
  • In 1850 and 1860, a separate schedule listed enslaved individuals and the age and sex of each person. Names were not typically recorded.

The following guide discusses how to access and use census records:

Church and Religious 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.

Published and Archival Sources

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:

  • Grace Church (Albemarle County, Va.)
  • Walker's Parish (Albemarle County, Va.)
  • Congregation Beth Ahabah (Richmond, Va.)
  • Episcopalians -- Virginia -- Albemarle County
  • Albemarle County (Va.) -- Church history -- 19th century
  • Albemarle County (Va.) -- Church history -- 20th century

Digital Collections

Books and Research Guides

County and City Records

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.

Digital Collections and Indexes

Research Guides

Family Bible Records

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:

Immigration and Naturalization Records

Passenger Lists

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:

Other Records

Records and publications that may contain information about a person's arrival in Virginia include:

Naturalization Records

The Library of Virginia has some, but not all, naturalization records for Virginians who became citizens. For help locating records, see the following guide:

Kentucky and West Virginia Records

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

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.

Digital Collections

Books

Research Guides

For more information about using Virginia Land Office records, see the following guides:

Legislative Petitions

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:

Military Records

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.

Colonial Wars

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:

Additionally, some records from Dunmore's War Payroll and Service Claims have been digitized:

Revolutionary War 

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:

War of 1812

For documentation of Virginia military service in the War of 1812, see the following resources:

Mexican War

The Library has an index of published and archival sources documenting Virginians' participation in the Mexican War:

American Civil 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:

Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War

For resources documenting Virginia military participation in the Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War, see:

World War I

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:

World War II

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.

Other Resources

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. 

Native American Research

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:

Newspapers

Using Newspapers for Genealogy

Information in newspapers may include:

  • Birth, marriage, and death announcements
  • Land transfers
  • Business history
  • Other events that provide context clues for genealogical research

Digitized Newspapers

Newspaper Databases

  • Newspapers databases are accessible to visitors at the Library of Virginia. Select databases are available remotely to Virginia residents with an active library card.

Newspapers on Microfilm

  • If you cannot visit the Library of Virginia, some newspapers on microfilm may be borrowed through interlibrary loan. Contact your local library to place a request.

Research Guides and Indexes

Personal, Business, and Organizational Records

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.

Research Guides

Tax Records

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: