Search Virginia Historical Records
Trace your Old Dominion ancestors through early colonial land patents, commonwealth vital registries, and county court archives.
Researching Ancestry in the Old Dominion
As the site of Jamestown (the first permanent English settlement in 1607) and the birthplace of the nation, Virginia holds a foundational place in American genealogy. Millions of modern Americans can trace at least one ancestral line back to the rolling hills of the Piedmont, the coastal Tidewater region, or the rugged Shenandoah Valley.
However, Virginia research presents unique historical challenges. The state was the primary battleground of the Civil War, resulting in catastrophic courthouse record losses. Furthermore, Virginia's massive westward migration patterns mean that an ancestor who "vanished" from Virginia records often simply packed up and moved along the Wilderness Road into Kentucky, Tennessee, or Ohio. To successfully trace your family tree here, you must know how to navigate substitute records and exploit surviving county court files.
Explore Virginia Record Collections
Virginia's public archives are uniquely organized. Select a collection below to learn how to bypass missing data and uncover your family's history.
Statewide registration of births and deaths officially began in 1912. However, Virginia features a highly valuable, lesser-known vital records era from 1853 to 1896, when county commissioners recorded early births and deaths locally. If your ancestor falls into the dark gap between 1896 and 1912, you must utilize church parish registers and tombstone transcriptions. Learn how to reconstruct these missing links using our Vital Records Collections Guide.
Navigate federal population schedules from 1810 through 1950. Critical Warning: The 1790 and 1800 Virginia Federal Censuses are completely missing due to destruction during the War of 1812. To bridge this massive gap, our archives leverage substitute commonwealth tax lists, tithable schedules, and early revolutionary-era state enumerations to pinpoint your family at the dawn of the United States.
Uncover the deep military legacy of the Old Dominion. Our collections span early colonial militia rosters, Revolutionary War continental line muster rolls, and extensive Civil War files. Virginia's Revolutionary War Bounty Land Warrants are particularly valuable, as veterans were frequently awarded massive tracts of land in what later became Kentucky and Ohio.
Because of early record destruction, land records are often the only way to prove family relationships in Virginia. Explore early colonial headright patents, land grants, and county loose court papers. If an ancestor died without leaving a clear property line, their estate was settled via the local county court. Learn how to mine these hidden files with our comprehensive guide: How to Find Old Wills and Probate Records from the 1800s.
Discover historical obituaries, legal land notices, and community news from early Alexandria, Richmond, and Williamsburg gazettes. Because Virginia society columns routinely published detailed multi-generational family updates and visits from out-of-state relatives, newspapers are vital for tracking migrations. Master this strategy with our guide on Finding Ancestors in Local Society Pages.
Trace ancestral arrivals through the Chesapeake Bay and major historic ports like Alexandria and Norfolk. From early indentured servant lists to the post-colonial overland migrations into the American West, you can trace the exact routes your family traveled. Learn how to track down early maritime arrivals using our Ship and Passenger Manifest Strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions About Virginia Genealogy
What are Virginia "Burned Record Counties"?
"Burned Counties" is a term used by genealogists to describe roughly 30 Virginia counties whose historical records suffered severe or total destruction. Most of this damage occurred during the Civil War, when courthouses in cities like Richmond, Henrico, Hanover, and James City were destroyed by fire. To bypass these gaps, researchers must heavily rely on surviving statewide land patents, federal records, and "bounty land" transactions.
How does Virginia's "Independent Cities" system affect record hunting?
Virginia is unique because it features an Independent City system. In most states, cities belong to a county courthouse system. In Virginia, once a city achieves "independent" status (such as Alexandria, Norfolk, or Staunton), it separates entirely from the surrounding county. If your ancestor lived in an independent city, their birth, marriage, deed, and probate records will be filed at the City Circuit Court, not the County courthouse.
What was the Virginia "Headright System"?
Introduced in 1618, the Headright System was a legal grant of land given to settlers. For every person an individual transported to the colony of Virginia (including themselves, family members, and indentured servants), they were awarded 50 acres of land. These colonial headright records are goldmines because they explicitly list the names of everyone traveling together on a specific ship, effectively serving as the earliest passenger arrivals into North America.