Virginia genealogy records can answer some of the questions you and your family have about its past. These records can help you to create a family tree, where you learn about a variety of family members, where they lived and even who their distant relatives were. This can be helpful just for learning about them but it can also serve to help you to pinpoint a variety of factors. If you are looking at creating these records for your family, a good place to start is with the state level directories available. However, you will need to dive deeper and gather data from many other sources, too.

In the state of Virginia, genealogy records searches should start with the vital records. These are the births, deaths and marriages occurring in the state. Prior to 1853, this information was only kept at the local level. Town clerks recorded the data. Sometimes, physicians, churches and other local organizations would also have this information. From 1853 through 1896, most of this data was collected by the counties and managed that way. Very little information is on hand from the Civil War period, though.

If you are looking for data from many years ago, consider turning to the Library of Virginia. It contains some of the best early records from 1853 onward. If you are looking for birth and death records from 1913 onward or marriage records from 1936 onward, it is best to turn to the Department of Health. You can write to this organization or visit in person at the following address:

Virginia Department of Health

Office of Vital Records

James Madison Building

PO Box 1000

Richmond, Virginia 23208

It is possible to call the agency as well for more information or to request a search. To do this, call 804 786-6228. Keep in mind that genealogy searches can take some time to complete, though.

There are other ways to build your Virginia genealogy records. If you have Native American bloodlines, you may want to turn to the Virginia State Tribal Information. The Pamunkey Indians of Virginia were some of the most commonly available and they do have some excellent resources for old records. Another excellent source for information for these records are the churches. Since this area of the country has been established since the 1600's, much of the data from it is kept in the older churches. This includes family history such as the births, deaths and marriages of members. The churches often served as the centralizing resource in the area, even more so than town clerks.

You will also want to conduct Virginia genealogy records searches through military records. There are numerous resources for this including the VA. Some of the very old cemeteries in the area have taken to recording the burial records for those who are buried in them, but these can be hard to find. As you look for these records or others, remember to use numerous resources. Get as local as you can because this increases your chances of finding the information you need.

 

 

• Virginia Genealogy