Virginia Genealogy Search at a Glance
Visit virginia genealogy to discover your ancestors and family history, start a family tree, browse ancestry, genealogy, census records and more online
1Virginia Genealogy
Virginia statewide genealogy links
- Virginia Department of Healthwww.vdh.virginia.govVital Records
- Library of Virginialva-virginia.libguides.comLibrary Genealogical Resources
- Bureau of Freedmen, Refugees and Abandoned Landsvalley.lib.virginia.eduBureau of Freedmen
- A Guide to Genealogical Resources at the University of Virginiaguides.lib.virginia.eduUniversity Genealogical Resources
- A Guide to Virginia County and City Recordswww.lva.virginia.govCounty and City Records
- Official Tourism Website of the Commonwealth of Virginiawww.virginia.orgGenealogy Links
- USGenWeb Archives Virginiausgwarchives.netSearch USGenWeb Archives
- Virginia Genealogical Societywww.vgs.orgGenealogical Society
2Federal & National Authoritative Sources
These federal and national sources complement Virginia's state-level records. They are the authoritative sources you should cross-check when Virginia state records are incomplete or out-of-state activity matters.
The federal government's primary archive. Holds the U.S. census (1790, 1950), ship passenger lists, naturalization records, military service files, and land entry files.
https://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy (archives.gov)
Free online genealogy platform operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Digitized microfilm copies of many county and state records worldwide.
https://www.familysearch.org/ (familysearch.org)
The LoC's research guides, city directories, newspapers, and Civil War records, most accessible free online through loc.gov.
https://guides.loc.gov/genealogy (loc.gov)
Virginia Genealogy Search, FAQ
Is the 1950 census released?
Yes. Under the 72-year rule, the 1950 U.S. Census was released by NARA on April 1, 2022 and is free to search on archives.gov and familysearch.org.
How do I request a military service record?
NARA's National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis holds military service records. Requests use SF-180 and are free for the veteran or next of kin.
Do I need a paid subscription to do genealogy?
No. FamilySearch, Archives.gov, the Library of Congress, and most state archives provide substantial free access. Commercial services (Ancestry, MyHeritage) add convenience and private trees but not exclusive records.
Where are vital records for the 1800s kept?
Before state-level vital registration (roughly 1890, 1920 depending on state), most births, deaths, and marriages were recorded only by the county, the church, or the family Bible. State archives and FamilySearch are the primary starting points for that era.