Virginia Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death records, also known as vital records, provide details about important events in your ancestors life. They can include information like the event date and place, parents’ names, occupation and residence. The cause of death is also included in most Virginia death records. Virginia vital records are a cornerstone of Virginia family history research because they were typically recorded at or near the time of the event, making the record more likely to be accurate. This page includes links that can help you request copies from Virginia state and county vital records keepers.
Availability of Records for Research
A law requiring the systematic statewide recording of births and deaths was passed by the General Assembly on April 11 1853. Every commissioner of revenue registered births and deaths in his district annually, at the same time personal property subject to taxation was ascertained. The commissioner recorded births and deaths that had occurred prior to 31 December of the preceding year and returned the record to the clerk of court by 1 June. Information was obtained from heads of family, physicians, surgeons, or coroners. The law imposed penalties for failing to furnish or collect the information.
The clerk of court in each locality entered the information supplied by the commissioner into registers and prepared an accompanying alphabetical index. A copy of each register was forwarded to the Auditor of Public Accounts. The law went into effect on 1 July 1853, and continued until 1896, when an economy-conscious legislature repealed the recording provisions.
Birth and death registers in the Library of Virginia are copies of those records made by local clerks from the lists compiled by the commissioners and forwarded to the Auditor of Public Accounts. The Auditor turned the lists over to the Bureau of Vital Statistics in 1918, and the registers were later transferred to the state archives.
How to Order Virginia Birth , Marriage, Divorce and Death Records
Virginia Department of Health files, stores, and issues certified copies of vital records including birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates for events that occurred in Virginia.
- Physical Address: Virginia Department of Public Health, 2001 Maywill Street, Richmond, Virginia 23230; General Information Number: 804-662-6200
- Website Address: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/
- Birth and Death Records: since June 14, 1912. Only the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk and Richmond have records between 1896 and June 14, 1912.
- Marriage and Divorce Records: 1918 to present (If the records are not available from the State office, they should be available from the Clerk of Court in county where the marriage license was issued.)
- Ordering Vital Records Online - get the certificates within 2-5 days with a credit or debit card from USAVital.com
or VitalChek.com
- Ordering Vital Records by Mail: You can download an application online for Virginia Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application
- Virginia Vital Records Description - from Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.
Virginia Archives Vital Records
The Archives Division has copies of surviving birth and death records for the period 1853 to 1896 and marriage records prior to 1936.
- Physical Address: Virginia Department of Public Health, 2001 Maywill Street, Richmond, Virginia 23230; General Information Number: 804-662-6200
- Website Address: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/
- Birth and Death Records: since June 14, 1912. Only the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk and Richmond have records between 1896 and June 14, 1912.
- Marriage and Divorce Records: 1918 to present (If the records are not available from the State office, they should be available from the Clerk of Court in county where the marriage license was issued.)
- Using Vital Statistics Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia
The following are links to Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Resources relating to Virginia. These Vital Records links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some are have free access some require a payment. This is just a list that has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one site above another. Feel free to submit your own favorite vital record related sites.
Links For Virginia Birth Records
- Order Virginia Birth Records Online (archives.com)
- Order Birth Certificates Online. (vitalchek.com)
- Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1917 (familysearch.org) Name index to birth, baptism and christening records from the state of Virginia. This set contains 1,422,855 records.
- Virginia Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers (lva.virginia.gov) lists of state vital statistics available on microfilm.
- Virginia Birth and Marriage (Husband-Wife) Indexes (lva.virginia.gov) statewide indexes beginning in 1853 on microfilm.
Links For Virginia Marriage Records and Divorce Records
- Order Virginia Marriage Records or Virginia Divorce Records Online. (archives.com)
- Order Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificates Online. (vitalchek.com)
- Virginia, Marriages, 1785-1940 (familysearch.org)
- Virginia Marriage Records (search.ancestry.com)
- Virginia Marriages before 1824 (search.ancestry.com) The Virginia marriage records are divided into two classes-those contained in the parish registers, and the marriage bonds or intentions, which were filed with the county clerk.
- Early Virginia Marriage Records (lva.virginia.gov)
- Virginia Marriages to 1800 (search.ancestry.com) This database of Virginia marriages to 1800 contains over 85,000 names.
- Virginia Marriages, 1740-1850 (search.ancestry.com) This collection of marriage records includes the names of over 300,000 men and women married in the state between 1740 and 1850.
- Virginia Marriages, 1851-1929 (search.ancestry.com) The 57,000 names in this database provide an index to marriage records available from Virginia between 1851 and 1929. The following counties are included in this collection: Albemarle, 1851-1929, Charlotesville, 1888-1929, Old Rappahannoch and Essex Counties, 1851-1900, Loudon, 1851-1880,Patrick, 1875-1900, Pulaski, 1851-1900, Richmond City, 1851-1853
- Virginia Marriages, 1851-1929 (search.ancestry.com) This database consists of marriage records from many Virginia counties; this update to the database adds records from Greene, Patrick, and Rockbridge counties to those of Albemarle, Charlottesville, Essex (including Old Rappahannock), Lee, Loudoun, Marion, Marshall, Page, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Raleigh, Richmond, Shenandoah, Stafford Taylor, Wayne, Wetzel, and Wirt counties.
- Virginia Vital Records (search.ancestry.com)
- Early Virginia Marriage Records (lva.virginia.gov) Research Notes Number 26.
- Henley Marriage/Obituary Index to Virginia Newspapers (lva.virginia.gov) personal name index to more than 51,000 marriage and obituary entries published between 1736 and 1982.
- Index to Virginia Marriage Records (lva.virginia.gov) a searchable database indexing marriage information from a variety of sources primarily covering the 1700′s and 1800′s.
- Marriage Index for Richmond Enquirer/Richmond Visitor (lva.virginia.gov) Richmond Enquirer (1804 – 1860) and the Richmond Visitor (1809 – 1810).
- Virginia Marriages Project (usgenweb.org) – Name index to marriage records from the state of Virginia.
Links For Virginia Death Records
- Order Virginia Death Records Online. (archives.com)
- Order Death Certificates Online. (vitalchek.com)
- Virginia Death Records Indexing Project (lva.virginia.gov) partially completed cooperative project with the Virginia Genealogical Society; goal is to create a statewide index to the 1853-1896 locality death registers.
- Virginia Death Certificates, 1912-1939 (lva.virginia.gov) microfilm index to materials available for use in The Library of Virginia only.
- Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912 (familysearch.org) – Name index to death and burial records from the state of Virginia Deaths. This set contains 785,241 records.
- Find Obituaries in The World’s Largest Newspaper Archive (newpaperarchive.com) Find thousands of Virginia obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Virginia newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Virginia.
- Search America’s Obituaries (1977 to current) (genealogybank.com) Has exclusive newspaper archive for family genealogy research provides information on millions of American families from 1690–today. Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries – includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!
