Lancaster County, Virginia
Genealogy, History & Facts

County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links

Lancaster County, Virginia Facts

When was Lancaster County, VA Created?
Lancaster County was established on 1651 from York County and Northumberland County .

What is the County Seat of Lancaster County, VA?
The County Seat is located in Lancaster also, the county government website is www.lancova.com .

What counties are adjacent to Lancaster County, VA?
Bordering Counties are Richmond County, Northumberland County, Middlesex County (south & southwest).

Lancaster County, VA Vital Records

Where can find Lancaster County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Lancaster County vital records can be found at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Vital Records which has Birth and Death Records since June 14, 1912 and copies of Marriage and Divorce Records since 1918 to present. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Virginia for current fees and application process.

You can search online for Lancaster County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also order Order Electronically Online or you can download an application for copies of Lancaster Co. Virginia Birth, Marriage, Divorce, Death Certificate Applications to mail.

The Archives Division has copies of surviving birth and death records for the period 1853 to 1896 and marriage records prior to 1936. Another resource is the Lancaster County Health Department, 9049 Mary Ball Road, Health & Social Services Building, P.O. Box 158, Lancaster, VA 22503; 804-462-5197

• Married Well and Often: Marriages of the Northern Neck of Virginia, 1649-1800
• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• USGenweb Archives Virginia Marriage Project
• Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1917
• Virginia Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers
• Virginia Birth and Marriage (Husband-Wife) Indexes
• Virginia, Marriages, 1785-1940
• Early Virginia Marriage Records
• Early Virginia Marriage Records – Research Notes Number 26.
• Henley Marriage/Obituary Index to Virginia Newspapers
• Index to Virginia Marriage Records
• Marriage Index for Richmond Enquirer/Richmond Visitor
• Virginia Death Records Indexing Project
• Virginia Death Certificates, 1912-1939
• Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912

Lancaster County, VA Census Records

What Lancaster County, VA census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Lancaster County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Lancaster Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Lancaster Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Lancaster Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. The Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. One can find free online and printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Virginia Census Records Research Guide

• Search The U.S. Federal Census Collection
• Lancaster County, VA Census Records Links
• Lancaster County Usgwarchives Census Records

Lancaster County, VA Courthouse and Government Records

Lancaster County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Lancaster County Courthouse?
The below facts shows exactly what death, marriage, birth, property, wills, and court records are typically in Lancaster County. The years listed below are the first noted records with this county. See Also Virginia Courthouse Records Research Guide.

• Lancaster County Clerk of Circuit Court
  • Address: 8265 Mary Ball Road, Lancaster, VA 22503
  • Phone: (804) 462-5611
  • Marriage Records: 1701
  • Land Records: 1652
  • Court Records: 1651
  • Probate Records: 1652
• Lancaster County, record book no. 2, 1654-1666, pages 1-394
• Lancaster County, 1652-1655
• Using County and City Court Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia
• County and City Research in Virginia Guides and Indexes – County and city records document the daily activities of the courts in Virginia’s counties, independent cities, and towns. The Library of Virginia houses both original and microfilm records for many of Virginia’s counties and independent cities. The guides list will help researchers navigate the complex variety of county and city records in the Library’s collections. It includes County and City Records at the Library of Virginia, Using County and City Court Records, Chancery Cases, Judgments, Lost Records Localities database and Burned Jurisdiction database.
• Virginia County Records, Volume, VI, VII , IX, X – The records in these series were compiled as part of a series known as the Virginia County Records . The volume includes wills, land grants, and marriage bonds as well as other miscellaneous information on early Virginia settlers.
• BLM Land Records

Lancaster County, VA Societies and Family History Resources

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Lancaster County, VA?
A list of Lancaster County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Virginia Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.

• Mary Ball Washington Museum & Library, 8346 Mary Ball Road, Lancaster, Virginia 22503, (804) 462-7280; We are non-profit organization with an extensive historical and genealogical library with microfilms of all court records available at the Library of Virginia. In addition, we have all known published abstracts of land, court orders and deeds, in addition to the microfilm. We also boast a sizeable military records collection for the Northern Neck. Our focus is on Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Westmoreland, Middlesex and Essex Counties, though we have a large body of material on almost every county in Virginia. Our web site has a a catalogue of over 3,100 items that is searchable by topic, author or title.
• Foundation for Historic Christ Church, P.O. Box 24, Irvington, VA 22480, (804) 438-6855
• Lancaster County Historical Society and Museum, 631 Main Street, Kilmarnock, VA 22482; P.O. Box 1328, White Stone, VA 22578
• Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Society, P.O. Box 716, Montross, VA 22520
• The Library of Virginia, Archives And Research Services , 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000; 804-692-3500
• The Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000; 804-692-3500
• Virginia Genealogical Society, 5001 West Broad Street, Suite 115, Richmond, Virginia 23230-3023 Telephone (804) 285-8954
• Virginia Historical Society, 428 North Boulevard, Richmond, Virginia 23220, Phone: 804.358.4901
• Lancaster County microfilmed holdings at The Library of Virginia (lva.virginia.gov)
• Virginia Heritage – Guides to manuscript and Archival Collections in Lancaster Co. Virginia

Where can I connect with other Lancaster County, VA Researchers through message boards and forums?

• Virginia Genealogy Network
• Virginia State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Lancaster County, Virginia Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Lancaster County
• Lancaster County, Virginia Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Lancaster County, VA?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Lancaster County. A lot of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some call for a fee. This is just a listing which has been compiled or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another.

Lancaster Co. VA Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Virginia Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Virginia historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Virginia (1784 – 1922 ) (genealogybank.com) Immediately locate names and keywords in over 450 million content articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth notices and other items written and published in over 2,800 historic U.S. newspapers. Brand new articles and other content added each month!
• Lancaster County, Virginia Books (amazon.com)
•  Search Virginia Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Virginia County Obituaries (usgwarchives.net)

Lancaster Co. VA Church / Bible Records & Cemeteries / Graveyards

• Lancaster Co., Virginia Graves (findagrave.com)
• Lancaster County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Lancaster Co., Virginia Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Lancaster Co., Virginia Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• A discourse delivered in the Leacock Presbyterian Church, Lancaster County, Pa., on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1854 : in wh (search.ancestry.com)
• Lancaster County, Virginia Church Books (amazon.com)

Lancaster Co. VA Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

• Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
• Virginia Penny Postcards (usgwarchives.net)
• Lancaster County Pictures (usgwarchives.net)

Lancaster Co. VA General and History Websites

• Lancaster County Virginia (genealogytrails.com)
• Lancaster by the Bay Chamber – Historical Attractions & History (lancasterva.com)
• Lancaster County, Virginia Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Lancaster County, Virginia Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Lancaster Co. VA Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Lancaster County History (usgwarchives.net)
• Lancaster County, Virginia (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Virginia – Counties – Lancaster (cyndislist.com)
• Lancaster Co. VAGenweb (genealogenie.net)
• Lancaster County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Lancaster Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Lancaster Co. VA Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Virginia Links and Information
• 1895 Lancaster County Map (livgenmi.com)

Lancaster Co. VA Military Records

• Virginia Military Records Research Guide
• Virginia Revolutionary War Units (revolutionarywar101.com)
• Virginia Military Records (Fold3.com) gives you easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents belonging to the Virginia both women and men which served. Ideal for genealogists, researchers, historians and much more.