Virginia Compiled Genealogies

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Online Resources[edit | edit source]


Has anyone studied your Virginia Genealogy before? Start with lists of Virginia genealogies, county-by-county, on FamilySearch Wiki. Some counties, for example, Augusta County, list compiled genealogies for more than 1000 families. Books, articles, and manuscript collections are being tapped to create these lists:

Accomack • Albemarle • Alleghany • Amelia • Amherst • Appomattox • Arlington • Augusta • Bath • Bedford • Bland • Botetourt • Brunswick • Buchanan • Buckingham • Campbell • Caroline • Carroll • Charles City • Charlotte • Chesterfield • Clarke • Craig • Culpeper • Cumberland • Dickenson • Dinwiddie • Elizabeth City • Essex • Fairfax • Fauquier • Floyd • Fluvanna • Franklin • Frederick • Giles • Gloucester • Goochland • Grayson • Greene • Greensville • Halifax • Hanover • Henrico • Henry • Highland • Isle of Wight • James City •  King and Queen • King George • King William • Lancaster • Lee • Loudoun • Louisa • Lunenburg • Madison • Mathews • Mecklenburg • Middlesex • Montgomery • Nansemond • Nelson • New Kent • Norfolk • Norfolk (Lower) • Norfolk (New) • Norfolk (Upper) • Northampton • Northumberland • Nottoway • Orange • Page • Patrick • Pittsylvania • Powhatan • Prince Edward • Prince George • Prince William • Princess Anne • Pulaski • Rappahannock • Rappahannock (Old) • Richmond • Roanoke • Rockbridge • Rockingham • Russell • Scott • Shenandoah • Smyth • Southampton • Spotsylvania • Stafford • Surry • Sussex • Tazewell • Warren • Warwick • Washington • Westmoreland • Wise • Wythe • York

Most archives, historical societies, and genealogical societies have special collections and indexes of genealogical value.

Family Tree Databases[edit | edit source]

World Connect. More than 12,000,000 Virginia entries appear in family trees submitted to the online World Connect Project. The accuracy of the data varies, but the database is commendable for its ability to include transcribed sources within each individual's file. These databases will provide many researchers clues as to what has been done in the past, and where future research efforts should be directed.

Digital Books[edit | edit source]

Many published genealogies, particularly those printed before 1923, which are now out of copyright, are being digitized and made available online. Major sites include:

Community Networking Sites[edit | edit source]

In the pre-Internet days, many genealogists published queries in genealogical journals covering places where their ancestors lived, such as The Virginia Genealogist. Today, most genealogists prefer to post queries online.

Message Boards and Lists. Genealogists share information and ask questions in online message boards. Some examples are:


You'll also want to check message boards focused on specific surnames and localities (such as counties) to find your ancestors.
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DNA. DNA studies are one of the most exciting new ways to learn about your roots. Several DNA companies are available to assist. Y-Chromosome tests are very helpful, because they can help people who share surnames find out if they're related. Some DNA sites inform you if someone is already studying your surname, such as:


Geographical DNA projects targeting people with Virginia Genealogy include:

  1. The DNA of the Early Chesapeake project at FamilyTreeDNA lists many Virginia compiled genealogies. Project administrators correlate DNA evidence and genealogical material.
  2. VA-1600s Geographic Project at FamilyTreeDNA was organized as a storage place for DNA results of people whose ancestors lived in Virginia before 1700. 75+ samples.
  3. Germanna DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA focuses on the Germans who settled in Virginia in 1714 and 1717. 200+ samples.
  4. Virginia-SW Group Project at FamilyTreeDNA focuses on Franklin, Patrick, Grayson, Smyth, Lee, Scott, Wise, Dickenson, Henry, Carroll, Wythe, Buchanan, Russell, Tazewell, Bland, Giles, Craig, Floyd, Bedford, Amherst, Pulaski, Pittsylvania, and Montgomery counties.
  5. Cumberland Gap Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA focuses on families in Lee, Russell, and Scott counties, Virginia; Bell and Harlan counties, Kentucky; and Claiborne, Hancock, and Hawkins counties, Tennessee. 3700+ samples.
  6. Melungeon Families of Interest Project at FamilyTreeDNA focuses on specific families thought to fit into the ethnic category of Melungeon. Some of these folks lived in Southwest Virginia.

Virginia Genealogy Finding Aids[edit | edit source]

Library of Virginia. Use the "Search the LVA Catalog" feature to locate published genealogies about Virginia families. Many manuscript collections are also held at this facility.

Virginia Historical Society. Search for a surname or conduct a subject search for all the genealogies available for particular counties.

FamilySearch Catalog. Use the "Last names" search to pinpoint books about specific families in this large collection at the Family History Library.

PERSI. This database, available online both at Ancestry.com ($) and HeritageQuestOnline ($), searches the titles of articles published in genealogy journals. It can help you learn if anyone has published information in this format on your particular family tree.

Virginia Genealogy Manuscript Collections[edit | edit source]

Virginia Colonial Records Project. This project includes 14,704 surveys of Virginia-related material in archives of Great Britain, Ireland, and France and 963 microfilm reels of original documents. The database index lists 500,000 personal names and ship names. The Library of Virginia has put the index on the Internet. They also have interlibrary loan of the films of original documents.

For a list of the sources, see:

  • A Key to Survey Reports and Microfilm of the Virginia Colonial Records Project. Richmond: Virginia State Library and Archives, 1990. FHL Book 975.5 H23k.

Also see the Library of Virginia Basic Search: Virginia Colonial Records Project online database index

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Genealogical Collection.

This collection consists of transcripts of Bible records, cemetery records, church records, marriage records, death records, obituaries, and wills. It was microfilmed in 1971 at the DAR Library in Washington, DC, and is available on 44 films at the Family History Library. The volumes are generally arranged by county and many have individual indexes. These are listed in several entries in the FamilySearch Catalog under Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia).

George Harrison Sanford King Papers, 1914-1985. Held at the Virginia Historical Society (100,000+ pages). They are particularly useful for those studying families in the burned record Caroline, King George, and Stafford counties.[1] These records are available online for free at FamilySearch. King's card index is being published in the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy (beginning with Volume 45).

Ardery Collection, ca. 1750-1970. This is a set of volumes and files that contain information gathered by Julia Hoge Spencer Ardery from the 1920s to the 1960s on Virginia and Kentucky families. The information was extracted from newspaper accounts, family newsletters, family Bibles, military records, historical journals, and vital records. The collection is indexed, but most of the volumes and files are in several alphabetical series.

The original collection is at the Margaret I. King Library (University of Kentucky, Special Collections and Archives, 110 King Library North, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0039; Telephone: 606-257-8611; Fax: 606-257-8379). The Family History Library has a copy of part of the collection on 81 films microfilmed in 1970 beginning with film 831459. The King Library has additional files (not microfilmed) on more than 100 families. A list of the family surnames was published by the Kentucky Genealogical Society in:

Genealogical Notes (Collection). This is a collection of typewritten and handwritten genealogical manuscripts by many different researchers. They were filmed at the Library of Virginia (Family History Library films 029883-89). The manuscripts are arranged alphabetically by surname. The records of each family are also listed in the Surname Search of the FamilySearch Catalog.

  • Hart, Lyndon H. Guide to Genealogical Notes and Charts in the Archives Branch, Virginia State Library. Richmond, Va., 1983.

Genealogical Notes, 1607-present. Held at the Virginia Historical Society. These records are available online.

Virginia Genealogy Published Collections, Indexes, and Guides[edit | edit source]

Some helpful indexes to many published accounts of families are in the books by Stuart Brown, Robert Stewart, Earl Swem (see below), and P. G. Wardell (see Virginia Biography).

A good starting point for finding published Virginia genealogies is:

Additional resources include:

To help interpret citations and locate the original sources, use the colored pages in some volumes or use the book:

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

Virginia Historical Society Papers - FamilySearch Historical Records

Popular Virginia Genealogies[edit | edit source]

Tip
 To learn about family coat of arms, see Virginia Heraldry.

Descendants of Pocahontas have compiled genealogies about her family:

  • Brown, Stuart E., Lorraine F. Myers and Eileen M. Chappel. Pocahontas' Descendants ... A Revision, Enlargement and Extension of the List as Set Out by Wyndham Robertson in his Book Pocahontas and Her Descendants (1887). 1985.

Descendants of Isaac Allerton, an early settler of the Northern Neck of Virginia, can claim Mayflower ancestry, see:

  • Hall, Newman Arnold. "Allerton of Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 32, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1988):83-92; Vol. 32, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1988):171-178; Vol. 32, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1988):287-296; Vol. 33, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1989):13-18; Vol. 33, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1989):94-102; Vol. 33, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1989):175-180. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 32 (1988)-v. 33 (1989).

Studies of the Lee, Washington, Lincoln, and Taliaferro families have been hot topics in Virginia genealogical literature.

Roberts identifies Virginia immigrants of royal descent:

  • Roberts, Gary Boyd. The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants to the American Colonies or the United States: Who Were Themselves Notable or Left Descendants Notable in American History. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Pub. Co., 2004. FHL Book 973 D2rrd.

In a review of O'Dell's masterpiece, Dorman stated "Comprehensive studies such as this appear only rarely. This volume should be in every Virginia genealogical collection."[2] What was so unique? He attempted to trace the origins of every early settler of Frederick County.

  • O'Dell, Cecil. Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia. Marceline, Mo.: Walsworth Pub. Co., 1995. FHL Collection.


Pronunciation of Virginia Surnames[edit | edit source]

Another interesting aspect of Virginia surnames is - how were they pronounced? In 1895, Lyon G. Tyler recorded the spellings and pronunciations of some rather unusual surnames he was familiar with.[3] This, no doubt, would have affected the way clerks spelled surnames in local records.

Spelt Called Spelt Called
Armistead Umstead Hinde Hines
Berkeley Barkly, or Bartlett Hodsden Hodgden
Bernard Barnett Ironmonger Monger
Brockenbrough Brokenburough James Jeames
Blount Blunt Kerby Kearby
Burwell Burrell Langhorne Langon
Booth Bowthe Lawrence Larance
Callowhill Carroll Leigh Lee
Chamberlaine Chaumberlin Mackintosh Mackentash
Chisman Cheeseman Mallicote Malicut
Contesse Countis Maury Murry
Crenshaw Granger Michaux Missher
Daisy Disy Montford-Munford Mumford
Degge or Degges Diggs Murdaugh Murder
Deneufville Donevel Napier Napper
Dewberry Dewbree Norsworthy Nazary
Drewry Druitt Patrick Partrick
Enroughty Derby Perrott Parrott
Fauntleroy Fantilroy Piggot Picket
Folk Fork Presson Pressy
Fontaine Fountin Randolph Randall
Fulgham Fulljum Rochelle Roachel
Gawin Goin Sclater Slaugther & Slater
Geddy Gaddy Semple Sarmple
Gibson Gipson Sewell-Seawell Sowel
Gilliam Gillam Stegge Stagg
Goodrich Gutridge Sweeny Swinny
Goodwin Goodin Taliaferro Toliver
Gooch Gouge Timberlake Timberleg
Goldsmith Gouldsmith Turlington Turnton
Hairston Harston Urquhart Urkart
Heyward Howard Wills Wells
Harwood Harod Yates Yeates
Haughton-Hawthorne Horton Yardly Yeardley
Hartwell Heartwell
Higginson Hickerson

Writing and Sharing Your Family History[edit | edit source]

Sharing your own family history is valuable for several reasons:

  • It helps you see gaps in your own research and raises opportunities to find new information.
  • It helps other researchers progress in researching ancestors you share in common.
  • It draws other researchers to you who already have information about your family that you do not yet possess.
  • It draws together researchers with common interests, sparking collaboration opportunities. For instance, researchers in various localities might choose to do lookups for each other in remote repositories. Your readers may also share photos of your ancestors that you have never seen before.
See also:

Websites[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Susan Chiarello, "George Harrison Sanford King's Card File," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 45, No. 1 (Feb. 2007):5. FHL Book 975.5 B2vs. Explanation by Barbara Vines Little.
  2. ↑ John Frederick Dorman, "Review of Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia," in The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1995):236. Prof. Warren Hofstra relied heavily on O'Dell's conclusions to write his award-winning history of the Shenandoah Valley, see: Warren R. Hofstra, The Planting of New Virginia: Settlement and Landscape in the Shenandoah Valley (Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004).
  3. ↑ Lyon G. Tyler, "Virginia Names Spelt One Way and Called Another," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Apr. 1895):271-273. Digital version at JSTOR - free.
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Links to Virginia-related articles   (see also West Virginia-related articles)
Topics
Counties
Accomack • Albemarle • Alleghany • Amelia • Amherst • Appomattox • Arlington • Augusta • Bath • Bedford • Bland • Botetourt • Brunswick • Buchanan • Buckingham • Campbell • Caroline • Carroll • Charles City • Charlotte • Chesterfield • Clarke • Craig • Culpeper • Cumberland • Dickenson • Dinwiddie • Essex • Fairfax • Fauquier • Floyd • Fluvanna • Franklin • Frederick • Giles • Gloucester • Goochland • Grayson • Greene • Greensville • Halifax • Hanover • Henrico • Henry • Highland • Isle of Wight • James City • King and Queen • King George • King William • Lancaster • Lee • Loudoun • Louisa • Lunenburg • Madison • Mathews • Mecklenburg • Middlesex • Montgomery • Nelson • New Kent • Northampton • Northumberland • Nottoway • Orange • Page • Patrick • Pittsylvania • Powhatan • Prince Edward • Prince George • Prince William • Pulaski • Rappahannock (New) • Richmond • Roanoke • Rockbridge • Rockingham • Russell • Scott • Shenandoah • Smyth • Southampton • Spotsylvania • Stafford • Surry • Sussex • Tazewell • Warren • Washington • Westmoreland • Wise • Wythe • York
Independent
Cities
Extinct Counties/Cities
Counties
gone to KY
Bourbon • Fayette • Jefferson • Kentucky (extinct) • Lincoln • Madison • Mason • Mercer • Nelson • Woodford
Counties
gone to WV
Barbour • Berkeley • Boone • Braxton • Brooke • Cabell • Calhoun • Clay • Doddridge • Fayette • Gilmer • Greenbrier • Hampshire • Hancock • Hardy • Harrison • Jackson • Jefferson • Kanawha • Lewis • Logan • Marion • Marshall • Mason • McDowell • Mercer • Monongalia • Monroe • Morgan • Nicholas • Ohio • Pendleton • Pleasants • Pocahontas • Preston • Putnam • Raleigh • Randolph • Ritchie • Roane • Taylor • Tucker • Tyler • Upshur • Wayne • Webster • Wetzel • Wirt • Wood • Wyoming
Colonial
Parishes
Abingdon • Accomac • Accomack • Albemarle • Amherst • Antrim • Appomattox • Argall's Gift • Augusta • Bath • Beckford • Berkeley • Blisland • Blount Point • Botetourt • Boutracy • Bristol • Bromfield • Brunswick • Bruton • Camden • Cameron • Charles City • Charles • Charles River • Chickacoan • Chickahominy • Chippokes • Chiskiack • Chotank • Christ Church (Lancaster Co.) • Christ Church (Middlesex Co.) • Chuckatuck • Cople • Cornwall • Cumberland • Dale • Denbigh • Dettingen • Drysdale • East • Elizabeth City • Elizabeth River • Fairfax • Fairfield • Farnham • Flowerdew Hundred • Fluvanna • Frederick • Fredericksville • Hamilton • Hampton • Hanover • Harrop • Henrico • Hog Island • Hungars • James City • Jordan's Journey • Kecoughtan • Kingston • King William • Lancaster • Lawnes Creek • Lee • Leeds • Lexington • Littleton • Lower (Elizabeth City Co.) • Lower (Isle of Wight Co.)  • Lower (Lancaster Co.)  • Lower (Nansemond Co.) • Lower (Northampton Co.) • Lower (Stafford Co.) • Lower (Upper Norfolk Co.) • Lower Suffolk • Lunenburg • Lynnhaven • Machodick • Manchester • Marston • Martin's Brandon • Martin's Hundred • Meherrin • Middle Plantation • Middletowne • Montgomery • Mulberry Island • New Poquoson • Newport • Nomini • Norborne • Northampton • North Farnham • Nottoway (Prince Edward Co.) • Nottoway (Southampton Co.) • Nutmeg Quarter • Occohannock • Overwharton • Patrick • Petsworth • Piankatank • Piscataway • Poropotank • Portsmouth • Potomac • Raleigh • Richmond • Rockbridge • Rockingham • Russell • St. Andrew's • St. Anne's (Albemarle Co.) • St. Anne's (Essex and Caroline Cos.) • St. Asaph's • St. Brides • St. David's • St. George's (Accomack Co.)  • St. George's (Spotsylvania Co.) • St. James Northam • St. James Southam • St. James's (Goochland Co.) • St. James's (Mecklenburg Co.) • St. John's • St. Luke's • St. Margaret's • St. Mark's • St. Martin's • St. Mary's • St. Mary's Whitechapel • St. Patrick's • St. Paul's (Hanover Co.) • St. Paul's (King George Co.) • St. Peter's • St. Stephen's (King and Queen Co.) • St. Stephen's (Northumberland Co.) • St. Thomas • Shelburne • Sittenburne • Smith's Hundred • South • Southampton • South Farnham • Southwark • Stafford • Stanley Hundred • Stratton Major • Suffolk • Tillotson • Trinity (Lancaster Co.) • Trinity (Louisa Co.) • Truro • Upper (Elizabeth City Co.) • Upper (Isle of Wight Co.) • Upper (Lancaster Co.) • Upper (Nansemond Co.) • Upper (Northampton Co.) • Upper (Stafford Co.) • Upper Suffolk • Varina • Wallingford • Ware • Warrosquyoake • Warwick • Washington (Westmoreland Co.) • Washington (Washington Co.) • Waters Creek • West • West and Shirley • Westbury • Westover • Weyanoke • Wicomico • Wilmington • York • Yorkhampton
Major
Repositories
Bristol Public Library · Germanna Foundation Library · Handley Regional Library · Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA) · Historical Society of Washington, D.C. · John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library at Colonial Williamsburg · Jones Memorial Library · Library of Congress (Washington, DC) · Library of Virginia · Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library · Maryland State Archives (Annapolis, MD) · National Archives I (Washington, DC) · National Archives II (College Park, MD) · National Archives at Philadelphia (PA) · National Genealogical Society · New York Public Library (New York City, NY) · Pennsylvania State Archives (Harrisburg, PA) · Portsmouth Public Library · Roanoke County Public Library · Salisbury University Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture (Salisbury, MD) · Santa Cruz Public Library Downtown (Santa Cruz, CA) · University of Virginia Library · Virginia Department of Health · Virginia Historical Society · Virginia Theological Seminary · Washington National Records Center (Suitland, MD) · William and Mary College Swem Library
Migration
Routes
Routes:  Chesapeake Bay • James River • Potomac River • Rappahannock River • York River • Chesapeake and Ohio Canal • Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad • Fall Line Road (or Fall Line Road) • Great Indian Warpath • Great Trading Path • Great Valley Road • Kanawha Trail • King's Highway • National Road (Cumberland Road) • New River and Southern Trail • Occaneechi Path • Old Cherokee Path • Old Northwestern Turnpike • Pamunkey-New River Trail • Pioneer Road • Richmond Road • Richmond-Williamsburg Road • Saura-Saponi Trail • Secondary Coast Road • Upper Road • Wilderness Road • Wilmington, Highpoint, and Northern Trail •   Ports:  Atlantic Coast Ports • Accomack  • Alexandria  • Belvoir Plantation  • Bermuda Hundred  • Dumfries  • Falmouth  • Fredericksburg  • Hampton  • Jamestown  • Leedstown  • Norfolk  • Port Royal  • Portsmouth  • South Quay  • Suffolk  • Tappahannock (aka Hobb's Hole)  • Urbanna  • Williamsburg  • Yorktown
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Links to Virginia Compiled Genealogies-related articles
Historic
Counties
Accomack • Albemarle • Alleghany • Amelia • Amherst • Appomattox • Arlington • Augusta • Bath • Bedford • Bland • Botetourt • Brunswick • Buchanan • Buckingham • Campbell • Caroline • Carroll • Charles City • Charlotte • Chesterfield • Clarke • Craig • Culpeper • Cumberland • Dickenson • Dinwiddie • Elizabeth City • Essex • Fairfax • Fauquier • Floyd • Fluvanna • Franklin • Frederick • Giles • Gloucester • Goochland • Grayson • Greene • Greensville • Halifax • Hanover • Henrico • Henry • Highland • Isle of Wight • James City •  King and Queen • King George • King William • Lancaster • Lee • Loudoun • Louisa • Lunenburg • Madison • Mathews • Mecklenburg • Middlesex • Montgomery • Nansemond • Nelson • New Kent • Norfolk • Norfolk (Lower) • Norfolk (New) • Norfolk (Upper) • Northampton • Northumberland • Nottoway • Orange • Page • Patrick • Pittsylvania • Powhatan • Prince Edward • Prince George • Prince William • Princess Anne • Pulaski • Rappahannock • Rappahannock (Old) • Richmond • Roanoke • Rockbridge • Rockingham • Russell • Scott • Shenandoah • Smyth • Southampton • Spotsylvania • Stafford • Surry • Sussex • Tazewell • Warren • Warwick • Washington • Westmoreland • Wise • Wythe • York



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