Amelia County Genealogy Records

Amelia County genealogy records date back to 1735 and are held at the Circuit Court Clerk's office in Amelia, Virginia. The county's archive includes land records, marriage licenses, probate files, court orders, and birth records that span nearly three centuries. Researchers searching for south-central Virginia family lines will find Amelia County's records well preserved and accessible at the courthouse on Court Street.

Amelia County Circuit Court Clerk

The Amelia County Circuit Court Clerk is located at 16441 Court Street, Amelia, VA 23002. The office phone is (804) 561-2128. This office is where all genealogy records for Amelia County are maintained, from the county's founding year of 1735 through the present. The clerk holds court records, land records, marriage licenses, and probate files.

Land records are available for public search at the clerk's office. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. Marriage license applications require both parties to appear with valid photo identification. Probate records including wills, estate administrations, and inventories are on file at the clerk's office and open to the public. The office is a good starting point for anyone researching Amelia County family history.

Amelia County was created in 1735 from Brunswick and Prince George counties. It was named for Princess Amelia, the second daughter of King George II of Great Britain. Because the county was formed from two parent counties, researchers tracing families back before 1735 will need to look at both Brunswick County and Prince George County records for earlier generations.

What Records Are Available

Amelia County holds an impressive range of records for genealogy research. Birth records are available from 1853 through 1896. Death records also begin in 1853. Marriage records go back to 1735, covering nearly the entire history of the county. The marriage records from 1735 to 1853 represent a particularly valuable set for researchers working on pre-Civil War families. Court, land, and probate records all begin in 1735.

Census records for Amelia County begin in 1810. Virginia personal property tax lists and tithable lists from the late 1700s and early 1800s serve as useful substitutes for earlier censuses. The Library of Virginia holds microfilm copies of Amelia County deed books, will books, and marriage registers. Their online catalog lets you identify specific holdings before making a research trip to Richmond.

The county is surrounded by Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Nottoway, Prince Edward, Cumberland, and Powhatan counties. Families frequently moved between these neighboring jurisdictions, so a thorough genealogy search may require checking records in more than one county. The Library of Virginia's chancery court records index is particularly helpful for tracing property disputes and estate divisions that spanned multiple counties.

Note: Statewide vital registration began in Virginia in 1912. For birth and death certificates from that year forward, contact the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records in Richmond.

How to Search Amelia County Genealogy Records

Visiting the clerk's office in person is the most reliable way to search Amelia County genealogy records. The courthouse at 16441 Court Street is open during regular business hours. Bring specific names, approximate dates, and as much background information as possible. The clerk's staff can help you find the right index books, but you will do the actual searching yourself.

For vital records from 1853 to 1896, you can check both the clerk's office and the Library of Virginia. The Library holds microfilmed versions of many local birth and death registers from that era. You can also check Virginia Memory, which has digitized portions of Virginia's historical records including some Amelia County documents. FamilySearch has indexed a number of older Virginia county records and may have Amelia County marriages, probates, and deeds in their free database.

Mail inquiries to the clerk's office should include a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Provide full names and specific time periods to speed up the response. For certified copies of records, fees are set by state law. The clerk can advise on what is available and the cost once you specify what you need.

State Resources for Amelia County Research

The Library of Virginia is the largest repository of Virginia genealogy records outside of local courthouses. For Amelia County, the Library holds deed books, will books, court order books, and marriage registers on microfilm. Their reading room in Richmond is open to the public, and many finding aids are available through the online catalog at lva.virginia.gov. Staff genealogists can answer questions about specific collections by email or phone.

Virginia Memory at virginiamemory.com is the Library of Virginia's digital portal. It includes digitized newspapers, photographs, manuscripts, and databases useful for Amelia County research. The chancery records index on Virginia Memory allows you to search for chancery court cases by county, which can surface detailed family and property records that do not appear in standard deed or will books.

For genealogists using online subscription services, Ancestry holds a large collection of Virginia county records including Amelia County deeds and probates. Fold3 has military records that may be relevant to Amelia County families from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War. Virginia vital records statutes under Title 32.1 Chapter 7 govern access to certified vital records copies. The Virginia Genealogical Society is also a strong resource for statewide research support.

Virginia Courts and Additional Sources

The Virginia Courts website provides case index information for recent court records. For historical research, the Library of Virginia and the clerk's office remain the main sources. Cemetery records for Amelia County families are documented on Find A Grave, where volunteers have recorded burial sites across the county. These entries can help confirm death dates and identify family groupings, which is useful when court records are sparse on biographical detail.

Military records are another source for Amelia County genealogy. Fold3 holds military records from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War that may include Amelia County men. The Library of Virginia also holds Civil War pension files and military service records for Virginia soldiers. For families with men who served, military records can add birth dates, physical descriptions, and family relationship information that does not appear in deed books or will books. These records are often overlooked but can be quite detailed.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Amelia. Each maintains its own genealogy records at the Circuit Court Clerk's office.