Find Genealogy Records in Amherst County

Amherst County genealogy records go back to 1761, when the county was formed from Albemarle County. The Circuit Court Clerk's office in Amherst holds land records, marriage licenses, court orders, and probate files from the founding year forward. Researchers tracing Piedmont Virginia families will find this county's records largely intact, with birth records from 1853 and marriage documents spanning over 260 years of the county's history.

Amherst County Circuit Court Clerk

The Amherst County Clerk of Circuit Court is located at P.O. Box 462, Amherst, VA 24521. The office phone is (434) 946-9323. This office maintains all court records, land records, marriage licenses, and probate records for the county. Marriage records go back to 1761. Land records, court records, and probate records also begin in 1761 and run to the present.

The clerk's office handles the core functions that produce genealogy records. Deeds, plats, and land instruments are recorded here. Wills are probated and estate inventories filed at this office. Marriage licenses have been issued from this location since the county was established on April 7, 1761. Civil suits, name changes, and adoption records are also part of the clerk's holdings.

Staff at the clerk's office can help you identify and locate specific records, but the actual research is something you do yourself. Bring the names, approximate dates, and the type of record you are looking for. Copies are available for a fee. The clerk can tell you the current copy costs when you contact them. Certified copies carry a higher fee than plain copies, as set by Virginia state law.

The old Amherst courthouse was built in 1870. The current courthouse dates from 1970 with an addition built seven years later. The original structure is gone, but the records transferred to the new building are intact.

Amherst County Genealogy Records Overview

Amherst County offers a strong record set for genealogy research. The county was created from Albemarle County on April 7, 1761 and named for Jeffery Amherst, a British military figure and colonial governor of Virginia. Because Amherst came from Albemarle, researchers going back before 1761 need to search Albemarle County records, which date from 1744.

Birth records in Amherst County are available from 1853. Death records also begin in 1853. Marriage records start in 1761 and run continuously. Census records for the county begin in 1810. Virginia personal property tax lists and tithable lists from the late 1700s and early 1800s are available at the Library of Virginia and FamilySearch and can help track families between census years.

Statewide birth and death registration in Virginia began in 1912. For certificates from that year forward, contact the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records. For records before 1912, the clerk's office and the Library of Virginia are your primary sources. The county's records are on file locally and also exist on microfilm at the Library of Virginia in Richmond.

Note: Amherst is bordered by Rockbridge, Nelson, Appomattox, Campbell, the independent city of Lynchburg, and Bedford counties. Families in these border areas may have records spread across multiple jurisdictions.

How to Search Amherst County Records

In-person research at the clerk's office is your best option for Amherst County. The courthouse in Amherst is open during regular business hours. You can search deed index books, will books, and marriage registers in person. Staff will guide you to the right volumes once you explain what you are looking for.

The Library of Virginia is the next most important resource. The Library holds microfilm copies of Amherst County deed books, will books, marriage registers, and court order books. Their online catalog at lva.virginia.gov identifies specific holdings by county and record type. You can search the catalog from home and then visit the Library to view the records, or in some cases request scans of specific pages for a fee.

FamilySearch has indexed portions of Amherst County's older records. Their Amherst County genealogy wiki page is a useful starting point that summarizes record types and beginning dates. Virginia Memory at virginiamemory.com offers digitized documents and the chancery court records index for the county. The Virginia Genealogical Society also publishes research guides and maintains databases relevant to Amherst County families.

State-Level Resources for Amherst Research

Beyond the local clerk's office, several statewide resources support Amherst County genealogy research. The Library of Virginia's Chancery Records Index lets you search for chancery court cases filed in Amherst County. These cases often contain detailed family information that does not appear in deed books or will books. Estate divisions, property disputes, and debt actions from the 1800s can name multiple generations of a family.

The Virginia Court Records System at vacourts.gov provides case index information for more recent court filings. For historical records, the Library of Virginia is the better resource. Cemetery records for Amherst County are well documented on Find A Grave, where volunteers have documented hundreds of burial sites across the county.

Virginia vital records law under Title 32.1 Chapter 7 of the Virginia Code governs who can get certified copies of birth and death certificates and what fees apply. Records held at the clerk's office, including deeds and probates, are open to the public under Virginia's Freedom of Information Act. There are no special requirements for genealogical access to court and land records in Amherst County.

Military Records and Additional Sources

Military records can fill gaps when civil records are missing for Amherst County families. Fold3 holds federal military records from the Revolutionary War through World War II that may include Amherst County men. The Library of Virginia also has Virginia-specific military records, including Civil War pension files and service records. These records often include birth dates, physical descriptions, and family relationship data not found in deed or will books.

Cemetery records for Amherst County are documented on Find A Grave. Volunteers have documented burial sites across the county, including rural family cemeteries that are otherwise difficult to locate. These records can confirm death dates and identify family groupings. Combined with court and vital records, cemetery documentation helps build a more complete picture of Amherst County families over time. The county's communities of Amherst and Madison Heights both have well-documented burial sites on the platform.

Nearby Counties

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