Search Bedford County Genealogy Records

Bedford County genealogy records go back to 1754 and are accessible both in person at the Circuit Court Clerk's office and online through a secure remote access portal. The county holds land records, marriage licenses, probate files, and court documents spanning over 270 years of Virginia Piedmont history. Birth records from 1853 and death records from 1853 add depth to the available archive for researchers tracing Bedford County families.

Bedford County Circuit Court Clerk

The Bedford County Clerk of Circuit Court maintains land records, court documents, marriage licenses, and probate files at the courthouse in Bedford, Virginia. The clerk's office is open to the public from 8:30 AM until 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Land record recording stops at 4:15 PM. The clerk holds birth records from 1853 to 1897 and 1912 to 1918, death records from 1853 to 1918, and marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1754.

Bedford County was created on December 13, 1753 from Lunenburg County and named for John Russell, the fourth Duke of Bedford. The county's records go back to 1754, reflecting the early settlement of the Virginia Piedmont and the families who moved into this region in the mid-1700s. For researchers tracing lines back before 1754, Lunenburg County is the parent county and holds earlier records.

The clerk handles all the standard recording duties: deeds, plats, deeds of trust, wills, estate administrations, marriage licenses, civil suits, and criminal case records. Each of these functions generates documents useful for genealogy. Copies of records carry fees set by state law. Contact the clerk's office directly to ask about current copy costs and procedures for specific record types.

Bedford County Online Land Records Access

Bedford County offers one of the more developed online access systems for land records among Virginia's rural counties. The Bedford County Clerk of Circuit Court Secure Remote Access site at bedfordvacocc.org includes all land records made available by the clerk's office, with complete indexing data and companion document images.

Land record indexing information is available at no charge, which lets researchers check whether a specific document exists without paying a subscription. This is useful for deciding whether a trip to the courthouse is worth making. Property Notification is a free service through the site that alerts you by email when a document containing a name you registered is filed. This is more useful for current property tracking than for genealogy, but it is available.

For full document access through the remote system, a yearly subscription costs $600 per user, paid in advance. The system uses PDF format images, so you need Adobe Acrobat or another PDF viewer to open documents. The subscription covers all land records made available by the clerk's office, including recorded deeds, deeds of trust, plats, and other land instruments.

Note: The subscription service covers land records. For marriage, probate, divorce, and court records, you will need to visit the courthouse in person or make a written request to the clerk's office.

Bedford County Genealogy Records by Type

Bedford County's record collection spans a long period and covers the main genealogy record types. Birth records are available in two periods: 1853 to 1897 and again from 1912 to 1918. Death records run from 1853 to 1918. Marriage records begin in 1754 and run to the present. Divorce records start in 1754 as well. Probate records including wills and estate files go back to 1754. Court and land records also start in 1754.

The gaps in birth and death records between 1897 and 1912 and before 1853 are common across Virginia counties. Virginia's statewide vital registration began in 1912 and was uneven in its early years. For births and deaths after 1912, the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records is the right contact. For the pre-1853 period, you rely on other records like estate inventories, church registers, Bible records, and military muster rolls to track family events.

Census records for Bedford County begin with 1810. Virginia personal property tax lists from the late 1700s and early 1800s are useful for tracking families before 1810. These are available at the Library of Virginia and on FamilySearch. The Library of Virginia's Chancery Records Index includes Bedford County cases and can surface detailed family information from chancery court proceedings.

Library of Virginia and Other Resources

The Library of Virginia holds microfilm copies of Bedford County deed books, will books, court order books, and marriage registers. Their catalog is searchable online. Bedford County is well represented in the Library's collections because of its age and the volume of records produced since 1754. Staff genealogists at the Library can help you navigate the holdings and identify the right microfilm reels for your research.

Virginia Memory at virginiamemory.com offers digitized documents including the chancery records index for Bedford County. The chancery records from the 1800s and early 1900s are particularly useful for reconstructing family property histories and identifying relationships between individuals. Cemetery documentation on Find A Grave covers Bedford County burial sites across the county.

The Virginia Genealogical Society has statewide resources and member databases relevant to Bedford County research. Their library in Richmond and their online databases can supplement your courthouse and Library of Virginia research. Virginia vital records law under Title 32.1 Chapter 7 governs access to certified vital record copies. The Virginia Courts website provides case index data for more recent court filings.

Nearby Counties

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