Campbell County Genealogy Records

Campbell County genealogy records begin in 1782, when the county was formed from Montgomery County in central Virginia. The Circuit Court Clerk holds marriage, land, probate, divorce, and court records that are open to the public. Birth and death records from 1912 to 1918 add another resource for researchers tracing families in the early 20th century. If you are searching for ancestors who lived in the Lynchburg area of Virginia, Campbell County records are a strong starting point.

Campbell County Circuit Court Clerk

The Clerk of the Circuit Court in Campbell County is a Constitutional Officer elected every eight years. The current clerk is Valerie P. Younger. The clerk's office records deeds, deeds of trust, mechanics liens, plats, and other land instruments, and also files all law and chancery suits. Other duties include issuing marriage licenses, processing indictments, probating wills, and appointing administrators, trustees, and guardians. Most records of this office are open to the public.

Campbell County was created from Montgomery County on February 1, 1782, and named for General William Campbell, a hero of the Revolutionary War. The county has no known history of courthouse disasters, which means the records from 1782 are largely intact. This is an important detail for genealogists. Many Virginia counties lost records to fire or the Civil War, but Campbell County's collections are relatively complete going back to the founding year.

The official county website at co.campbell.va.us has information about the clerk's office and services. You can find details about record access, fees, and contact information there.

How to Search Campbell County Genealogy Records

Visiting the courthouse in Rustburg is the most direct way to search Campbell County records. The clerk's office has indexes for land records and probate records that allow you to search by name. Staff will help you find the right deed books or will volumes once you have a name and approximate time period. Most records are available for viewing during regular business hours.

For online access, the Virginia court system website at vacourts.gov provides online case information for general district and circuit court cases. This covers more recent proceedings. For older records, the Library of Virginia holds microfilm copies of Campbell County deed books, will books, and other court records. Their online catalog lets you identify what is available before you visit or order films.

The Virginia Memory portal offers free digital access to some Campbell County records including land tax records, which provide an annual snapshot of who owned land in the county. These can help you date when your ancestor arrived or left. Chancery case indexes for Campbell County are also searchable through the LVA's Chancery Records Index.

Note: The clerk's office handles requests for certified copies but does not conduct genealogical research. Bring a list of specific records you want to locate when you visit.

Campbell County Record Types for Family Research

Marriage records in Campbell County begin in 1782 and run to the present. Early marriage bonds name the bride, groom, and a bondsman who co-signed the legal document. The bondsman was often a father or brother of one of the parties. Marriage registers, kept by the clerk after 1853, also record the date and officiating minister. Together these create a strong documentation chain for marriages over more than 240 years.

Land records from 1782 are indexed by both grantor and grantee names. A deed search in Campbell County can reveal who sold land to your ancestor, who bought land from them, and sometimes who witnessed the transaction. Witnesses were frequently neighbors or relatives. Surveyor's plats and related documents round out the land record collection and can help you locate a property on a modern map.

Probate records include wills, estate inventories, and administration accounts. These documents often name children, spouses, and other heirs directly. In addition, court records from 1782 include both civil suits and criminal proceedings. Court order books track case dispositions and can reveal when an ancestor appeared before the court, whether as a party, a witness, or a juror. Divorce records are held by the clerk as part of the chancery suit collection.

Birth and death records from 1912 to 1918 reflect the early years of statewide vital registration. These can document children born to your ancestors in that period. For birth and death records before 1912 and after 1918, check the Virginia Department of Health Vital Records office for statewide certificates.

Campbell County Local Societies and Additional Resources

The Find A Grave database has cemetery entries for Campbell County burial sites and can help document deaths for ancestors not found in official records. Many rural cemeteries in the Lynchburg area have been transcribed, and the inscriptions sometimes include birth dates, spouse names, and other family details. Cemetery research can fill gaps that exist in the period before 1912 when statewide vital registration began.

Because Campbell County has no known courthouse disasters, the records from 1782 are unusually complete compared to neighboring counties. This makes it a strong county for genealogy research. You can often trace a family's land ownership from the 1780s through to the present day using the deed indexes, and probate records may survive for the same family across multiple generations. This continuity of records is rare and valuable for researchers who can document their connection to the county.

Campbell County sits near Lynchburg, an independent city that is surrounded by the county but has its own separate government and court system. If your ancestor lived in what is now the city of Lynchburg, their records would be held by the Lynchburg Circuit Court rather than the Campbell County Circuit Court. The city boundaries have changed over time, so confirm which jurisdiction applied at the time your ancestor lived there.

Campbell County Images

The Circuit Court Clerk's official page at co.campbell.va.us is the best starting point for planning your genealogy research visit. The image below shows the clerk's office page as captured from the county website.

The site includes office hours, contact details, and descriptions of the record types maintained by the clerk's office.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Campbell County. Each has its own Circuit Court Clerk with genealogy records.