Search Craig County Genealogy Records

Craig County sits in the western mountains of Virginia, sharing a border with West Virginia, and its genealogy records trace back to the county's formation in 1851. The Circuit Court Clerk in New Castle holds land records, marriage licenses, probate files, and court documents covering more than 170 years of family history. Researchers looking for ancestors in this rural mountain county will find a solid archive with no major record losses on file.

Craig County Circuit Court Clerk

The Craig County Circuit Court Clerk is located at 182 Main Street, Suite 4, New Castle, Virginia 24127. The phone number is 540-864-6141. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Staff can assist you in locating records, but genealogy research is the visitor's responsibility. The clerk does not perform research on behalf of individuals.

Craig County was created on March 21, 1851 from Botetourt, Giles, Roanoke, and Monroe (West Virginia) Counties and named for Robert Craig, a 19th-century Virginia congressman. Because the county was formed from four parent counties, researchers tracing families before 1851 may need to search records in all four of those jurisdictions depending on where the family lived. The clerk's records begin in 1851 and continue to the present day.

The clerk holds land records, marriage licenses, court records, probate files, and birth and death registers from 1864 to 1896. These older vital records predate Virginia's statewide registration system, which began in 1912. The office also processes concealed handgun permits, passport applications, and notary commissions. Copy fees are set by Virginia state law and vary by document type and certification status.

Note: Craig County has no known history of courthouse disasters, so the records from 1851 forward are intact and available for research.

Craig County Family History Records

The range of genealogy records held in Craig County spans from 1851 through the present. Land records and deed books from 1851 provide the earliest documentary evidence of land ownership in the county. Marriage records also start from 1851. Probate records, including wills and estate inventories, begin in 1851 as well. Birth records are available from 1864 to 1896, and death records cover the same period. These local vital records were collected before Virginia established a central vital records office, and they remain at the courthouse in New Castle.

The Library of Virginia's Chancery Records Index includes digital images for Craig County chancery court cases from 1883 to 1915. Chancery suits are valuable genealogy sources because they often contain testimony about family relationships, inheritance claims, and property disputes. These cases can reveal details about family structure that do not appear in other record types. The LVA's online search tool lets you look up cases by name at no cost.

Census records for Craig County begin in 1860, the first federal census taken after the county's formation in 1851. For families living in the area before 1851, you would look in the Botetourt, Giles, Roanoke, or Monroe County census records from earlier years. Virginia personal property tax lists are another useful resource for tracking families between census years, and both the Library of Virginia and FamilySearch hold these records.

FamilySearch has published several large Virginia-wide collections that cover Craig County records. Virginia Births and Christenings 1584-1917 and Virginia Bureau of Vital Statistics Birth Records 1853-1896 are useful starting points. A specialized publication, Craig County, Virginia Births 1853-96 compiled by Beth Fridley, is available through Ancestry and focuses specifically on Craig County birth records from that period.

How to Search Craig County Genealogy

In-person visits to the clerk's office in New Castle are the most direct way to access Craig County genealogy records. The public records room holds deed books, will books, marriage registers, and court order books. Bring specific names and date ranges if you have them, since the finding aids are organized by name and time period.

Remote research is possible through several avenues. The FamilySearch wiki for Craig County summarizes the record types available and their beginning dates. FamilySearch also holds digital images of some Craig County records free of charge. The Virginia Memory portal at the Library of Virginia provides free access to digitized collections, including chancery records.

Ancestry and other subscription-based genealogy services have indexed portions of Craig County records. The Craig County, Virginia Death Index 1853-1896 available through Forebears covers over 7,000 deaths with name, race, sex, death date, and cause of death. Virginia Death Records 1912-2014 on the same platform include an index to around 4.6 million statewide death records with additional details. Cross-referencing multiple platforms improves your chances of finding what you need.

For vital records after 1912, contact the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records in Richmond. Birth and death certificates from 1912 forward are held at the state level. Virginia's vital records statutes govern access to these more recent documents.

Types of Records Available

Land records are a core genealogy resource in Craig County. Deeds from 1851 name grantors and grantees, describe property, and often mention heirs. The deed books are indexed by grantor and grantee name, making it possible to trace all property transactions involving a specific individual. Deed of trust records show lending arrangements and can connect families to neighbors and business associates.

Probate records are among the most genealogically rich documents held at the clerk's office. Wills name children and other beneficiaries. Estate inventories list all personal property. Administration bonds name the estate administrator and the bondsmen who guaranteed proper handling of the estate. Together these records often reveal family relationships, economic standing, and community ties. Craig County probate records begin in 1851.

The Virginia Historical Society Records 1607-2007 contain digital images of over 900,000 records that may include Craig County material, such as family bibles, church records, school records, and personal papers. Confederate Citizens File 1861-1865 contains documents related to goods furnished or services rendered to the Confederate government, which can help identify Craig County men who served or supported the Confederacy. The US Freedmen Bureau Records of Field Offices 1863-1878 cover labor contracts, ration applications, and other documents relevant to African American families in the Craig County area after the Civil War.

Note: Virginia Apprentices 1623-1800 available through Forebears lists nearly 20,000 apprenticeship abstracts with names, ages, and trades, which can document young men from Craig County-area families during the colonial and early national periods.

State and Regional Research Resources

The Library of Virginia in Richmond is the state's central archive for genealogy research. The LVA holds Craig County records on microfilm and has digitized selected collections. The Chancery Records Index, accessible through Virginia Memory, is one of the most useful tools for Craig County research. Researchers can search by party name and get direct access to scanned case documents without visiting Richmond.

The Virginia Genealogical Society maintains statewide resources and publishes materials relevant to all Virginia counties, including Craig. Their library in Richmond holds published genealogies, church records transcriptions, and surname files. The society's journal and newsletters contain articles on western Virginia families that may be directly relevant to Craig County research.

For cemetery research, Find A Grave has documented many Craig County burials. Cemetery records provide death dates, birth years, and family groupings not always found in courthouse documents. Local churches in New Castle and surrounding communities also kept membership and burial records that can supplement the official county archive. The Virginia Courts system maintains online case indexes for more recent records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Craig County and each keeps its own genealogy records at the local Circuit Court Clerk's office.