King and Queen County Genealogy Records

King and Queen County offers a solid base of genealogy records for researchers tracing eastern Virginia families. The county was created in 1691 from New Kent County and holds marriage records from 1864, land records from 1782, and probate and court records from 1865 at the Circuit Court Clerk's office. Chancery records from 1818 to 1913 are available through the Library of Virginia's digital collections. If your family roots reach into the Middle Peninsula region, this county is a key stop in your research.

King and Queen Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk for King and Queen County is located at 242 Allens Circle, P.O. Box 86, King and Queen, VA 23085-0067. The main phone number is (804) 785-5982. This office holds the county's official genealogy records, including land deeds, marriage licenses, wills, and court records. It is the primary place to search for King and Queen County family history documents.

The clerk's records include birth and death records from 1865 to 1898, marriage and divorce records from 1864, probate and court records from 1865, and land records from 1782. These date ranges reflect the period after which many earlier records were lost. The county's older records did not survive intact, so 1782 and 1864 represent the practical starting points for most genealogy searches here.

The Virginia Courts King and Queen Circuit Court page lists office contact information and courthouse details. Check that page for current hours before planning a visit. The courthouse is located in eastern Virginia, about 50 miles from the Chesapeake Bay, in a rural area without much surrounding commercial infrastructure.

Note: Mail all correspondence to the P.O. Box rather than the street address to ensure delivery.

Genealogy Records Available

King and Queen County's record collection covers a useful range of document types for genealogy work. Land records from 1782 are the oldest surviving series. Marriage records start in 1864. Birth and death registers from 1865 to 1898 provide a window into the post-Civil War period before statewide registration began. Probate records from 1865 include wills, estate inventories, and administration bonds from that era forward.

Chancery records are a major asset for this county. The Library of Virginia has digitized King and Queen County chancery records from 1818 to 1913. Chancery cases often deal with inheritance disputes, land divisions, and creditor claims. These files frequently name extended family members, making them rich sources for genealogists working on family structure. You can search the chancery index online and order digital images without a trip to the courthouse.

Statewide birth and death registration began in Virginia in 1912. Records from that year forward are held by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records. Older vital records from this county are split between the clerk's office and the Library of Virginia. For records from 1865 to 1912, both sources are worth checking.

The Virginia Memory portal provides free online access to many digitized state records including land grants, court orders, and marriage bonds. Searching Virginia Memory for King and Queen County can turn up documents not available through other platforms.

How to Search King and Queen County Records

Start your search online. The Library of Virginia's chancery records index lets you search King and Queen County cases from 1818 to 1913 by name. Pull up digital images of the original case files without leaving home. This is one of the most useful free genealogy tools for this county.

For land records and marriage files, an in-person visit to the clerk's office is often the most productive approach. The staff at the King and Queen courthouse can help you find the right index books and deed volumes. The public records room is set up for researcher access. Bring a list of names and date ranges to make your time there more efficient.

The FamilySearch wiki for King and Queen County has a summary of record types and where to find them. FamilySearch also holds microfilm images of some county records. Census records for King and Queen County start in 1810. Personal property tax lists from the late 1700s serve as census substitutes for earlier periods and can help you locate families before 1810.

Libraries and Research Resources

The Library of Virginia in Richmond is the main research institution for King and Queen County genealogy. Their collections include land records, court files, legislative records, and vital statistics. The Library of Virginia holds King and Queen County materials on microfilm and in digitized form. Their reading room is open to the public and staff can assist with record location.

The Virginia Genealogical Society maintains statewide genealogy resources and publishes research guides covering individual counties. Their library in Richmond has King and Queen County materials including family histories and local records abstracts. Membership in the society gives you access to their full publication archive.

For cemetery records, Find A Grave has King and Queen County burials documented by volunteers. Church records from the county's Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopal congregations can supplement the civil record set, especially for the period before 1864. The Library of Virginia holds microfilm copies of many church registers from this area.

King and Queen County Record History

King and Queen County was created on May 12, 1691 from New Kent County. It was named in honor of King William III and Queen Mary, who jointly ruled England at the time of the county's formation. The county's record history reflects the disruptions of the Civil War period. Many pre-war records did not survive, which is why the oldest surviving land records date from 1782 and marriage records begin in 1864.

Despite these losses, the county's surviving record set is solid for post-Civil War research. The chancery records from 1818 to 1913 are particularly valuable because they survived intact and have been digitized. Chancery cases often contain genealogical detail that does not appear in other record types, including testimony from family members about relationships, ages, and events going back decades before the case was filed.

The Library of Virginia's Chancery Records Index is freely searchable online. This is one of the best free resources for King and Queen County genealogy because it covers a long span of years and the case files often run to dozens of pages of detailed testimony and exhibits.

Nearby Counties

These counties border King and Queen County. Each has its own record collections at the Circuit Court Clerk's office.