New Kent County Genealogy Records

New Kent County sits in east-central Virginia and holds genealogy records dating back to 1808 at the Circuit Court Clerk's office. The county is known as one of Virginia's "burned counties," meaning many colonial records were lost before that date. Researchers looking into New Kent family history will find marriage, land, probate, and court records in the surviving archive. Parish records from several historic churches in the county can help fill in gaps for ancestors who lived here before 1808.

New Kent Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk's office in New Kent County is the main repository for local genealogy records. The office holds marriage, divorce, probate, court, and land records beginning in 1808. You can visit in person during regular business hours to search the records yourself. The clerk's staff can guide you to the right record books, but they do not do research for you.

New Kent County was created from York County in 1654 and named for Kent, England. The county is one of Virginia's "burned counties," a term used for localities that lost most of their colonial-era records to fire, war, or other disasters. For New Kent, the surviving record set begins in 1808. That is still well over 200 years of documentation, which is enough to trace most family lines into the early 19th century and beyond.

Birth and death records in New Kent County began in 1865. Statewide registration for vital records started in 1912. Records from 1865 to 1896 are held at the clerk's office and may also be on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. For birth and death records after 1912, contact the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records in Richmond.

Note: Because New Kent is a burned county, researchers should plan to use multiple sources to document ancestors who lived here before 1808.

Genealogy Records in New Kent County

The records available at the New Kent Circuit Court Clerk cover a wide range of genealogy needs. Marriage records, divorce records, probate files, court orders, and land deeds all start from 1808. Birth records began in 1865. Death records also start in 1865. These are the core documents for tracing New Kent families through the 19th and 20th centuries.

Chancery records are a strong resource for this county. Indexed images of New Kent County Chancery Records from 1848 to 1956 are available online through the Library of Virginia's Chancery Records Index. Chancery cases often contain detailed family information, including names of heirs, property descriptions, and testimony from neighbors and relatives. If you hit a dead end in the basic land and probate records, chancery files are worth searching.

For the colonial period before 1808, the surviving parish records are the best alternative source. New Kent County had several active parishes, including Blisland Parish, St. John's Parish, St. Paul's Parish, St. Peter's Parish, St. Stephen's Parish, and Stratton Major Parish. Church registers recorded baptisms, marriages, and burials that predate the courthouse records. Some of these parish registers have been transcribed and published. Check the FamilySearch wiki for New Kent County for a summary of where these records are held.

Virginia personal property tax lists from the late 18th and early 19th centuries can substitute for census records and help locate New Kent ancestors between 1790 and 1810. The Library of Virginia holds the original tax lists, and FamilySearch has digitized many of them.

How to Search New Kent Genealogy

Visiting the clerk's office in New Kent is the most direct way to search the records. The public records room is set up for self-service research. Bring the names and approximate dates you are looking for, and plan to spend time going through index books and deed books. Staff can point you in the right direction but will not do extended research on your behalf.

Online research for New Kent is possible through several platforms. The Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory digital collections include some New Kent materials. The Chancery Records Index is a good online starting point, especially for the 1848 to 1956 period. FamilySearch has digitized selected records and offers a free online database. Ancestry also holds indexed collections that may include New Kent materials, particularly for the 19th century.

The Virginia Courts system maintains case information for more recent records at vacourts.gov. For older land records and deeds, the clerk's office is the definitive source. Remote access options may be available; contact the clerk's office directly to ask about subscription services for land records.

Local Libraries and Research Help

The New Kent County Public Library is a good local resource for researchers. The library holds local history materials, newspaper collections, and family files that supplement the courthouse records. Librarians there are familiar with New Kent genealogy and can point you to sources that are not at the courthouse.

The Library of Virginia in Richmond is the state's main archive for genealogy. It holds microfilm copies of New Kent birth and death records from 1853 to 1896, along with tax lists, census indexes, and other state records. If you are doing serious New Kent research, a trip to the Library of Virginia is worth the effort. The library is open to the public and provides access to a wide range of digitized and physical collections.

The Virginia Genealogical Society offers statewide resources and publishes research guides. Their library in Richmond holds materials on many Virginia counties, including New Kent. The society also sponsors research assistance programs for members working on difficult Virginia genealogy problems.

The Library of Virginia is a key partner for New Kent researchers, especially given the county's burned county status. Many records that did not survive locally are preserved on microfilm in Richmond.

New Kent Record History and Burned County Status

New Kent County's designation as a "burned county" refers to the large-scale loss of its pre-1808 records. Virginia had many courthouses destroyed by fire during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and especially the Civil War. New Kent County suffered losses that wiped out most of its colonial-era documentation. What survives from before 1808 is fragmentary at best.

The county was created in 1654 from York County. During its early decades, it was an active county with land grants, court proceedings, and church activity. The loss of those early records is a significant challenge for researchers tracing families here before the 19th century. The surviving parish records from St. Peter's Parish and other local churches are among the best alternatives for the 17th and 18th centuries. Some of these have been published in genealogical journals or transcribed by researchers affiliated with the Virginia Genealogical Society.

Despite the losses, New Kent County's post-1808 record set is well preserved. Over two centuries of deeds, wills, court orders, and marriage records give researchers a solid foundation for tracing 19th and 20th century families. The chancery record series, available online through the Library of Virginia, adds substantial depth for researchers working in that period.

Nearby Counties

These counties border New Kent and maintain their own genealogy records at the Circuit Court Clerk's office.