Prince Edward County Genealogy Lookup

Prince Edward County Virginia genealogy records date to 1754, when the county was created from Amelia County. The Clerk of the Court in Farmville holds birth records from 1853 to 1896, death records from 1853 to 1969, marriage records, divorce filings, probate files, court documents, and land records from 1754. Online remote access is also available for select record types.

Prince Edward County Clerk of the Court

The Prince Edward County Clerk of the Court is located at 111 South Street, 1st Floor, Farmville, VA 23901. The mailing address is PO Box 304, Farmville, VA 23901. Phone is 434-392-5145. Fax is 434-392-3913. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The clerk serves as the recorder of deeds, plats, and estates. The office issues marriage licenses and passports and acts as the official court administrator for all civil and court cases in the county. This single office is your starting point for virtually all genealogy records in Prince Edward County.

Online access is available through Secure Remote Access (SRA) for real estate records, judgments, UCC filings, marriage licenses, and wills via subscription. Available online records include land record indexes from January 1, 1916, land record images from January 1, 1940, judgments, UCCs, marriage licenses, and wills from January 1, 2001 to present. This remote access option is useful for researchers who cannot travel to Farmville.

The Prince Edward County Clerk of the Court website shown above provides current service details, online access options, and contact information. This is the official site for all county-level genealogy records in Farmville.

Genealogy Records in Prince Edward County

Prince Edward County was named for Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany, brother of King George III. It was created from Amelia County in 1754, giving it a record set that covers more than 270 years. Birth records from 1853 to 1896 are held at the clerk's office. Death records run from 1853 to 1969, an unusually long range compared to most Virginia counties. Marriage, divorce, probate, court, and land records all start in 1754.

The extended death record range from 1853 to 1969 is notable. Most Virginia counties hold local death records only through 1896, after which they are held by the state. Prince Edward County's longer local record series offers researchers additional coverage for the early and mid-twentieth century at the courthouse level. This can simplify research for families who were in the county through the mid-1900s.

Land record indexes are available online from January 1, 1916, with images available from January 1, 1940. This remote access covers a significant portion of the twentieth century land record set. For older land records going back to 1754, you will need to visit the clerk's office in Farmville or request specific documents by mail if you can supply the book and page number.

Note: Wills and estate records are available online from January 1, 2001. Older probate records from 1754 require in-person or mail research at the clerk's office.

How to Search Prince Edward County Records

The clerk's office in Farmville is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In-person research gives you direct access to the full range of records from 1754 forward. Bring names, dates, and any known connections. The public records room is set up for self-service work, with staff available to guide you to the right volumes.

For remote research, the SRA subscription service gives you online access to land records, judgments, marriage licenses, and wills within the date ranges listed above. To set up an SRA account, contact the clerk's office at 434-392-5145. The subscription allows index searches and document images from a home computer, which is useful for extended or multi-day research projects.

The Library of Virginia in Richmond holds microfilmed Prince Edward County records and has some digitized materials available through Virginia Memory. FamilySearch holds digitized images of older Virginia county records, including some from Prince Edward County. Subscription services like Ancestry.com may have additional indexed materials.

Libraries and Research Resources

The Farmville-Prince Edward Community Library serves researchers in the county. Local library collections include family history files, newspapers, and county histories that supplement the official courthouse records. Staff at the library can point you to local genealogy resources that are not available through the clerk's office.

Longwood University in Farmville also holds regional historical collections. University libraries often maintain local history archives that include plantation records, church registers, and family papers not found in official county records. For African American genealogy specifically, these private and institutional archives can fill important gaps.

The Virginia Genealogical Society publishes guides for Virginia county research and maintains statewide resources. Cemetery records for Prince Edward County are documented on Find A Grave. The Virginia Courts system provides current contact information for the circuit court.

Prince Edward County Record History

Prince Edward County has been a continuous jurisdiction since 1754. Its records have survived largely intact, with no major courthouse fires on record. The full range of land, probate, marriage, court, and vital records from 1754 makes this one of the more complete genealogy archives in Central Virginia. The extended local death record series through 1969 adds unusual depth compared to neighboring counties.

The county's history includes a significant period in the Civil Rights era, when Prince Edward County closed its public schools from 1959 to 1964 rather than comply with federal desegregation orders. This history means that African American genealogy research in the county often involves navigating records from a community that was systematically excluded from public institutions during that period. Church records, organizational records, and private family papers can help fill gaps for families in Prince Edward County during those years.

This view of the Prince Edward County Clerk's online presence highlights the combination of deep historical records from 1754 and modern remote access for more recent documents. Researchers can use both the in-person and online options depending on the time period they need.

For vital records after 1912, the Virginia Department of Health holds statewide birth and death certificates. The Virginia vital records statutes govern access to these records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Prince Edward County. Each maintains genealogy records at its own Circuit Court Clerk's office.