Westmoreland County Genealogy Records

Westmoreland County Virginia holds some of the oldest genealogy records in the state, with land, probate, and court records going back to 1653. Located on the Northern Neck of Virginia, the county is home to some of the most significant colonial families in American history and has a rich archive of documents spanning nearly 370 years. The Circuit Court Clerk in Montross is where local genealogy research in Westmoreland County begins.

Westmoreland County Circuit Court Clerk

The Westmoreland County Circuit Court Clerk is Anne B. Garner. The office is located at 175 Polk Street, P.O. Box 307, Montross, VA 22520. Phone: 804-493-0108. Email: agarner@vacourts.gov. The Westmoreland County Clerk of Circuit Court is part of the Westmoreland County Judicial Center at 175 Polk Street in Montross.

Westmoreland County was created from Northumberland County on July 5, 1653. It was possibly named for Westmoreland, England. The county has been continuously governed since 1653, and its record set is one of the oldest in Virginia. Land, probate, and court records go back to 1653. Birth and death records are available from 1855 to 1895. Marriage records start in 1786. Divorce records begin in 1850.

The clerk performs many duties. The office records deeds, issues and records marriage licenses, serves as probate judge, maintains court files, prepares jury lists, contacts jurors, and issues summons and court processes. All of these functions generate records that genealogy researchers can access. Online services are available through the county website for various record searches.

Note: The clerk's office will help you find materials but does not conduct genealogy research on your behalf. Plan to spend time doing self-service research in the public records room.

Westmoreland County Genealogy Records Available

The Westmoreland County government website provides information about county services, including the Circuit Court Clerk's office where land, court, and probate records dating back to the 1650s are maintained.

Westmoreland County's record set is among the oldest in Virginia. Land, probate, and court records date from 1653. Marriage records begin in 1786. Divorce records start in 1850. Birth and death records from 1855 to 1895 are also held at the clerk's office. The county's Northern Neck location means that many families in this archive have connections to other Northern Neck counties, including Northumberland, Lancaster, and Richmond.

The Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory contains indexed images of Westmoreland County Chancery Records from 1753 to 1902, though the collection is incomplete. These chancery case files often include family relationships, property disputes, and witness testimony that can help trace multiple generations. The Superior Court of Chancery of Fredericksburg, which operated from 1802 to 1831, also had jurisdiction over certain Westmoreland County cases.

The FamilySearch Westmoreland County Genealogy wiki gives a useful summary of record types, date ranges, and where to find specific collections. FamilySearch holds digital images of some older Westmoreland records and provides free access to indexed databases covering the county.

How to Search Westmoreland County Genealogy

Visiting the clerk's office at 175 Polk Street in Montross is the most direct approach. The public records room allows self-service research. Staff can show you how to use deed books, court order volumes, and probate files. The office does not do research for you but will help you navigate the available materials.

For online searching, the Virginia Courts Case Information System allows name-based searches for more recent case records. The Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory platform provides online access to digitized chancery records for Westmoreland County. Census records beginning in 1810, along with Virginia personal property tax lists from the late 1700s and early 1800s, can help you track families between census years.

In 1662, Westmoreland County and Northumberland County were temporarily joined into a single county before being separated again. This brief merger means that records from that period may appear in either county's archive. Researchers should check both Westmoreland and Northumberland County records if they are tracing families from that era.

For vital records after 1912, contact the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records. The Library of Virginia at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond maintains birth and death records for 1853 to 1896 and marriage records prior to 1936 for Westmoreland County.

Libraries and Research Resources

The Westmoreland County Public Library serves local researchers and holds some genealogy and local history materials for the Northern Neck area. The library can supplement what you find at the courthouse. For more extensive research collections, the Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library in Lancaster County on the Northern Neck also holds materials relevant to the region.

The Library of Virginia in Richmond is the primary statewide archive. Westmoreland County records are part of the Library of Virginia's holdings, including birth and death records from 1853 to 1896 and marriage records prior to 1936. The Virginia Memory digital platform provides online access to many of these materials from home.

The Virginia Genealogical Society covers all Virginia counties. Their publications and research guides include material on Northern Neck counties. For cemetery research, Find A Grave has volunteer-documented burial records for many Westmoreland County cemeteries. George Washington's birthplace at Popes Creek in Westmoreland County is administered by the National Park Service, which maintains historical research resources connected to the site.

Note: The Northern Neck of Virginia has its own regional genealogical community. Local historical societies and the Westmoreland County Museum can sometimes point researchers to sources not available through standard genealogy databases.

Westmoreland County Record History

Westmoreland County was formed in 1653 from Northumberland County and is one of Virginia's oldest counties. The county's position on the Northern Neck, the peninsula between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers, made it a wealthy plantation area in the colonial period. The Northern Neck was home to some of the most prominent families in Virginia history. George Washington was born in Westmoreland County at Popes Creek in 1732. James Monroe was also born here. The Lee family, including Richard Henry Lee and Light Horse Harry Lee, had deep roots in the county.

Many colonial records survive from 1653 forward. The deed books and court order books from the mid-1600s reflect the plantation society and land grants of early Virginia. Estate inventories from those decades can tell you what families owned, who their neighbors were, and how property was divided among heirs. These early records are detailed and often list personal property, enslaved people, and livestock in addition to real estate.

In 1662, Westmoreland and Northumberland Counties were briefly merged. This administrative change means that records from that year exist in a combined format. After separation was restored, each county went back to maintaining its own records. The Westmoreland County archive from 1653 forward, with that brief exception, is a largely intact set of documents for one of Virginia's oldest communities. The chancery records collection through Virginia Memory, while incomplete, adds another layer of research material for genealogists tracing Northern Neck families.

Nearby Counties

These Northern Neck and nearby counties border Westmoreland. Each has its own Circuit Court Clerk with local genealogy records.