Louisa County, Virginia Genealogy

Guide to Louisa County, Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Louisa County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of Princess Louisa, daughter of King George II and Queen Caroline of England.

County Courthouse
Louisa County Courthouse 314 West Main Street PO Box 524 Louisa, VA 23093 Phone: 540-967-5330 Louisa County Website

Clerk Circuit Court has birth records 1867-1896, marriage, divorce and probate records from 1742 and land records

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit https://virginia.hometownlocator.com/counties/cities,cfips,109,c,louisa.cfm HomeTown Locator]. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Resources
VAGenWeb's free Louisa County Master Index is an excellent place to start searches for your Louisa County ancestors.

Bible Records

 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Louisa County Historical Society

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * Cutten, George Barton. The Silversmiths of Virginia (together with Watchmakers and Jewelers) from 1694 to 1850. Richmond, Va.: The Dietz Press, Incorporated, 1952. Available at . [Includes a section on Louisa Court House silversmiths.]

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Louisa County, Virginia Tombstone Index produced by the Louisa County Historical Society - free.

Census Records
1782 - Exists. Available in print: 1790 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation. 1800 - Exists, but it is not included in Ancestry or Heritage Quest Online databases. A subsitute is also available, see Taxation. 1810 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.
 * Davis, Rosalie Edith Davis. Louisa County, Virginia, Tithables and Census, 1743-1785. Manchester, Missouri: Heritage Trails, 1981. Available at . [Includes 1782 Census of Louisa County, Virginia.]

1850 - Exists. Available in print:
 * Hiatt, Marty and Craig Roberts Scott. Louisa County, Virginia 1850 Federal Census. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1995. Available at.

1890 Union Veterans
 * Turner, Ronald Ray. Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890. Available online, courtesy: Prince William County Virginia website. [Includes residents of this county.]

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Baptist Early Baptist churches (with years constituted): Louisa County fell within the bounds of the Goshen Association.
 * 1) Bera (1791). A history has been published: Louisa County Historical Magazine, Vol. 34, No. 1 (Spring 2003).
 * 2) Little River (1774). A history has been published: Louisa County Historical Magazine, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Fall 1992) and Vol. 24, No. 1 (Spring 1993).
 * 3) Louisa (1770).
 * 4) Roundabout (1791)
 * 5) Scarrot's (1777) A history has been published: Louisa County Historical Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Spring 1989).
 * 6) Thompson's, or Goldmine aka Gold Mine (1770). A history has been published: Louisa County Historical Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Summer 1973).
 * 7) Williams (by 1778).

Church of England See also Fredericksville Parish See also St. Martin's Parish  See also Trinity Parish


 * Meade's 1861 history of parishes in Louisa County is available online.

Quaker Early monthly meetings (with years of existence):
 * Camp Creek Monthly Meeting (1747-1790). Hinshaw published the early records:.
 * Fork Creek Monthly Meeting (1746-1778)
 * 1739-1793 Quaker Records of Cedar Creek Monthly Meeting, Virginia, 1739-1793 by Mary Marshall Brewer. Colonial Roots, Lewes, DE., 2002..

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index can be used to search digital images of Louisa County chancery records for the years 1753-1913.
 * Post-1913 Louisa County chancery court records are located at the Circuit Court Clerk's office.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American In 1860, Louisa County had one of the largest enslaved populations in the state (10,194 slaves). Ten years later in 1870, it had one of the largest African American populations in Virginia (10,063).
 * 1865-1872 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Abercrombie, Janice Luck. Free Blacks of Louisa County, Virginia. Athens, Ga.: Iberian Pub. Co., 1994. Contains bonds, 1754-1766; list of free negroes and mulattoes, [date not given]; list of free negroes and mulattoes, 1816-1865; free negroes between 21 and 55 years of age, 1850; and will, deed and other records, 1787-1870.
 * Heinegg, Paul. "Louisa County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1814," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Kegley, Mary B. Free People of Colour: Free Negroes, Indians, Portuguese and Freed Slaves. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 2003. Available at . [Includes information from Louisa County.]
 * Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of Louisa County.

Funeral Homes

 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Genealogies
Compiled Genealogies by Surname A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 * See Louisa County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list of published books and articles, or jump to the surname using the alphabet bar.

Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families
 * Blankenship, Gayle King. Virginia Families of Louisa, Hanover and Monroe Counties. Poquoson, Va.: G.K. Blankenship, 1991.
 * Hansford, Thelma Ironmonger. Miscellaneous Records for the Hill and Related Families. MSS., Microfilmed 1990:.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Grants and Patents
 * Sullivan. 790 patents dated 1718-1838 in what is now Louisa County, Virginia placed on a map). DeedMapper, 2003. [Names of those who received land patents, dates, land descriptions, and references may be viewed free of charge (click "Index" next to the county listing); however, in order to view the maps, it is necessary to purchase Direct Line Software's DeedMapper product.]

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Louisa County, Virginia Creeks and Rivers at VAGenWeb
 * FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns in this couinty - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
French and Indian War Revolutionary War Louisa residents' participation in the Revolutionary War.
 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at . [Identifies some Westmoreland County militia officers, soldier enlistments, and veterans; see place name index.]
 * Boogher, William F. Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. Washington: n.p., 1903. Available at ; digital version at Google Books. [Includes a chapter titled "Legislative Enactments connecting the preceding historic sketch [French and Indian War, Lord Dunmore's War] with the adjudication of the resulting accounts that follow; with the list of officers, soldiers and civilians entitled to compensation for military and other services rendered." For Louisa County, see pp. 88, 111.]
 * 1651-1776 Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at ; digital book at Ancestry ($). Identifies some County militia officers and soldiers; see place name index.
 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital version at Google Books. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, Louisa County on page 131.]
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." ; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes veterans. Virginia section begins on page 238.

Regiments. Service men in Louisa County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Louisa County supplied soldiers for the:
 * - 3rd Virginia Regiment
 * - 14th Virginia Regiment

War of 1812
 * Douthat, James L. Roster of War of 1812, Southside, Virginia. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2007. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. 975.5 M2djL. [Includes Louisa County.]
 * List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Louisa County, pp. 88-89. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
 * Militia records, Sept.-Dec. 1814; accounts, 1816-1822 Virginia Militia Regiment 40th (Louisa County), Virginia, Militia, Brigade, 3rd, Virginia Militia, Brigade, 4th1 Microfilm, FHL Film 32234 Item 1

Regiments. Louisa County men served in the 40th Regiment. Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * Muster rolls can be found at The War and Louisa County 1861-1865

Regiments. Men from Louisa County can be found in the following regiments:
 * - 13th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D (The Louisa Blues).
 * - 23rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company A (Louisa Rifles), Company D (Louisa Grays), and Company G (Frederick's Hall Grays).
 * - 44th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D (Ambler Grays).
 * - 56th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Companies C (Louisa Holiday Guards) and F (Louisa Nelson Grays).

Records and histories are available, including:
 * Louisa County men most often served in regiments (and companies) from their home county. At times, however, individuals and small groups can be found serving in regiments from neighboring counties. Be advised that later in the war Confederate units often reorganized.

Civil War Battle The following Civil War battle was fought in Louisa County.
 * June 11-12, 1864 = Trevilian Station, also known as Trevilians
 * Maps of Civil War battles in Virginia: 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1906-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Newspapers
Indexed images of the Virginia Gazette (1736-1780) are available online through the Colonial Williamsburg website. In addition, Professor Tom Costa and The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia have created a database of all runaway advertisements for slaves, indentured servants, transported convicts, and ship deserters listed in this source and other Virginia newspapers (1736-1803), see: The Geography of Slavery in Virginia. These newspapers are valuable resources for all regions of Virginia.

Other Records
Private Papers
 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Louisa County Historical Society

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1745-1766 Images of Wills & Estates at Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1767-1768 Images of Wills & Estates at Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1742-1947 General Index to Wills FHL microfilm 32191
 * 1745-1865 Will book, v. 1-16 available on microfilm
 * 1865-Current Available at Louisa County Courthouse
 * Deed Records - Images of deeds, etc. 1759-1765; 1764-1766 Virginia Pioneers.net ($)

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1743-1785 Davis, Rosalie Edith Davis. Louisa County, Virginia, Tithables and Census, 1743-1785. Manchester, Missouri: Heritage Trails, 1981. Available at.
 * 1767 Louisa County, Virginia 1767 Tithables &amp; Census (partial) at VAGenWeb
 * 1769 Tax List, 1769, St. Martins Parish, Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Jan. 1976). Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($).
 * 1782-1800 Louisa County Personal Property Tax Lists 1782-1800 (images); digital version in Tax List Club at Binns Genealogy ($).
 * 1782 Fothergill, Augusta B. and John Mark Naugle. Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-87, Other Than Those Published by the United States Census Bureau. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1978. Available through the FamilySearch Catalog ; . [1782 personal property tax list of Louisa County.]
 * 1782 Tax Book, 1782, Louisa County Historical Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jun. 1969).
 * 1782-1814 Heinegg, Paul. "Louisa County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1814," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * 1783 - Personal Property (or Land) Tax List, 1783; index online at Revolutionary War Service website - free.
 * 1787 Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 &amp; 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 &amp; Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle &amp; Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. Available at . [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Louisa County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * 1791 Indexed images of the 1791 Personal Property Tax List of Louisa County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * 1798 Images of the 1798 Personal Property Tax List of Louisa County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * 1800 Tax List, 1800, Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 37, No. 3 (Jul. 1993); Vol. 37, No. 4 (Oct. 1993); Vol. 38, No. 1 (Jan. 1994); Vol. 38, No. 2 (Apr. 1994). Available at.
 * 1810 Schreiner-Yates, Netti. A Supplement to the 1810 Census of Virginia: Tax Lists of the Counties for which the Census is Missing. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1971. Available at . [The source for this publication is the 1810 personal property tax lists. Louisa County is included because the 1810 Census for that county has been destroyed.]
 * 1810 Personal Property Tax 1810, Genealogical Forum of Portland Oregon Bulletin, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Dec. 1965); Vol. 15, No. 5 (Jan. 1966); Vol. 15, No. 6 (Feb. 1966); Vol. 15, No. 7 (Mar. 1966).
 * 1815 Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at . [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Louisa County is included in Vol. 1.]
 * 1890-1900 Mineral City Tax List, 1890-1900, Louisa County Historical Magazine, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Spring 1990).

Birth

 * 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1584-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

 * 1660-1800 Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at at FindMyPast — index, ($) — index $
 * 1740-1850 Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1757-1766 Marriages at Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Death

 * Deaths are online in the Library of Virginia's Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, sponsored by The Virginia Genealogical Society.
 * 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1853-1912 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection;  index & images

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 - at FamilySearch — index & images

Family History Centers

 * Charlottesville Virginia Family History Center
 * Louisa Virginia Family History Center


 * - Jefferson-Madison Regional Library - Central Branch - an affiliate library
 * - Jefferson-Madison Regional Library - Northside Branch - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Central Virginia Genealogical Association

Websites

 * USGENWEB Louisa County, Virginia


 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides
VAGenWeb's free Louisa County Master Index is an excellent place to start searches for your Louisa County ancestors.