Prince William County, Virginia Genealogy

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

Description
Prince William is located in the northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. It was named after the second son of England's King George II.

County Courthouse
Prince William County Courthouse 9311 Lee Avenue Manassas, VA 20110-5586 Phone: 703-792-6141 Prince William County Website Clerk Circuit Court has marriage records from 1856, divorce and court records from 1823, probate records from 1734 and land records from 1731

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

History Timeline


The county is named after Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (1721-1765), a son of King George II of Great Britain.

Bible Records

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

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. . Includes a section on Dumfries silversmiths.

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1993 Prince William County Burial Index 1800-1993 at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * "Bell Family Tombstone Found in Manassas," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 10, No. 9 (Mar. 1992):70.
 * "Confederate Burials in the Small Confederate Cemetery Located on the Manassas Battlefield, Prince William County," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 8, No. 10 (Apr. 1990):77-78.
 * "Keys Family Cemetery," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Oct. 1983).
 * "Nash Family Cemetery," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 9, No. 6 (Dec. 1990):46.
 * Wilson, Donald L. "The Cemeteries of Prince William County," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 10, No. 11 (May 1992):84-85; Vol. 10, No. 12 (Jun. 1992):94-95; Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jul. 1992):6-7.

Census Records
1790 - Lost.

1800 - Lost.

1810
 * 1810 Census Alphabetically Arranged. By Ronald Ray Turner., (*); images

1820
 * 1820 Census Alphabetically Arranged. By Ronald Ray Turner..

1830
 * 1830 Census Alphabetically Arranged. By Ronald Ray Turner., (*); images

1840
 * 1840 Census Annotated. By Ronald Ray Turner. Turner attempts to identify individuals recorded statistically by age and gender. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

1850
 * 1850 Census Annotated. By Ronald Ray Turner. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

1860
 * 1860 Census Annotated. By David Anderson Turner. Adds many biographical details to the bare skeleton of this census., (*); images

1870
 * 1870 Census Annotated. By Ronald Ray Turner., (*); images

1880
 * 1880 Census Alphabetically Arranged, and 1880 Prince William Census Notes. By Ronald Ray Turner., (*); index & images

1890 Union Veterans
 * Mays, Judith. Union Veterans of the Civil War Living in Prince William County in 1890, The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jul. 1989):6-7; Vol. 8, No. 2 (Aug. 1989):12-15; Vol. 8, No. 5 (Nov. 1989):39.
 * Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890. By Ronald Ray Turner., (*); images.  Includes residents of this county.
 * 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census. Online at: Ancestry ($). Includes this county.

1900
 * 1900 Census Alphabetically Arranged. By Ronald Ray Turner., (*); images

1910
 * 1910 Census Alphabetically Arranged - Partial Census. By Ronald Ray Turner..

1920
 * 1920 Annotated Census. By Ronald Ray Turner., (*); images

1930
 * 1930 Census Alphabetically Arranged. By Ronald Ray Turner..

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Baptist

Early Baptist churches (with years constituted): Prince William County fell within the bounds of the Ketocton Association. A Baptist petition dated 1776 was published in Seattle Genealogical Society Bulletin, Vol. 22, No. 3 (Mar. 1973). .
 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Church of England See also Dettingen Parish See also Hamilton Parish  See also Leeds Parish  See also Truro Parish

Presbyterian


 * "The First 93 Members of the Manassas Presbyterian Church, Manassas, Virginia," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 1, No. 9 (Jan. 1983).
 * "Roll of Members of the Manassas Presbyterian Church from the Date of Its Organization July 7th, 1867," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 1, No. 10 (Feb. 1983); Vol. 1, No. 11 (Mar. 1983); Vol. 1, No. 12 (Apr. 1983); Vol. 1, No. 13 (May 1983); Vol. 1, No. 14 (Jun. 1983).

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records

General
 * Lounsbury, Carl R. "'An Elegant and Commodious Building': William Buckland and the Design of the Prince William County Courthouse," The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 46, No. 3 (Sep. 1987):228-240. Available at JSTOR.

Bonds
 * Prince William County Virginia Bond Book 1732-1847. By Ronald Ray Turner. It was necessary to post bonds to legalize many types of legal documents, including land and probate records.

British Claims
 * "British Mercantile Claims, 1775-1803 Indexed from The Virginia Genealogist, Vols. 8, 9, 14, 15, 20, 21, 23 and 24," available online through Prince William Public Library, (RELIC). This index serves as a very useful guide to help researchers find the original abstracts in The Virginia Genealogist. These issues of The Virginia Genealogist are accessible online through American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * "Prince William County Virginia Mixed Commission on British and American Claims: Thomas Pringle vs United States & Arthur C. & Frances Evans vs United States" (1860s-1870s)..

Chancery Court
 * Indexed images of Prince William County, Virginia Chancery Records 1804-1951 are available online through Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. These records, often concerned with inheritance disputes, contain a wealth of genealogical information.

County Court
 * Durst, Mariona. "Early Prince William Court Order Books," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jul. 1987):7. . In this article, Mariona Durst, Prince William County Archivist, identifies which court order books survive and which have been lost.
 * "Old Prince William Document Found in Kentucky," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 9, No. 9 (Mar. 1991):69. . Dated 1760, surnames: Roland, Gibson, and Graham.
 * "Prince William County, Virginia, Order Book 1759-1761," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 19, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1975):214-226; Vol. 19, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1975):291-308; Vol. 20, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1976):35-44; Vol. 20, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1976):133-144; Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1976):188-198; Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1976):280-288; Vol. 21, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1977):59-66; Vol. 21, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1977):129-140; Vol. 21, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1977):207-216; Vol. 21, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1977):293-306; Vol. 22, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1978):58-64; Vol. 22, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1978):137-142; Vol. 22, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1978):221-226; Vol. 22, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1978):304-311; Vol. 23, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1979):47-54; Vol. 23, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1979):130-138; Vol. 23, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1979):201-216; Vol. 23, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1979):292-304; Vol. 24, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1980):31-40; Vol. 24, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1979):99-109. Available at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * images

Dumfries District Court and Superior Court of Law
 * Dumfries District Court Order Books, 1793-1817. Original records, Prince William County Courthouse, Manassas, Va.; microfilm: . Dumfries District Court encompassed Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William counties.

Superior Court of Chancery The Superior Court of Chancery of Fredericksburg (1802-1831) had jurisdiction over certain Prince William County court cases. An index has been compiled:
 * Indexes of Court Records in the Clerk's Office, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1782-1904. Original records, Fredericksburg City Courthouse, Fredericksburg, Va., microfilm: . Indexes the following records: District Court law book v. 8, 1782-1792; District Court law books 1790-1793, v. A-F 1789-1811; Superior Court of Law law order books v. G-H 1812-1831; Superior Court of Chancery chancery order books 1814-1831; Hustings Court orders v. A-O 1782-1871; Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery law order books v. A-E 1831-1875; Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery chancery order books v. A-D 1831-1872; Circuit Court chancery order books v. A2, B-C 1875-1904; Fredericksburg District Court (1789-1808) had jurisdiction over the following counties: Spotsylvania (including Fredericksburg), Caroline, King George, Stafford, Orange, and Culpeper; Superior Court of Chancery (1802-1831) had jurisdiction over the following localities: city of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fairfax, Lancaster, Northumberland, Madison, King George, Orange, Prince William, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Essex, and Westmoreland.

Emigration and Immigration
Dumfries was an important port in the colonial period. Only a few official passenger lists survive for the eighteenth century.
 * Cantwell, John A. "Imported Indentured White Servitude in Fairfax and Prince William Counties, 1750-1800," unpub. M.A. Thesis, George Mason University, 1986.
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. Includes will of a resident of Prince William County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.
 * Harrison, Fairfax. "When the Convicts Came: A Chapter from 'Land Marks of Old Prince William,'" The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 30, No. 3 (Jul. 1922):250-260. Available at JSTOR.
 * List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe who served labor terms in Colonial Prince Edward, Prince George, and Prince William Counties, Virginia (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.
 * Stickel, Iris Robey. "Eighteenth Century Passenger Lists Found in Prince William County Records," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 4, No. 4-6 (Oct.-Dec. 1985):6-13. 975.52732 D25n v. 4-6 (1985-1988). (Source of data: Prince William County, Va., manuscripts in the Huntington Library (Loose Papers), Reference: Microfilm VA 975.527 Pri., Huntington Library, San Marino, California.)

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Farmer, Darlene V. "African American Genealogical Research," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 10, No. 8 (Feb. 1992):59; Vol. 10, No. 9 (Mar. 1992):66-67. . Discusses African American research in general, but not specific Prince William County sources.
 * Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of Prince William 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 Prince William County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list of published books and articles, or jump to the surname using the alphabet bar.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Deeds Many of Prince William County's early deed books have been lost, as described in this article: One early deed has been found in private hands: A manuscript index to several of the lost deed books, created in 1827, provides some relief to genealogists searching for ancestors during this time period. Donald Wilson and Judith Mays published these indexes in The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society :
 * Wilson, Donald L. "Prince William County's Missing Land Records," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 4, No. 4-6 (Oct.-Dec. 1985):3-5. . Identifies which deed books have been lost; includes index references to some lost deeds from Deed Books A and C.
 * Wilson, Donald L. "Early Prince William County Deed Found," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jul. 1987):6-7.
 * 1741-1743 Wilson, Donald L. "An Index to Lost Deed Book F, 1741-1743," Vol. 4, No. 12 (Jun. 1986):9. Taken from a manuscript deed index for letters M through W, made in 1827.
 * 1743-1744 Mays, Judith A. "An Index to Lost Deed Book G, 1743-1744," Vol. 8, No. 11 (May 1990):85-86.
 * 1744-1745 Mays, Judith A. "An Index to Lost Deed Book H, 1744-1745," Vol. 9, No. 1 (Jul. 1990):4-5.
 * 1746-1748 Mays, Judith A. "An Index to Lost Deed Book K, 1746-1748," Vol. 9, No. 2 (Aug. 1990):12-13.
 * 1751-1754 Mays, Judith A. "An Index to Lost Deed Book N, 1751-1754," Vol. 9, No. 3 (Sep. 1990):20-21.
 * 1754-1760 Mays, Judith A. "An Index to Lost Deed Book O, 1754-1760," Vol. 9, No. 4 (Oct. 1990):28-29; Vol. 9, No. 5 (Nov. 1990):38-39.
 * 1771-1774 Mays, Judith A. "An Index to Lost Deed Book S, 1771-1774," Vol. 9, No. 6 (Dec. 1990):47; Vol. 9, No. 7 (Jan. 1991):54-55.
 * 1791-1796 Mays, Judith A. "An Index to Lost Deed Book Y, 1791-1796," Vol. 9, No. 8 (Feb. 1991):62-63; Vol. 9, No. 9 (Mar. 1991):70-71; Vol. 9, No. 10 (Apr. 1991):78-79.
 * 1813-1816 Mays, Judith A. "An Index to Lost Deed Book 5, 1813-1816," Vol. 10, No. 2 (Aug. 1991):12-13; Vol. 10, No. 3 (Sep. 1991):22-23.
 * 1816-1818 Mays, Judith A. "An Index to Lost Deed Book 6, 1816-1818," Vol. 10, No. 10 (Apr. 1992):78-79; Vol. 10, No. 11 (May 1992):86-87.

Grants and Patents
 * Cain. 662 patents dated 1657-1855 in what is now Prince William County, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper. 2007. 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.
 * Davey. 253 patents dated 1651-1911 in what is now Fairfax, Fauquier, Northumberland, Prince William, Stafford, and Westmoreland Counties, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper. 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, which is "Nova" in this instance); however, in order to view the maps, it is necessary to purchase Direct Line Software's DeedMapper product.
 * Davey. 18 patents dated 1707-1760 covering neighborhoods in what is now Prince William County, Virginia. DeedMapper. 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.
 * Gray, Gertrude E. Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants 1694-1742. Vol. I. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1987. ; digital version at Ancestry. Includes Prince William County.

Land Causes
 * Sparacio, Ruth Trickey, Sam Sparacio, and Dumfries, Va. District Court. Abstracts of Land Causes, Prince William County, Virginia. [1789-1793] 2 vols. McLean, Va.: Antient Press, 1992.
 * Wilson, Donald L. "Prince William County Land Causes," [1789-1793] The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Aug. 1984):5-7; Vol. 3, No. 7 (Jan. 1985):3-6; Vol. 3, No. 10 (Apr. 1985):6-7; Vol. 3, No. 12 (Jun. 1985):6-7; Vol. 4, No. 1 (Jul. 1985):4-6; Vol. 4, No. 2 (Aug. 1985):3-4; Vol. 4, No. 3 (Sep. 1985):5-7; Vol. 4, No. 7 (Jan. 1986):4-6; Vol. 4, No. 9 (Mar. 1986):3-4; Vol. 4, No. 10 (Apr. 1986):5-7; Vol. 4, No. 12 (Jun. 1986):5-7; Vol. 5, No. 1 (Jul. 1986):5-7; Vol. 5, No. 3 (Sep. 1986):6-9; Vol. 5, No. 6 (Dec. 1986):5-6; Vol. 5, No. 10 (Apr. 1987):5-7.

Surveyor's Plat Book
 * Jeffries, Janice. "An Index to Prince William County Surveyor's Plat Book," [1789-1858] The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 1, No. 9 (Jan. 1983).

Local Histories
Historic Residences
 * Berkley, Henry J. "The Port of Dumfries, Prince William Co., Va.," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Apr. 1924):99-116. Available at JSTOR ($).
 * Ewell, Alice Maude. A Virginia Scene, or, Life in Old Prince William. Lynchburg, Virginia: J.P. Bell Co., 1931. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Prince William: The Story of its People and its Places. Richmond, Va.: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1941. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Curtis, Donald E. and Prince William County Historical Commission. The Curtis Collection: A Personal View of Prince William County History. Prince William, Virginia: Prince William County Historical Commission, 1988.
 * Lion, Florence S. "White House, Brentsville, Virginia," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 10, No. 7 (Jan. 1992):51-52. . Includes a discussion of the owners, the Williams family.
 * Historic Prince William Residences

Officials

 * Burgesses of Prince William County 1728-1774. Available online, courtesy: Historic Prince William website.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Historic Prince William maps
 * 1730s "Old Prince William County," Boundaries in 1730s showing some waterways. The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Aug. 1986):4.
 * 1759 1759 Bertrand Ewell's Survey of the Fauquier-Prince William Boundary Line April 14, 1759. Includes names of residents.
 * 1834 1834 Sperryville and Rappahannock Turnpike, Map 634, Parts 1 &amp; 2, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, available online.
 * 1901 1901 Prince William County by William H. Brown, available online, courtesy: American Memory, Library of Congress.
 * FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
When British merchants returned to collect unpaid accounts in Prince William County, Virginia after the Revolution, these records, which are now housed in The National Archives in Kew, England, were created. The merchants' records identify individuals who had accounts and reveal if the person had died in the interval (1770s-early 1800s) or migrated to another part of the country. Americans of all social levels were interested in purchasing British imported goods through debt financing, making these records a valuable genealogical source. RELIC has created an online index:
 * "British Mercantile Claims, 1775-1803 Indexed from The Virginia Genealogist, Vols. 8, 9, 14, 15, 20, 21, 23 and 24," available online at Prince William Public Library, Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center (RELIC). This index serves as a very useful guide to help researchers find the original abstracts in The Virginia Genealogist. These issues of The Virginia Genealogist are accessible online through American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).

Military Records
French and Indian War Revolutionary War
 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at . Online at: Ancestry ($). Identifies some Prince William County militia officers, soldier enlistments, and veterans; see place name index.
 * Boogher, William F. Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. Washington: n.p., 1903. ; digital version at Internet Archive. Includes a chapter titled "Legislative Enactments connecting the preceding historic sketch (French and Indian War, Lord Dunmore's War) with the adjudication of the resulting accounts that follow; with the list of officers, soldiers and civilians entitled to compensation for military and other services rendered." For Prince William County, see pp. 97-100, 112.
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. ; digital book at Ancestry ($). Identifies some Prince William County militia officers and soldiers; see place name index.
 * Mayo, Sandra. "Fairfax and Prince William Counties in the French and Indian War," Northern Virginia Heritage, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Feb. 1987). Digital version at Historic Prince William.
 * 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. 1967 reprint: . Digital versions at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Virginia, Eastern District, Prince William County on page 133.
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." ; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes veterans. Virginia section begins on page 238.
 * Pierce, Alycon Trubey. "Wringing Northern Virginians Out of Final Pension Payment Vouchers, 1818-1864," Northern Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Apr. 1997):73-77. . Identifies married daughters and granddaughters of Revolutionary War Pensioners, and other persons mentioned in these records. Pierce abstracted entries for residents of Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William counties.

Regiments. Service men in Prince William County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Prince William County supplied soldiers for the:
 * - 3rd Virginia Regiment
 * - 11th Virginia Regiment

War of 1812 Prince William County men served in the 36th and 89th Regiments. Civil War Civil War service men in Prince William County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed here:
 * 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 version at Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Vol. 5, Virginia, Prince William County, pp. 99-100. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.
 * - 4th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)
 * - 8th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company C (Evergreen Guards).
 * - 17th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F (Prince William Rifles).
 * - 49th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F (Ewell Guards) and Company G (Quantico Guards).


 * 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)
 * "Civil War Claims from Prince William County," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 6, No. 6 (Dec. 1987):54-55..
 * "First Roster of Prince William Co. Organized Dec 1859," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep. 1983).
 * "Last Roll Call, Company A, Fourth Va Cavalry," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 2, No. 11 (May 1984).

Civil War Battles The following Civil War battles were fought in Prince William County.
 * July 18, 1861 Blackburn’s Ford, also known as Bull Run
 * July 21, 1861 Manassas I, also known as First Bull Run
 * August 25-27, 1862 Manassas Station Operations
 * August 28, 1862 Thoroughfare Gap, also known as Chapman's Mill
 * August 28-30, 1862 Manassas II, also known as Second Bull Run, Manassas Plains, Groveton, Gainesville, or Brawner's Farm
 * October 14, 1863 Bristoe Station
 * January 3, 1862 Cockpit Point, also known as Batteries at Evansport, Freestone Point, or Shipping Point
 * Maps of Civil War battles in Virginia: 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865

World War I World War II
 * Olson, Ann. "World War I Memorial," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 6, No. 7 (Jan. 1988):59. . Identifies 26 county residents who died in the conflict.
 * 1940-1945 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.
 * "Obituary and Estate of John Hooe of 'Mayfield' (1790?-1873)," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 8, No. 8 (Feb. 1990):62-63.
 * Phillips, Carol Thompson. Death Notices, Obituaries &amp; Memoriams: From the Prince William County, Va., Manassas Gazette and Manassas Journal, 1885-1910. [Westminster, Maryland]: Willow Bend Books, 1998.
 * Phillips, Carol Thompson. Engagements and Marriages from the Prince William County Gazette &amp; Manassas Journal, 1885-1910. Westminster, Maryland: Willow Bend Books, 1998.
 * "Prince William Gleanings," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 10, No. 9 (Mar. 1992):70. . Abstract from Maryland Gazette, 1755. Concerns Anne Perrell who states she had been an indentured servant to John Morehead of Prince William County, Virginia.
 * Prince William County Newspaper Transcripts 1784-1860, 1865-1875. By Ronald Ray Turner.
 * Prince William County Virginia, 1876-1899, newspaper transcripts. By Ronald Ray Turner.

Insurance

 * Wilson, Donald L. "Prince William County Fire Insurance Policies, 1796-1846," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 4, No. 8 (Feb. 1986):3-5; Vol. 5, No. 4 (Oct. 1986):5-8; Vol. 5, No. 9 (Mar. 1987):6-8; Vol. 7, No. 9 (Mar. 1989):41.

Private Papers

 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * [Akers] See Manuel.
 * [Cocke] "Family bible of William Cocke, Dumfries, Virginia, 1802," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Oct. 1989):30-31.
 * [Foley] Gott, John K. "Foley Bible, 'Mt. Atlas,' Prince William Co., Va.," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1975):118-120. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * [Gray] "Thomas L. Gray of Prince William County," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 10, No. 12 (Jun. 1992):91, 93.
 * [Huntt] "Huntt Family Bible: Fairfax County, Virginia," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 3, No. 12 (Jun. 1985):3-5.
 * [Leaman] Durham, Karen. "Leaman-Metz Family Bible Record," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 10, No. 5 (Nov. 1991):35-37.
 * [Lynn] Stickel, Iris Robey. "Lynn - Russell Bible," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 8, No. 12 (Jun. 1990):93-94.
 * [McCuin] "McCuin Bible," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 2, No. 5 (Nov. 1983).
 * [Manuel] "Manuel-Akers Bible Record," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 9, No. 11 (May 1991):87.
 * [Metz] See Leaman.
 * [Norman] "Norman Family Bible Record," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 7, No. 12 (Jun. 1989):64-65.
 * [Rector] "Our Rector Line," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 3, No. 9 (Mar. 1985).
 * [Russell] See Lynn.
 * [Tolson] "Bible of Daniel W. Tolson and Elizabeth Scott Botts," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep. 1983).

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records

Local Court
 * 1633-1800 Wills and Estate Records Index at Library of Virginia.
 * Clemens, William M. Virginia Wills Before 1799: A Complete Abstract Register of All Names Mentioned in Over Six Hundred Recorded Wills, ... Copied from the Court House Records of Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, Loudoun, Prince William and Rockbridge Counties. Pompton Lakes, N.J.: Biblio Co., 1924. Fiche 6015628-6015629; digital versions at Access Genealogy; Ancestry ($). Mountain Press provides online surname list.
 * Hopkins, William Lindsay. Some Wills from the Burned Counties of Virginia and Other Wills Not Listed in Virginia Wills and Administrations 1632-1800. Richmond, Virginia: W.L. Hopkins, 1987. . Includes Prince William County.
 * Prince William County, Virginia: Index to Probate Records, 1731-1951, available online, courtesy: RELIC.
 * Prince William County, Virginia Wills, Part 1, 1734-1951. Database at Ancestry ($).
 * Prince William County, Virginia Wills, Part 2, 1734-1920. Database at Ancestry ($).
 * "Will of John Owens," [1794] The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 8, No. 9 (Mar. 1990):69-70. . Original will, then in the possession of Miss Louise Booton, Maysville, Kentucky.

London Courts
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. Includes will of a resident of Prince William County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.
 * 1639-1850 Virginia Land, Marriage and Probate Records 1639-1850 at Ancestry — index, incomplete ($)
 * 1734-1744 Images of Wills and Estates Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1734-1781 Abstracts of wills Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1778-1791 Images of Wills and Estates Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * Images of Will Book H, 1792-1803; Book I, 1803-1909 Virginia Pioneers.net ($)
 * 1753-1782 Administrator's Bonds (no index) Virginia Pioneers.net ($)

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
 * The Brock Collection contains many rent rolls for eighteenth-century Prince William County residents. Edward D.C. Campbell Jr. describes the Library of Virginia's accessions of the Brock Collection in "Library of Virginia and Huntington Library Join to Microfilm Brock Collection," The Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly Newsletter, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Feb. 2003):1-3, which is available as ; digital version at Virginia Genealogical Society website.
 * 1723, 1724 King, G. Register of Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co., Va., 1723-1758. 1961. 1723 Rent Roll of Stafford County, 1724 list of tobacco tenders between Acquia Creek and Quantico Creek; includes area that later became Prince William County.
 * 1735/1736 Wilson, Donald L. "An Early Rent Roll for Prince William County," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 5, No. 8 (Feb. 1987):5-11. . Original record held at Huntington Library, San Marino, California; microfilm copy at Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia and Prince William Library (Central and Potomac Branches). Labeled Prince William County, Virginia, Manuscripts in the Huntington Library.
 * 1736 "Rent Roll, Prince William County, Va. - 1736," in Junie Estelle Stewart King, Abstracts of Wills, Administrations, and Marriages of Fauquier County, Virginia, 1759-1800. 1939; reprint, Baltimore, Maryland, 2001. Available at Ancestry ($). King made numerous errors in reading this rental according to local expert Jim W. Tackitt.
 * 1737 Wilson, Donald L. "The Brent Town Survey of 1737," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 2, No. 6 (Dec. 1983).
 * 1738 "Rent Roll of Prince William County 1738," in County Collections: Prince William County at the College of William and Mary, Earl Gregg Swem Library. Copy:.
 * 1738-1739 1738/39 Rent Roll, Hamilton Parish; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1738-1739 1738-1739 Quit Rental List of Hamilton Parish, Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 13 pages.
 * 1741 Boogher, William F. Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. Washington: n.p., 1903. ; digital version at Internet Archive. Poll List for the Election of Burgesses for Prince William County, Va, 1741, see pp. 116-125.
 * 1741 "1741 Prince William County Poll ...," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 3, No. 6 (Dec. 1984):2-4; Vol. 3, No. 7 (Jan. 1985):6-8.
 * 1746 1746 Landholders in Prince William and Fairfax counties; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1747 A List of Tithables [sic] Between Sedderrun [sic] and Boolrun [sic] in Ditingin [sic] Parish in Prince William County for 1747. Photocopy of original records, Prince William County Courthouse, Manassas, Virginia; microfilm: . The original records are held at the Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
 * 1747 "Residents of Western Dettingen Parish, 1747," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 3, No. 8 (Feb. 1985):4-7.
 * 1747 List, Tithables, Dettinger Parish, 1747, Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society Journal. Washington DC: Spring 1985. Vol. 6 Iss. 1.
 * 1751 "A List of Taxpayers for Hamilton Parish, 1751," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 10, No. 6 (Dec. 1991):43-45. . Taken from the Account Book of Captain John Crump, Sheriff of Prince William County. "The original book was presented to the Fauquier Historical Society in 1922, by Col. Malcolm H. Crump, Bowling Green, Kentucky," but has since been misplaced.
 * 1751-1752 1751/52 Rent Roll; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1751-1752 1751-1752 Rental of Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 20 pages.
 * 1751-1779 Jackson, R. Early Virginia. Vol. 1. Includes 1751-1779 rent rolls, but expert Jim W. Tackitt states Jackson omitted many names and made numerous errors.
 * 1753 1753 Rental of Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 28 pages.
 * 1753 Rent Roll, 1753, Kindred Spirits. Manassas VA: Mar 1993. Vol. 11 Iss. 9; Apr 1993. Vol. 11 Iss. 10; May 1993. Vol. 11 Iss. 11; Jun 1993. Vol. 11 Iss. 12; Jul 1993. Vol. 12 Iss. 1.
 * 1754 1754 Rent Roll; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1754 1754 Rental of Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 18 pages.
 * 1758 1758 Hamilton Parish Payments Received; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1760 1760 Rent Roll; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1760 1760 Rental of Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 15 pages.
 * 1760 1760 Rental of Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 24 pages.
 * 1761-1762 1761-1762 Rent Roll; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1761 1761 Rental of Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 17 pages.
 * 1762 1762 Landholder List; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1762 1762 Rental of Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 4 pages.
 * 1765 1765 Tax List (land and tithables); index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1765 Tithable Lists, 1765, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy. Richmond VA: May 1992. Vol. 30 Iss. 2; Aug 1992. Vol. 30 Iss. 3.
 * 1767 1767 Rent Roll; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1767 1767 Rental of Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 16 pages.
 * 1773 1773 Rent Roll; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1773 1773 Rental of Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 21 pages.
 * 1777 1777 Rent Roll; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1777 1777 Rental of Prince William County, Virginia, in "The Brock Collection," Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 19 pages.
 * 1782 1782 Land Tax Records; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1782-1810 Prince William County Personal Property Tax Lists 1782-1810 (images); digital version in Tax List Club at Binns Genealogy ($).
 * 1782-1816 Prince William County Land Tax Lists 1782-1816 (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. . Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, - images. 1782 personal property tax list of Prince William County.
 * 1783 - Personal Property (or Land) Tax List, 1783; index online at Revolutionary War Service website - free.
 * 1783 1783 Personal Property Tax List; index online at RELIC - free.
 * 1784 Tax list, 1784, Researcher. Chillicothe MO: Mar 1981. Vol. - Iss. 92; Vol. 2 Iss. 1.
 * 1784 1784 Personal Property Tax List; index online at RELIC - 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. . The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Prince William County is included in Vol. 2.
 * 1788, 1799 Images of the 1788 and 1799 Personal Property Tax Lists of Prince William County, Virginia are available to browse online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * 1800 Tax List, 1800, Virginia Genealogist. Falmouth VA: Apr 2006. Vol. 50 Iss. 2; Jul 2006. Vol. 50 Iss. 3.
 * 1800 Personal Property Tax List, 1800, Northern Virginia Genealogy. Lovettsville VA: Spring 1999. Vol. 4 Iss. 2; Summer 1999. Vol. 4 Iss. 3.
 * 1800-1899 Merchants License Tax List and Business List, 1800-1899, Kindred Spirits. Oct 1998. Vol. 17 Iss. 4; Jan 1999. Vol. 17 Iss. 7; Feb 1999. Vol. 17 Iss. 8.
 * 1815 Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. . The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Prince William County is included in Vol. 4.
 * 1865-1866 Personal Property Tax List, 1865-1866, Colored Inhabitants, Prince William Reliquary
 * 1921-1923 Women Who Paid State Poll Tax, List, 1921-1923, Prince William Reliquary. Manassas VA: Oct 2004. Vol. 3 Iss. 4.
 * 1924 Lands and Lots, Delinquent Taxes, 1924, Prince William Reliquary. Manassas VA: Jul 2002. Vol. 1 Iss. 3.
 * 1940s Poll Tax, 1940s, Prince William Reliquary. Manassas VA: Apr 2002. Vol. 1 Iss. 2; Jul 2002. Vol. 1 Iss. 3; Jan 2003. Vol. 2 Iss. 1; Apr 2003. Vol. 2 Iss. 2; Jul 2003. Vol. 2 Iss. 3; Oct 2003. Vol. 2 Iss. 4.
 * 1941-1949 Poll Tax List, 1941-49, Dumfries &amp; Quantico, Prince William Reliquary. Manassas VA: Oct 2002. Vol. 1 Iss. 4.

Birth
There there are a variety of other types of records that may reveal births, including:
 * 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1853-1877 Fridley, Beth. Prince William County, Virginia Births, 1853-77. Database at Ancestry ($).
 * 1878-1896 Fridley, Beth. Prince William County, Virginia Births, 1878-96. Database at Ancestry ($).
 * 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1584-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Birth Records of Prince William County, Virginia (From Various Sources except the Official Register), available online through Prince William Public Library, Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center (RELIC)

Marriage

 * 1660-1800 Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index, ($) — index $
 * 1731-1930 Prince William County Marriages, 1731-1930, from Sources Other than the Official Marriage Registers, available online through Prince William Public Library, Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center (RELIC).
 * 1740-1850 Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1854-1861 Ossman, Starr. "Prince William County Marriage Records, 1854-1861," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 9, No. 12 (Jun. 1991):92-93; Vol. 10, No. 1 (Jul. 1991):6-7; Vol. 10, No. 2 (Aug. 1991):14-15; Vol. 10, No. 4 (Oct. 1991):28-30; Vol. 10, No. 5 (Nov. 1991):38-39; Vol. 10, No. 6 (Dec. 1991):46-47; Vol. 10, No. 7 (Jan. 1992):53-55; Vol. 10, No. 8 (Feb. 1992):62-63; Vol. 10, No. 9 (Mar. 1992):68-69. . Taken from the Virginia Department of Vital Records in Richmond. The local copy stored at the courthouse was lost during the Civil War.
 * 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1938-1943 Prince William County Marriages, 1938-1943, from the Official Marriage Registers at Historical Digital Repository.

Death

 * Deaths are online in the Library of Virginia's Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, sponsored by The Virginia Genealogical Society.
 * Pre-1912 Index to Death Records of Prince William County, Virginia Prior to 1912, available online: Prince William Public Library System, Historical Digital Repository.
 * 1853-1896 Prince William County, Virginia Deaths, 1853-96. Database at Ancestry ($).
 * 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1853-1912 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection;  index & images


 * British Mercantile Claims, 1775-1803, indexed from The Virginia Genealogist, Vols. 8, 9, 14, 15, 20, 21, 23 and 24. This index serves as a very useful guide to help researchers find the original abstracts in The Virginia Genealogist, available online at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). The merchants' records identify individuals who had accounts and reveal if the person had died in the interval (1770s-early 1800s) or migrated to another part of the country.

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 at FamilySearch — index & images

Family History Centers

 * Annandale Virginia Family History Center
 * Centreville Virginia Family History Center
 * Oakton Virginia Family History Center
 * Warrenton Virginia Family History Center
 * Woodbridge Virginia Family History Center
 * Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County 'AHHA' - an affiliate library
 * Bull Run Regional Library-Ruth E Lloyd Information Center - an affiliate library

Libraries
The following list was taken from "Prince William County Genealogy: A Guide to Sources," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 7, No. 8 (Feb. 1989):34-35. Available at.
 * Prince William County Genealogical Society, Manassas, Virginia
 * Prince William County Historical Commission, Woodbridge, Virginia
 * Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center (RELIC), Central Library. Contains a wealth of genealogical material, including online records.
 * Manassas Historical Committee/Manassas Museum, Manassas, Virginia
 * Historic Dumfries Inc./Weems-Botts Museum, Dumfries, Virginia
 * Historic Occoquan/Mill House Museum, Occoquan, Virginia
 * Prince William Library, Virginiana Collection, Manassas, Virginia

Websites

 * VA GenWeb
 * Historic Prince William
 * – 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
Compiled genealogies are a good place to start research for this area, see Prince William County, Virginia Genealogy. If you are researching families who lived in Prince William County, Virginia between the 1740s and 1790s, the Sparacios' book indexes are a great time saver. Surname index of Antient Press publications


 * "Letter from Phil D. Dawe - Prince William County records moved during War of 1812". Prince William County Virginia, by Ronald Ray Turner.
 * "Prince William County Genealogy," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 2, No. 10 (Apr. 1984).
 * "Prince William County Genealogy: A Guide to Sources," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 7, No. 8 (Feb. 1989):34-35.
 * Wilson, Donald L. "Prince William County Genealogy," The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 10, No. 2 (Mar.-Apr. 1984):1. ; digital version at Virginia Genealogical Society website.
 * Wilson, Donald L. "Prince William County Manuscripts at the University of Virginia," The Newsletter of the Prince William County Genealogical Society, Vol. 5, No. 5 (Nov. 1986):9; Vol. 5, No. 6 (Dec. 1986):7.
 * Wilson, Donald L. "RELIC: A Gateway to Virginia Genealogy and History," The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 28, No. 5 (Oct. 2001):1-3. ; digital version at Virginia Genealogical Society website.