Virginia, Divorce Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is in This Collection?
This collection consists images of divorce records located at the Virginia State Department of Health. The collection covers the years 1918 to 1988. Certificate images courtesy of Ancestry.com.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
These records contain the following information:
 * Names of interested parties
 * Divorce date
 * Name of court
 * County of court
 * Conditions of the divorce decree

In addition the records may also contain:
 * Ages or calculated birth year of husband and wife
 * Names of minor children
 * Names of other relatives
 * Court costs

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The names of those in the divorce case
 * The approximate divorce date
 * The divorce place
 * The names of children who may be named in the divorce

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as age, or wife's maiden name. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information found in the divorce record to find the marriage record.
 * Use the information found in the divorce record to find the family in census records
 * Use the information found in the divorce record to find the family in land records
 * Use the information found in the divorce record to find the family in additional county and state records.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for another index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Virginia.
 * Virginia Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.