King George County, Virginia Genealogy

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

Description
King George County is located in the Northeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia on the Rappahannock River. It was named for King George I.

County Courthouse
King George County Courthouse 9483 Kings Highway, Suite 3 King George, VA 22485 Phone: 540-775-3322 King George County Website

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage records from 1786, divorce, court, land and probate records from 1721

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 King George I of Great Britain (1660-1727).

Bible Records

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

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * King George County, Virginia Cemetery Interment.net Cemetery Records online
 * Klein, Margaret C. Tombstone Inscriptions of King George County, Virginia. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994. Available at ; digital version at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).

Census Records
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 King George County.]

Church Records
Baptist

Church of England See also Brunswick Parish See also Hanover Parish  See also Overwharton Parish  See also St. Paul's Parish  See also Sittenburne Parish Meade's 1861 history of parishes in King George County is available online.

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records

District Court of Fredericksburg The District Court of Fredericksburg and later the Superior Court of Chancery had jurisdiction over certain King George 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., microfilmed reproduction available at . [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.]

Superior Court of Chancery
 * A Guide to the King George County, Virginia Chancery Causes 1802-1922
 * Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index can be used to search for digital images of King George County chancery records for the years 1801-1922 (majority are 1815-1916).

See District Court of Fredericksburg

Emigration and Immigration

 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes will of a resident of King George County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]


 * Ljungstedt, Milnor. "Items from Southern Records" [Showing Family and Trade Connections with Northern Colonies and the Home Countries], The American Genealogist, Vol. 15 (1938):95-104. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). [Todd family of King George County, Virginia.]

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * 1865-1872 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Heinegg, Paul. "King George County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1815," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Heinegg, Paul. "King George County Register of Free Negroes, 1785-1799," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of King George County.

Native Americans
 * Deyo, William L. A Brief Outline of Recorded History of the Patawomeck [Potomac] Tribe. Colonial Beach, Va.: DeJoux Publications, 2000.

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 King George 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
 * Yurechko, John Otto. Virginians Along and Near the Lower Rapphahannock River, 1607-1799. 2 vols. Westminster, Md.: Family Line Publications, 1997-1998. . Contents: v. 1. Blake, Brooks (Brook), Churchill, Cook (Cock), Daniel, Dixon, Gore, Kidd, Lewis, Martin, Montague, Taylor and Wood -- v. 2. Brown, Clark, Elliott, Fox (Fowkes, Vaulx), Harrison, McTyre, Moore, Pate, Rawlins (Rollins), Rhodes, Sanders (Saunders) and Williams.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Grants and Patents
 * Gray, Gertrude E. Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants 1694-1742. Vol. I. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1987. Available at . [Includes King George County.]

Local Histories

 * Harris, Nancy E. King George County, Virginia 1720-1990. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994. ; digital version at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records.
 * Lawrence, Liza. The Vistas at "Eagle's Nest": The Fitzhugh-Grymes Family Home King George County Virginia. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers
King George County, Virginia Map 1895

Migration

 * Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1976):199-208; Vol. 21, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1977):287-292. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. King George County's 1786, 1789, and 1790 Delinquent Lists appear on 20:199-201; another 1789 Delinquent List appears on 21:292.]

Military Records
French and Indian War 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 King George 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 et. al. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, King George County on page 131.]

Regiments. Service men in King George County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. King George County supplied soldiers for the:
 * - 3rd Virginia Regiment
 * - 10th Virginia Regiment

War of 1812 King George County men served in the 25th Regiment. Civil War
 * 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, King George County, p. 87. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
 * 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)

Regiments. Civil War service men in King George 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:
 * - 9th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company I (Potomac Cavalry).
 * - 30th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company K (King George Grays).
 * - 47th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company B.

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
Officials
 * Fisher, Therese. Skeletons in the Closet: 200 Years of Murders in Old Virginia; a Genealogical and Historical Resource. Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 2001. Available at . [Identifies King George County's sheriffs 1776-1781.]

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1639-1850 Virginia Land, Marriage and Probate Records 1639-1850 at Ancestry — index, incomplete ($)
 * Online Images of Wills, Inventories, Accounts 1752-1780, Book 1; 1780-1804, Book 2 Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * Inventories and Fiduciary Accounts - 1721-1744; 1740-1765; 1794-1807 Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * Orphans Accounts - 1740-1761 Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * Guardian Accounts 1759-1823, Book A Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * Indexes to Deeds - 1729-1736, Book 4; 1745-1784, Book 6; 1785-1793 Book 7 Virginia Pioneers ($)

Local Court
 * 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. Available at . [Includes King George County.]
 * King, George Harrison Sanford. "Copies of Extant Wills from Counties Whose Records Have Been Destroyed: Will of Major John Dinwiddie of King George County, Virginia," [and Dinwiddie Family Notes] The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1959):51-64. Digital version at American Ancestors ($).
 * King, George Harrison Sanford. "Copies of Extant Wills from Counties Whose Records Have Been Destroyed: Will of William Berry of King George County," [and Berry Family Notes] The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jan-Mar 1957):5-17. Digital version at American Ancestors ($).

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early King George County probate records. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:
 * 1) King George County Inventories 1721-1744
 * 2) King George County Orphans Accounts 1740-1761
 * 3) King George County Letters of Administration 1740-1765
 * 4) King George County Fiduciary Accounts No. 4 1794-1807

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 King George County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

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
 * 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 - free; . [1782 personal property tax list of King George County.]
 * 1782 Stewart, Robert Armistead. "Land Tax List of King George County, 1782," The Researcher: A Magazine of History and Genealogical Exchange, Vol. 1, No. 4 (Jul. 1927):238-239. Available at.
 * 1782-1815 Heinegg, Paul. "King George County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1815," 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. . [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. King George County is included in Vol. 1.]
 * 1787 Land Tax Records, 1787, Tidewater Virginia Families, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Nov. 1998). Available at.
 * 1786, 1789, 1790] Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1976):199-208; Vol. 21, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1977):287-292. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. King George County's 1786, 1789, and 1790 Delinquent Lists appear on 20:199-201; another 1789 Delinquent List appears on 21:292.]
 * 1800 Tax List, 1800, Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 34, No. 2 (Apr. 1990). Available at.
 * 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. King George County is included in Vol. 3.]

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 ($)
 * 1780s-1840s Crozier, William Armstrong. Early Virginia Marriages. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1953. Includes King George County marriages 1780s-1840s.
 * 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Death
The records have also been published, written by Elizabeth Nuckols Lee.It's on the shelf at the Family History Library.Lee copied the county records and they are neatly typed and indexed.Very helpful.
 * 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
To locate the closest family history center or affiliate library, use the link listed above.

Libraries
L.E. Smoot Memorial LibraryWebsite Library of Virginia Microfilm King George County, VirginiaWebsite Mary Ball Washington Museum and LibraryWebsite The Northern Neck of Virginia Historical SocietyWebsite Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical &amp; Historical SocietyWebsite
 * King George County Historical Society P O Box 424 King George, Virginia 22485
 * Tidewater Genealogical Society

Websites

 * King George County, Virginia USGENWEB Archives
 * Cyndi's List


 * – 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 King George County, Virginia Genealogy. If you are researching families who lived in King George County, Virginia between the 1720s and 1780s, the Sparacios' book indexes are a great time saver. Surname index of Antient Press publications


 * Davis, Virginia Lee Hutcheson. "Records of Tidewater Virginia Counties," Tidewater Virginia Families: A Magazine of History and Genealogy, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May-June 1992):53-66. 975.51 D25t [For King George County, see p. 60]
 * Dorman, John Frederick. "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: King George County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1971):193-195. Digital version at American Ancestors ($).