Norfolk County, Virginia Genealogy

United States   Virginia    Norfolk County

Formerly a Tidewater county in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.

County Courthouse
Because the county is now extinct, it has no existing courthouse.

History


The county was named after the English county of Norfolk. Virginia's royal governor, Lord Dunsmore, whose allegiance was to the King, positioned himself in the port of Norfolk during the American Revolution. British and Patriot forces burned the city.

Parent County
1691--Norfolk County was created in 1691 from Lower Norfolk. It was changed to the Independent City of Chesapeake on 1 January 1963. County seat: Norfolk

Getting Started
Finding records about historic Norfolk County on the Family History Library Catalog can be confusing. Most appear under the Place Searches "Chesapeake (Independent City), Virginia," "Norfolk (Independent City), Virginia" and "Portsmouth (Independent City), Virginia."

African American

 * Heinegg, Paul. "Norfolk County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1791," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]

See also Revolutionary War which contains information about black loyalists who left the area for Canada.

For a case study demonstrating how an African American family was traced back to the mid-1700s in Norfolk, see:


 * Ruffin, C. Bernard. "In Search of the Unappreciated Past: The Ruffin-Cornick Family of Virginia," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 81, No. 2 (June 1993):126-138.

Census
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 of England
See also Elizabeth River Parish See also Portsmouth Parish  See also St. Brides Parish


 * Mason, George Carrington. Colonial Churches of Tidewater Virginia. Richmond, Virginia: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1945. Available at ; digital version at Family History Archives. [Includes Norfolk County.]

Quaker

 * Putnam, Martha A. Quaker Records of Southeast Virginia. Westminster, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1996. Available at . [Includes records about Quakers in Dinwiddie, Isle of Wight, Nansemond, Norfolk, Prince George, Southampton counties and Suffolk City from 1600s and 1700s (Blackwater Montly Meeting, Chuckatuck Monthly Meeting, Pagan Creek Meeting, Western Branch Monthly Meeting, and Somerton Monthly Meeting.)]

County Court

 * Walter, Alice Granbery. Lower Norfolk County, Virginia Court Records: Book "A" 1637-1646 and Book "B" 1646-1651/2. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002. Available at ; digital version at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).

The earliest minute books are dated 1743. They are held at Portsmouth. Copies:

Directories

 * Norfolk City Directory, 1888. Norfolk, VA: J. H. Chataigne and Co., 1888. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Norfolk City Directory, 1889. Norfolk, VA: J. H. Chataigne and Co., 1889. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Norfolk City Directory, 1890-91. Norfolk, VA: J. H. Chataigne and Co., 1891. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Family Histories

Genealogy
More than 50 genealogies have been published about Norfolk County families. To view a list, visit Norfolk County, Virginia Genealogy.

See also: Lower Norfolk County, Virginia Genealogy (identifies more than 50 published genealogies)

Immigration
Norfolk was one of Virginia's most important port towns. During the eighteenth century, many English transported convicts who ran away from their masters in the Northern Neck headed to Norfolk, where they impersonated sailors, and hoped to board ships bound for England.


 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Intercepted Letters Relating to America 1777-1811," The Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Fall 2000):184-200; Vol. 15, No. 1 (Spring 2001):53-74. [Overseas correspondence of residents of Norfolk with the following surnames: Donaldson, Proudfitt, and Sutton (?).]
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Elizabeth River, Gosport, Lower Norfolk County, Norfolk County, and Portsmouth proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]
 * [http://immigrantservants.com/search/advancedResults.php?surname=&givenName=&varientSurnameSpellings=&gender=&dateOfBirthDay=&dateOfBirthMonth=&dateOfBirthQuantifier=&dateOfBirthYear=&placeOfBirthParish=&placeOfBirthTown=&placeOfBirthCity=&placeOfBirthCounty=&placeOfBirthColony=&placeOfBirthNation=&occupations=&religions=&orphan=&familyPosition=&immigrationYearQualifier=&immigrationYear=&portOfDepartureTown=&portOfDepartureCity=&portOfDepartureCounty=&portOfDepartureNation=&placeOfArrivalTown=&placeOfArrivalCounty=&placeOfArrivalColony=&shipName=&convict=&yearOfIndentureQualifier=&yearOfIndenture=&lengthOfIndentureYears=&lengthOfIndentureMonths=&yearOfFreedomQualifier=&yearOfFreedom=&placeOfIndentureTown=&placeOfIndentureCity=&placeOfIndentureCounty=Norfolk&placeOfIndentureColony=Virginia&agentSurname=&agentGivenName=&agentTitle=&masterSurname=&masterGivenName=&masterTitle=&residenceParish=&residenceTown=&residenceCity=&residenceCounty=&residenceColony=&residenceNation=&landowner=&literate=&spouseSurname=&spouseGivenName=&spouseMarriageDateDay=&spouseMarriageDateMonth=&spouseMarriageDateQualifier=&spouseMarriageDateYear=&spouseMarriageLocationParish=&spouseMarriageLocationCounty=&spouseMarriageLocationColony=&spouseMarriageLocationNation=&deathDateDay=&deathDateMonth=&deathDateQualifier=&deathDateYear=&deathLocality=&deathCounty=&deathColony=&deathState=&testate=&proofServantStatus=&proofConvictStatus=&headright=&preServitudeSources=&postServitudeSources=&comments=&family=&sourceCitations=&interestedResearchers= List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe] who served labor terms in Colonial Lower Norfolk and Norfolk Counties, Virginia (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.

During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 52 British aliens, many of whom had families, living in Norfolk Boro, Portsmouth, and Norfolk County.

Land
Deeds


 * Fleet, Beverley. Lower Norfolk County, 1651-1654. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Available at ; digital version at Ancestry ($).

Grants and Patents


 * Nugent, Nell Marion. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants 1623-1666. Vol. I (1934; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1991). Available at ; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes Lower Norfolk County and Upper Norfolk County. N.B. If Ancestry's search engine fails, try checking the printed index at the end of the book.]
 * Walter, Alice Granbery. Virginia Land Patents of the Counties of Norfolk, Princess Anne &amp; Warwick. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1993. Available at ; digital version at Ancestry ($).

Local Histories

 * Burton, H. W. The History of Norfolk, Virginia: A Review of Important Events and Incidents Which Occurred from 1736-1877; Also a Record of Personal Reminiscences and Political, Commercial, and Curious Facts. Norfolk, Va.: Norfolk Virginian Job Print, 1877. Available at ; digital versions at Ancestry ($) and BYU Family History Archives.
 * Forrest, William S. Historical and Descriptive Sketches of Norfolk and Vicinity: Including Portsmouth and the Adjacent Counties, During a Period of Two Hundred Years: Also, Sketches of Williamsburg, Hampton, Suffolk, Smithfield, and Other Places, with Descriptions of Some of the Principal Objects of Interest in Eastern Virginia. Philadelphia: Lindsay and Blakiston, 1853. Available at ; digital versions at Ancestry ($) and Google Books (full-view).

Military
Many War of 1812 veterans were living in Norfolk County in the early 1880s.

Colonial Militia

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. [Identifies some Lower Norfolk County and Norfolk County militia officers and/or soldiers; see place name index.]
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. ; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Lower Norfolk County and Norfolk County militia officers; see place name index.]

French and Indian War

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. [Identifies some Norfolk Borough, Lower Norfolk and Norfolk 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 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 Norfolk County, see p. 112.]
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. ; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Lower Norfolk and Norfolk County militia officers and soldiers; see place name index.]

Revolutionary War
The following Revolutionary War battles took place in and around Norfolk: Battle of Great Bridge, Battle of Kemp's Landing, and the Burning of Norfolk.


 * Black Loyalist, courtesy: The University of Sydney. Includes biographical information about approximately 1,000 black loyalists from the Norfolk, Virginia area.
 * 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, Norfolk County on page 132.]
 * 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." 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.]

War of 1812

 * 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, Norfolk County, pp. 92-95. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

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 Norfolk and Portsmouth silversmiths.]

Probate
Original Wills


 * Fleet, Beverley. Lower Norfolk County, 1651-1654. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Available at ; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * James, Edward W. "Will of Josias Mackie, Presbyterian Minister, Norfolk and Princess Anne Counties, 1716," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Apr. 1900):358-363. Available at JSTOR ($).
 * McIntosh, Charles Fleming. Brief Abstract of Lower Norfolk County and Norfolk County Wills, 1637-1710. 1914; reprint, Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1982. Available at ; digital version at Google Books (full-view).
 * McIntosh, Charles Fleming. Brief Abstracts of Norfolk County Wills, 1710-1753. Richmond, VA, USA: Colonial Dames of America, 1922. Available at ; digital version at Ancestry ($).

London Courts


 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Elizabeth River, Gosport, Lower Norfolk County, Norfolk County, and Portsmouth proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1704] "Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 28 (1920):207-218, 328-339; Vol. 29 (1921):18-28, 337-343, 402-412; Vol. 30 (1922):21-30, 280-285, 341-347; Vol. 31 (1923):70-75, 153-163, 215-231, 314-318; Vol. 32 (1924):69-75, 144-158, 281-287, 338-343; Vol. 33 (1925):47-50, 359-370; Vol. 34 (1926):113-119, 252-258, 313, 321. Available at ; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at ; digital version of VMHB at JSTOR ($). [Norfolk County appears in 30:21-30.]
 * [1730-1785] Norfolk County, Virginia Tithables, 1730-1785. Original records, Chesapeake City Courthouse, Chesapeake, Virginia; also available on microfilm at.
 * [1730-1780] Wingo, Elizabeth B. and W. Bruce Wingo. Norfolk County, Virginia Tithables. [1730-1780] 3 vols. Norfolk, Va.: E.B. Wingo, W.B. Wingo, c1979-1985. . Free digital versions of Vol. II (1751-1765) and Vol. III (1766-1780) at Black Loyalist, courtesy: The University of Sydney.
 * [1730] Tithables, 1730, Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Jan. 1963). Available at FHL; digital version at New England Ancestors ($).
 * [1732-1788] Norfolk County - the Colonial Tithe Lists 1732-1788, CD, available for purchase at Binns Genealogy.
 * [1782-1791] Heinegg, Paul. "Norfolk County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1791," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * [1784] Taxable Property, 1784, Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Jul. 1894). Available at ; digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [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. Norfolk County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * [1790, 1799] Indexed images of the 1790 and 1799 Personal Property Tax Lists of Norfolk County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1800] Tax List of 1800, Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 44, No. 3 (Jul. 2000); Vol. 44, No. 4 (Oct. 2000); Vol. 45, No. 1 (Jan. 2001); Vol. 45, No. 2 (Apr. 2001).
 * [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. Norfolk County is included in Vol. 3.]

Vital Records

 * Tucker, George Holbert. Abstracts from Norfolk City Marriage Bonds [1797-1850]. [Norfolk, Va.?]: William H. Delaney, 1934. Available at ; digital version at World Vital Records ($).

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.