Virginia Compiled Genealogies

United States   Virginia    Genealogy

Most archives, historical societies, and genealogical societies have special collections and indexes of genealogical value. Sometimes these must be searched in person. Lists of published genealogies are underway for each county in Virginia in FamilySearch Wiki and many important genealogical collections covering all of Virginia are described below.

Manuscript Collections
Virginia Colonial Records Project. This project includes 14,704 surveys of Virginia-related material in archives of Great Britain, Ireland, and France and 963 microfilm reels of original documents. The database index lists 500,000 personal names and ship names. The Library of Virginia has put the index on the Internet. They also have interlibrary loan of the films of original documents.

For a list of the sources, see:


 * . Richmond: Virginia State Library and Archives, 1990.

Also see the Library of Virginia Basic Search: Virginia Colonial Records Project online database index

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Genealogical Collection.

This collection consists of transcripts of Bible records, cemetery records, church records, marriage records, death records, obituaries, and wills. It was microfilmed in 1971 at the DAR Library in Washington, DC, and is available on 44 films at the Family History Library. The volumes are generally arranged by county and many have individual indexes. These are listed in several entries in the Family History Library Catalog under Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia).

Ardery Collection, ca. 1750-1970. This is a set of volumes and files that contain information gathered by Julia Hoge Spencer Ardery from the 1920s to the 1960s on Virginia and Kentucky families. The information was extracted from newspaper accounts, family newsletters, family Bibles, military records, historical journals, and vital records. The collection is indexed, but most of the volumes and files are in several alphabetical series.

The original collection is at the Margaret I. King Library (University of Kentucky, Special Collections and Archives, 110 King Library North, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0039; Telephone: 606-257-8611; Fax: 606-257-8379). . The King Library has additional files (not microfilmed) on more than 100 families. A list of the family surnames was published by the Kentucky Genealogical Society in:


 * Brian D. Harney,Cumulative Index to "Bluegrass Roots", 1973-1984 (Frankfort, Ky: Kentucky Genealogical Society, 1985).

&amp;columns=*,0,0 Genealogical Notes (Collection)]. This is a collection of typewritten and handwritten genealogical manuscripts by many different researchers. They were filmed at the Library of Virginia The manuscripts are arranged alphabetically by surname. The records of each family are also listed in the Surname Search of the Family History Library Catalog.

Printing Your Family History
Pulling together a family history is without question one of the most rewarding activities you can do. The end product will provide a wonderful depository for family stories, traditions, and other memories. The fruits of your labors will be appreciated for years to come.

Brigham Young University's Print and Mail Production Center has consultants that can answer questions regarding formatting, layout, scanning photos, and can assist in the printing process.

See also A Guide to Printing Your Family History

Published Collections, Indexes, and Guides
Some helpful indexes to many published accounts of families are in the books by Stuart Brown, Robert Stewart, Earl Swem (see below), and P. G. Wardell (see Virginia Biography). Useful published sources include:


 * Fleet, Beverley. . 34 volumes in 3. 1937-1949. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1988. ; some volumes are on microfilms: see Virginia Colonial Abstracts in the Author/Title Catalog.) Includes court, land, probate, vital, tax, and militia records with indexes.
 * Hart, Lyndon H., III, comp. . Richmond, Virginia: Virginia State Library, 1983. Inventories 1,000 files by family name.
 * Swem, Earl Gregg. . Two Volumes in four. 1934-1936. Reprint, Gloucester, Massachusetts: Peter Smith, 1965. This lists many genealogies that were published in periodicals.
 * Stewart, Robert Armistead. . 1930. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1970. This book indexes about 650 Virginia family and local histories published before 1930.
 * Brown, Stuart E., Jr. . Two Volumes. Berryville, Virginia: Virginia Book, 1967, 1980. These volumes reproduce card catalogs of about 3,000 family and local histories listed in books and periodicals published before 1980. This is a supplement to Robert Armistead Stewart's book (see above).
 * Pecquet du Bellet, Louise. . Four Volumes. 1907. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1976., .) Includes more than 100 early families. Based on published histories, biographies, and periodicals. Indexed in Vera Meek Wimberly, +Some+prominent+Virginia+f&amp;columns=*,0,0 Index [to] Some Prominent Virginia Families . . .] (Conroe, Texas: Montgomery County Genealogical &amp; Historical Society, 1980; Family History Library book 975.5 D2p index).
 * . Four Volumes. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1981. Alphabetical (by author's surname) reprints of hundreds of articles.
 * . Five Volumes. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1981. Alphabetical (by author's surname) reprints of hundreds of articles.
 * Five Volumes. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1982. Alphabetical (by author's surname) reprints of hundreds of articles.
 * Dorman, John Frederick. . Third Edition. 1956. Reprint, n.l.: Order of the First Families of Virginia, 1607-1624/5, 1987. In addition to listing early settlers, this book has detailed genealogical information on their descendants to 1700.
 * Wardell, Patrick G. . Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 1986. (Family History Library book 975 D2wp.) This includes genealogical information abstracted from History of Virginia (see Virginia History).
 * Rider, Fremont, ed. . Volumes 1-186+. Middletown, Connecticut: Godfrey Memorial Library, 1952-. (Family History Library book 973 D22am ser. 2; on 31 Family History Library films beginning with 1698167.) An earlier version of 48 volumes was published as . Over four million brief citations (name, date, and source) to manuscripts, periodicals, and books. The earlier version had reference to 350 sources that have been included in the second version. The second version has consulted an additional 500 sources. Emphasis is on eastern states. There is a, and an Internet indexat Ancestry as well.

To help interpret citations and locate the original sources, use the colored pages in some volumes or use the book:


 * Clark, Patricia L., and Dorothy Huntsman, eds. . Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1990. Shows sources that are at the Family History Library and their call numbers. Many genealogies have also been published in periodicals (see Virginia Periodicals).

Online Sources


 * Basic Search: Virginia Colonial Records Project online database index, courtesy: Library of Virginia.