Arlington County, Virginia Genealogy

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

Description
Arlington County is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area. The name Arlington was chosen because General Robert E. Lee’s home of that name is located in the County, on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.

Arlington County Virginia Courthouse
Arlington County Courthouse 1425 North Courthouse Road Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-228-7010

Formerly Alexandria County - Clerk Circuit Court has birth, marriage, death, land and court records

Arlington County Virginia History


Known as Alexandria County until 1920, when it was renamed Arlington County. The county was named after Henry Bennet, First Earl of Arlington (1618-1685), an English statesman.

Parent County
1847--Arlington County was created 13 March 1847 from Fairfax County. County seat: Arlington

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Virginia county boundary changes, visit "Rotating Formation Virginia County Boundary Maps" (1617-1995) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Research Guides

 * A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Alexandria County [Arlington County]. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1959). . CD available at: American Ancestors ($).
 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Arlington County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1960):80. . CD available at: American Ancestors ($).
 * Genealogical Research in the Records of Alexandria City and Arlington County. By Suzanne Smith Ray. The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 10, No. 4 (Jul.-Aug. 1984):1..

African Americans
(see Alexandria County)


 * Free African Americans of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware. c2005. By Paul Heinegg. Online at: Free African Americans;.

Cemeteries
The following is a list of cemeteries in Arlington County:


 * 1800-1986 -
 * Historic Arlington: A History of the National Cemetery from Its Establishment to the Present Time, with Sketches of the Historic Personages Who Occupied the Estate Previous to Its Seizure by the National Government... c1892. By K. Decker and Angus McSween. Decker and Angus McSween. Washington, Decker and McSween Pub. Co. Online at: Google Books;.
 * Memorial Ceremonies at the National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, Under the Auspices of the Grand Army of the Republic, May 30, 1868. 1868. By F.H. Smith. Washington, DC : McGill &amp; Witherow, Printers and Stereotypers. Online at: Google Books;.

Church of England

 * History of Truro Parish in Virginia. 1908. By Philip Slaughter and Edward Lewis Goodwin. Philadelphia, PA : George W. Jacobs. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books;.
 * The Truro Parish Colonial Vestry Book (1732-1785) and the proceedings of the Overseers of the Poor (1787-1802). Digitized images available online at Truro Parish Colonial Vestry Minutes.

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


 * Arlington

Court
Indexed images of Arlington County, Virginia Chancery Records 1790-1842 are available online through Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. These records, often concerned with inheritance disputes, contain a wealth of genealogical information.

Local Histories

 * A Brief History of Alexandria County, Virginia : Its Wealth and Resources, Great and Growing Industries, Educational and Social Advantages. 1907. By G. G. Boteller, Crandal Mackey, M. E. Church, W. S. Hoge, Jr., C. B. Haller under the direction of the County Board of Supervisors. Falls Church, Virginia : The Newell Printing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust;.
 * Arlington National Cemetery. 1988. By U.S. Department of the Army. Online at: Hathitrust;.
 * Arlington National Cemetery, Shrine to America's Heroes. 1986. By James Edward Peters. Bethesda, MD : Woodbine House. Online at: Internet Archive (eBook can be borrowed for 14 days);.
 * Historic Arlington : A History of the National Cemetery from its Establishment to the Present Time, with Sketches of the Historic Personages who Occupied the Estate Previous to its Seizure by the National Government--Parke Custis and His Times--the Career of Lee, with Descriptions of Life in Virginia During the Early Part of the Century. c1892. By Karl Decker and Angus McSween. Washington, Decker and McSween Pub. Co. Online at: Family Search Books Online, Hathitrust, Google Books;.

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 –
 * 1861-1865 –
 * 1861-1865 – U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 Ancestry
 * 1861-1865 – [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2344 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 Ancestry
 * - 17th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company A (Alexandria Riflemen), Company E (Mount Vernon Guards), Company G (Emmett Guards), Company H (Old Dominion Rifles), Company I (O'Connell Guards), and Company K (Warrenton Rifles).

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Miscellaneous Records

 * 1607-2007 -

Probate Records

 * 1858-1878, 1868-1878 - Arlington County Index to Wills and Estates, Book 9, 1858-1878, 1868-1878 Virginia Pioneers ($)

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * 1815 - 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). By Roger D. Ward. c1997. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co. ..
 * 1829 - A List of Tithables for the Town Part of the County of Alexandria, 1829. Original records, Arlington County Courthouse in Arlington, Virginia; FHL copy: Item 4.

Birth

 * 1853-1866 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1912-1913 -

Marriage

 * 1660-1959 - Virginia, United States Marriages - FindMyPast ($)
 * 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 Ancestry ($).
 * 1850-1881 - Arlington County Marriage Index 1850-1881. Batch at FamilySearch.
 * 1853-1935 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1936-1988 -

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 -

Death

 * 1912-1987 -

Arlington County Virginia Genealogy Websites

 * Arlington County VAGenWeb Project, a part of The VAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
 * Arlington County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)
 * Cyndi's List
 * Site of Arlington Chapel Marker, The Historical Marker Database
 * Site of Arlington Chapel Marker, The Historical Marker Database