Rappahannock County, Virginia Genealogy

Guide to Rappahannock County Virginia ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records. ''This article is about a Virginia county formed in 1833. For other uses, see Rappahannock''.

Virginia Online Genealogy Records

Description
Rappahannock County is located in the Piedmont Region of the Commonwealth of Virginia and named for the Rappahannock River.

Rappahannock County, Virginia Courthouse
Rappahannock County, Virginia 238 Gay Street P O Box 116 Washington, Virginia 22747 Phone: 540-675-3621

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1833, land records from 1838 and some personal property records from 1834

Parent County
1833--Rappahannock County was created 8 February 1833 from Culpeper County. County seat: Washington

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Virginia county boundary changes, "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.


 * Lost census: 1890

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:

African American

 * 1865-1872 Freedmen's
 * 1935-2009, index and images, incomplete
 * Rappahannock County, Virginia Colored Marriage Register - free.
 * Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of Rappahannock County.

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1986 - at FamilySearch — index

Census
1890 Union Veterans


 * "Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890." Prince William County Virginia, by Ronald Ray Turner.  Includes residents of this county.

Church of England
Meade's 1861 history of parishes in Rappahannock County is available online.

Quaker
Early monthly meetings (with years of existence):


 * Culpeper Monthly Meeting (1777-1797)

Court
Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index can be used to search Rappahannock County chancery court records for the years 1833-1940. Records are located on microfilm at at the clerk's office.

Funeral Homes

 * 1935-2009, index and images, incomplete

Genealogy
Compiled Genealogies by Surname
 * See Rappahannock County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list of 12+ published books and articles.

Revolutionary War

 * 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, Rappahannock County on page 133.]

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, Rappahannock County, p. 100. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

 * - 6th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company B (Rappahannock Cavalry) and Company C (Rockingham Cavalry, River Rangers).


 * - 7th Battalion, Virginia Infantry, Local Defense (1st Nitre Battalion) (Confederate). Company B (Rappahannock Guard) and Company G (Sperryville Sharpshooters).
 * - 12th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company G.
 * - 49th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D (Sperryville Sharpshooters) and Company I (Rappahannock Rifles).

Records and histories are available, including:


 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 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)

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Miscellaneous Records

 * 1607-2007 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Private Papers

 * [Gibson] Davis, Bruce G. "Gibson Family Bible, Rappahannock County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1970):163-164. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($).
 * [Gibson] Davis, Bruce G. "Gibson Family Bible, Rappahannock County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1970):163-164. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($).

Probate Records
Will Book A, 1833-1842 (digital images) Virginia Pioneers ($)

Will Book B, 1842-1849 (digital images) Virginia Pioneers ($)

Will Book C, 1849-1855 (digital images) Virginia Pioneers ($)

Will Book D, 1855-1866 (digital images) Virginia Pioneers ($)

Online Probate Records 


 * 1833-1842 Images of Wills and Estates Book A Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1842-1849 Images of Wills and Estates Book B Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1849-1855 Images of Wills and Estates Book C Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1855-1866 Images of Wills and Estates Book D Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * Indexes to Wills, Estates, Settlements, Deeds - 1656-1664; 1662-1672; 1662-1668; 1663-1682. Virginia Pioneers.net ($)
 * Images of Wills, Settlements, Estates 1656-1664; 1663-1668. Virginia Pioneers.net ($)
 * General Index to Wills and Deeds 1654-1691; Deed Books 7 and 8, 1684-1691. Virginia Pioneers.net ($)

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Rappahannock County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1977):220-222. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($).

Birth

 * 1853-1870 - Rappahannock County Birth Index 1853-1870. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1853-1866 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1912-1913 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriage

 * 1660-1959 - Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).
 * 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry.com ($) — index
 * 1833-1869 - Rappahannock County Marriage Index 1833-1869. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1853-1935 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1854-1869 - Rappahannock County Marriage Index 1854-1869. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1854-1930 - Rappahannock County, Virginia, Marriages 1854-1930 - free.


 * 1936-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

 * 1912-1987 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Rappahannock Historical Society
The Rappahannock Historical Society is located at 328 Gay Street in Washington, VA 22747.

It can be reached at telephone number 540-675-1163 or by email at rapphistsoc@comcast.net

It is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.(Open on most Monday holidays).

It offers genealogical research, property history searches, and general historical searches.

Fees for research by its staff are $15 per hour. For a more complete listing of their services and resources visit their resource page

Family History Centers
To locate the closest family history center or affiliate library, use the link listed above.

Rappahannock County, Virginia Genealogy Websites

 * Rappahannock County, Virginia USGenWeb project
 * Rappahannock County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)
 * Virginia Pioneers Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * Virginia Pioneers Virginia Pioneers ($)