Roanoke County, Virginia Genealogy

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

Virginia Online Genealogy Records

Description
Roanoke County is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and its name comes from the Indian word "Rawrenock," which means wampum. These were white shell beads worn by native Americans.

Roanoke County, Virginia Courthouse
Roanoke County Courthouse P.O. Box 1126 Second Floor, Room 200 305 East Main Street Salem, VA 24153 Phone: 540-387-6205

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1838

Roanoke County, Virginia History


The county is named after the Roanoke River.

Parent County
1838--Roanoke County was created 30 March 1838 from Botetourt and Montgomery Counties. County seat: Salem

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
Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of Roanoke County.

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1986 - at FamilySearch — index

Census
1785


 * Burton, Charles T. Botetourt County, Va., 1785 Enumeration. Troutville, Va.: Burton?, 1972. ; digital version at Ancestry ($). [All of part of present-day county of Roanoke is included.]

1840


 * Douthat, James L. 1840 Mountain Empire of Virginia Census. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2001. 975.5 X2d 1840. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. [Includes Roanoke County.]

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 Records
Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):


 * 1) Catawba (1780)
 * 2) Salem (1784)

Roanoke County fell within the bounds of the New River Association.

Court
Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index can be used to search Roanoke County chancery records for the years 1839-1942. Digital images are available and some post-1912 originals are located at the Library of Virginia. The majority of unindexed post-1913 records are available at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

Genealogy
Compiled Genealogies by Surname
 * See Roanoke County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies a list of 9+ published books and articles.

Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families


 * A list of surname files at the Virginia Room, Roanoke Pubis Library: website.
 * Prillaman, Helen R. A Place Apart: A Brief History of the Early Williamson Road and North Roanoke Valley Residents and Places. Baltimore, Md.: Reprinted for Clearfield Co. by Genealogical Pub. Co., 2007. Available at Virginia Historical Society. Watts, Garst, Harshbarger, Betts, Oliver, Read, Williamson, Nelms, Moomaw, Bushong, Nininger, Petty, Fellers, Andrews, Bowman, Coulter, Epperley, Prillaman, Hansbrough, Hunt, Riley, and Woodson families.

Land and Property
Early settlers maps are available for Roanoke County. Hildebrand plots the locations of pioneers from original land grants, farm owners (1825-1875), etc. The Family History Library has copies:, , and.

Grants and Patents


 * Hudgins. 231 patents dated 1742-1855 in what is now Roanoke County, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper. 2005. [Names of those who received land patents, dates, land descriptions, and references may be viewed free of charge (click "Index" next to the county listing); however, in order to view the maps, it is necessary to purchase Direct Line Software's DeedMapper product.]

Local Histories

 * Jack, George S. History of Roanoke County. Roanoke, Va.: Stone, c1912. ; digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books.
 * McCauley, William. History of Roanoke County, Salem, Roanoke City, Virginia, and Representative Citizens, 1734-1900. Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1902. ; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Prillaman, Helen R. Places Near the Mountains: From the Community of Amsterdam, Virginia Up the Road to Catawba, on the Waters of the Catawba and Tinker Creeks, along the Carolina Road as it Aproached Big Lick and Other Areas, Primarily North Roanoke [Botetourt and Roanoke Counties, Virginia]. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002. ; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Roanoke, Story of County and City. unknown: unknown, 1942. ; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Salem and the Roanoke Valley: A Circular of Information, Location, Railroad Facilities, Business Interests, Manufacturing Prospects, Water Power, Mineral wealth, Fertile Lands, Healthful Climate, Social, Moral, Religious and Educational Advantages. Salem, Va.: Times-Register Power Press Print, 1884. ; digital version at Ancestry ($).

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: . [See Virginia, Western District, Roanoke County on page 136.]

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, Roanoke County, pp. 100-101. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

 * 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)
 * - 14th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company F (2nd) and Company G (Border Rangers).


 * - 25th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company F.
 * - 28th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F (Botetourt Springs Rifles) and Company K (Roanoke Grays).
 * - 42nd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company E (Dixie Grays).
 * - 54th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company K (The Roanoke Guards).

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Miscellaneous Records

 * 1607-2007 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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 Salem silversmiths.]

Probate Records
"Online Probate Records


 * 1838-1903 - Images of Wills and Estates Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1841-1844 - Images of Wills and Estates Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1841-1898 - Images of Wills and Estates Virginia Pioneers ($)

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Roanoke County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1977):285-286. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($).

Taxation

 * [1882] Big Lick District Personal Property Tax List, 1882, Virginia Appalachian Notes. Roanoke VA: Nov 1982. Vol. 6 Iss. 4; online at Roanoke Public Library - free.

Birth

 * 1853-1885 - Roanoke County Birth Index 1853-1885. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1853-1914 - Roanoke County Birth Index 1853-1914. 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) ($).


 * 1838-1843 - Roanoke County, Virginia, Marriages 1838-1843 (New River Notes) - free.


 * 1838-1853 - Roanoke County, Virginia Marriages 1838-1853 (VAGenWeb) - free.


 * 1853-1906 - Roanoke County Marriage Index 1853-1906. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1853-1935 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1881-1919 - Register (colored) No. 1 Virginia Pioneers ($)


 * 1936-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1949-1959 - Register No. 7 Virginia Pioneers ($)

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

 * 1853-1881 - Roanoke County Death Index 1853-1881. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1853-1917 - Roanoke County Death Index 1853-1917. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1912-1987 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Family History Centers

 * Roanoke Virginia Family History Center (Salem)

Roanoke County, Virginia Genealogy Websites

 * Roanoke Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.
 * Roanoke County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)