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''.

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

County Courthouse
Rappahannock County Courthouse 238 Gay Street PO Box 517 Washington, VA 22747-0517 Phone: 540-675-5350 Rappahannock County Website Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1833, land records from 1838 and some personal property records from 1834

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:

Bible Records

 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Census Records
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
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

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 Records
Online Court Indexes and Records 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.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * 1865-1872 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 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.

Funeral Homes

 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns in this couinty - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Revolutionary War War of 1812 Civil 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.]
 * 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.]
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 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)

Regiments. Civil War service men in Rappahannock County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed here:
 * - 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).

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Other Records
Private Papers
 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * [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 by NEHGS ($).

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and 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 ($) Will Book D, 1855-1866 (digital images) Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 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 ($)

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Birth

 * 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1584-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

 * 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at at FindMyPast — index, ($) — index $
 * 1740-1850 Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1854-1930 Rappahannock County, Virginia, Marriages 1854-1930 - free.
 * 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Death

 * 1853-1912 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection;  index & images


 * 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 - at FamilySearch — index & images

Family History Centers

 * Culpeper Virginia Family History Center
 * Front Royal Virginia Family History Center
 * Harrisonburg Virginia Family History Center
 * Warrenton Virginia Family History Center


 * Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County 'AHHA' - an affiliate library
 * Shenandoah County Library - an affiliate library

Societies
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.

Websites

 * Rappahannock County, Virginia USGenWeb project
 * Virginia Pioneers Virginia Pioneers ($)


 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

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 by NEHGS ($).