Virginia Descendancy Research

Step 1. Find descendants in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.
Census records, widely indexed, are a fast way to identify members of families, their approximate year of birth, and the state where they were born. That information hints where to look for birth, marriage, and death records for more detailed information. One disadvantage is they are 10 years apart. Children born and dying within that 10-year span can be overlooked.

- For more information on census records, see Virginia Census and United States Census.

Step 2: Find birth, marriage, and death records online.
Government records, known as civil registration or vital records, were kept in Virginia statewide beginning in 1912, although counties kept records from 1853 to 1896. They provide full dates and places. They are sometimes indexed, and can be searched by child or parent names. They are especially useful because they name other family members, For example, marriage records name the parents of the bride and groom. Death records are especially helpful because they name parents, who lived years earlier, even before other records were kept.

Births
 * 1584-1917: at FamilySearch; index
 * 1660-1923: Virginia Extracted Vital Records at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1715-1901: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1721-2015: Virginia Birth Records, 1912-2015 & Delayed Birth Records, 1721-1911 at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1853-1911: Virginia, U.S., Birth Registers at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1912-1913: at FamilySearch; index & images

Marriages
 * Pre-1824: Virginia Marriages at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * Pre-1853: Early Virginia Marriages at FamilySearch; e-book
 * 1600's to 1900's: US Marriages at Findmypast; index only ($)
 * 1639-1850: Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1660-1800: Virginia Compiled Marriages at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1660-1923: Virginia Extracted Vital Records at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1700-1850: Virginia Marriage Records at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1715-1901: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1740-1850: Virginia Compiled Marriages at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1771-1943: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1785-1940: at FamilySearch; index only; Also at Ancestry ($), MyHeritage ($)
 * 1851-1929: Virginia Compiled Marriages at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1853-1935: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1853-1935: Virginia, U.S., Marriage Registers, 1853-1935 at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1936-1988: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1936-2014: Virginia Marriage Records at Ancestry; index & images ($)

Deaths 
 * 1660-1923: Virginia Extracted Vital Records at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1715-1901: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1853-1911: Virginia, U.S., Death Registers at Ancestry; index and images ($)
 * 1853-1912: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1853-1912: at FamilySearch; index only; Also at Ancestry ($)
 * 1912-1987: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1912-2014: Virginia Death Records at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1935-2009: at FamilySearch; index & images; Also at Ancestry ($)

For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Virginia, see How to Find Virginia Birth Records, How to Find Virginia Marriage Records, and How to Find Virginia Death Records.

Step 3: '''Try to find additional details about descendants in obituaries and cemetery records online.
These records can be especially useful for details about births and deaths that took place before XXXX. Frequently, family members are buried near each other. FindAGrave, often lists details, not even listed on the tombstone, but added to the website by family members or researchers. - Obituaries Cemeteries
 * Online Virginia Death Records &amp; Indexes links by county
 * Virginia Genealogy Obituaries
 * ObitsArchive.com - Virginia ($)
 * ObituariesHelp.org - Virginia Newspaper Obituaries Listings
 * Old Virginia Obituaries, 1790-1940
 * Obituary Links
 * USGenWeb Obituary Project Virginia
 * — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * Find-A-Grave
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current at Ancestry
 * Billion Graves
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * BillionGraves Index at Findmypast ($)
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * Cemeteries of Virginia at Cemetery Census
 * at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
 * Virginia, Deaths and Burials Index, 1853-1917 at Ancestry ($)
 * Virginia Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
 * Virginia Cemetery Records at Interment
 * VirginiaTombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
 * Online Virginia Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes

For more information, see Virginia Obituaries and Virginia Cemeteries.

Step 4: Explore Historical Images for additional online records about descendants.
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
 * Virginia, United States Historical Images, New Version
 * Virginia, United States Historical Images, Old Version

Step 5: Search any other online records listed in Virginia Online Genealogy Records.
The steps given here are intended to list record sources which can most efficiently identify descendants. Many other online records which might or might not mention descendants are listed in the Virginia Online Genealogy Records page, including immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, and probate records, and others. These can be records that cover a smaller group within the population, such as men who served in the military, etc.
 * Virginia Online Genealogy Records