Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Amelia County, with the earliest and latest years filmed. A span can include gaps; it doesn't mean every year in between survives.
Land and deeds
- Deed Book1734–1902
- General Index to Deeds1734–1947
- Grantee Index to Deeds1734–1953
- Grantor Index to Deeds1734–1974
- Surveyors' Returns1736–1751
- Processioners' Book1795–1881
- Plats Belonging to Valentine1815
- AT1965–1970
Wills
- General Index to Wills1734–1926
- Will Book1734–1914
- General Index to Wills and Fiduciaries1926–1974
Estates and guardianships
- FOR INDEX TO FIDUCIARIES1926–1974
- Fiduciary Settlements1949–1958
- Fiduciary Bond Book1973–1975
Marriages, births and deaths
- Index-Transcript of Marriage Bonds1735–1854
- Marriage Bonds1735–1786
- Marriage Licenses1786–1791
- Marriage Register1853–1918
- Register of Births1853–1871
- Register of Deaths1853–1871
- Freedmen's Marriage License Book1865–1869
Tax lists
- Tithable Lists1736–1794
- Tithables1736–1782
- County Levies1743
- Insolvents1746–1763
- Insolvents Land1787–1813
- Personal Property Tax List1795
Court orders and minutes
- Order Book1735–1904
- Oyer and Terminer Order Book1785–1791
- Chancery Causes [Judgments]1794–1802
- Common Law Order Book1809–1915
- Index to Chancery Causes1830–1947
- Chancery Orders1832–1921
- General Index to Common Law Order Book1938–1967
Records of free Black and enslaved people
- Register of Free Negroes1804–1865
Military and pensions
- Muster Roll in the War of Defense of Virginia1861–1865
- Militia Enrollment Book1864
- Lists of Registrants Inducted into Army by Local Board1918
- Records of World War Veterans1918–1966
Bonds and oaths
- FOR BONDS1735–1754
County government and the poor
- Overseer of the Poor Records1786–1787
Roads
- Appointments of Road Surveyors1836–1855
See every volume and reel number at the Library of Virginia
Source: Library of Virginia, County and City Records on Microfilm. Reels marked for interlibrary loan can be borrowed through your local library.
Where to find the records
- Amelia County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the circuit court clerk's office, and any online record search the county offers.
- The circuit court clerk's office
Virginia's deed, will and marriage books are usually kept by the clerk of the circuit court for the county or city, though many older records have been moved to the Library of Virginia. Call before you visit; hours and access to older volumes vary.
- Library of Virginia: Amelia County records on microfilmfree
Every filmed volume with its years and reel number. Use the reels in Richmond; many can be borrowed through interlibrary loan.
- Library of Virginia: Chancery Records Indexfree
Search equity court suits by name. They're rich in family detail: estate divisions, heirs and land disputes. Many localities' suits are scanned and free to view.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Virginia, Amelia" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Brunswick County, Prince George County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Brunswick County, Prince George County
Later formed partly from Amelia County: Nottoway County, Prince Edward County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1734, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Start with the deed and will books: they name relatives, neighbors and land. Then try the court order books, which mention almost everyone in the county sooner or later, as witnesses, jurors, road workers or parties to a suit.