Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Arlington 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
- General Index to Deeds1800–1920
- Deed Book1801–1901
- Land Suits1834–1843
- General Index to Land Records1951–1975
- Retakes General Index to Land Records1951–1975
- Retakes for General Index to Land Records1951–1975
Wills
- General Index to Wills1800–1951
- Will Book1858–1903
Estates and guardianships
- Account Book1810–1850
- Administrator's Bond Book1847–1850
- Executor's Bond Book1847–1850
- Guardian's Bond Book1848–1850
- Fiduciary Register1850–1878
- Fiduciary Bond Book1851–1877
Marriages, births and deaths
- Minister's Returns1801–1853
- Ministers' Returns1801–1850
- Register of Marriages1801–1880
- Marriage Bonds1802–1852
- Marriage Record1850–1881
- Register of Births1853–1896
- Register of Deaths1853–1896
- Reverend A Gladwin's Book1863–1869
Tax lists
- Ordinary Bond and License Book1802–1850
- Insolvent Debtors1803–1846
- List of Tithables1803–1805
- Record Book1810–1819
- Tithables1829
- Assessments Town and County of Alexandria1847
Court orders and minutes
- Order Book1780–1799
- Judgments1783–1819
- Corporation Minute Book1785–1787
- Complete Records1786–1846
- Hustings Court Minute Book1787–1801
- Minute Book1787–1866
- Admiralty Court Orders1801–1827
- Alexandria Liber1801–1802
- Alexandria Liber A1801–1802
- Court Records1801–1830
- Docket of Witness1801–1817
- Index to Judgments1801–1873
- Orders1801–1827
- Record of Executions Issued on Judgment1801–1802
- and 18 more series in the full listing
Records of free Black and enslaved people
- Records1788–1864
- Free Negro Registers1797–1861
- Free Negroes1858
Military and pensions
- Court Martials1864–1865
Census
- Census Returns of the Black Population of Alexandria County1865
Bonds and oaths
- Commissioners Bond Book1850–1899
- General Bond Book1850–1855
- Persons who have taken Oath of Allegiance1862–1865
Elections
- Arlington Precinct Poll Book1902–1947
- Ballston Precinct Poll Book1902–1947
- Carne Precinct Poll Book1902–1947
- Cherrydale Precinct Poll Book1902–1947
- Clarendon Precinct Poll Book1902–1947
- East Falls Church Precinct Poll Book1902–1947
- Glen Carlyn Precinct Poll Book1902–1947
- Lyon Park Precinct Poll Book1902–1947
- Roslyn Precinct Poll Book1902–1947
- Virginia Highlands Precinct Poll Book1902–1947
- Voting Applications for Clarendon Precinct1942–1948
County government and the poor
- Minutes of the Electoral Board1896–1959
See every volume and reel number at the Library of Virginia
Library of Virginia note: Reels 41-47, 60-61, 63-84, and 86-92 are not available through interlibrary loan
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
- Arlington 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: Arlington 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, Arlington" 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: Part of Fairfax County until 1801, when it became Alexandria County, D.C.; returned to Virginia in 1847 and renamed Arlington County in 1920
Check the parent county for earlier records: Fairfax County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1920, 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.