Record loss
Many loose papers are missing, but most record books survive. Many loose papers from before 1840 were lost in the Civil War. Deed and will books survive from the county's start, but minute books for 1749–1762, 1765–1797, 1812–1813 and 1817 are missing.
Before you give up, try these:
- The Library of Virginia's Lost Records Localities Digital Collection: copies of deeds, wills and other records from this place that turned up as evidence in other courts' files.
- Land tax and personal property tax books, which begin in 1782. Copies went to the state, so they often survived when the courthouse records didn't.
- The records of the parent county and neighboring counties, where families often bought land, went to court or married.
- Chancery suits, church records, newspapers, Bible records and military pension files. See Burned Counties.
Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Culpeper 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 Book1749–1901
- Index to Deeds1749–1913
- Index to Plat Book1794–1927
- Plats1794–1927
- Release Deeds1888–1898
- General Index to Miscellaneous Liens1922–1960
Wills
- General Index to Wills1749–1930
- Will Book1749–1906
Estates and guardianships
- Record of Fiduciaries1850–1904
Marriages, births and deaths
- Index to Marriage Records1781–1950
- Index to Marriage Register1781–1853
- Marriage Register1781–1932
- Birth Records1864–1896
- Death Records1864–1896
Tax lists
- Bond Registration and Transfer Records1911–1934
Court orders and minutes
- Minute Book1763–1869
- Land Causes1810–1841
- MINUTE BOOK NO. 7 IS MISSING1811–1814
- MINUTE BOOK NO. 9 IS MISSING1816–1818
- Law Order Book1828–1909
- Chancery Order Book1831–1960
- Order Book1869–1904
Military and pensions
- 5th Regiment Militia1815
Bonds and oaths
- Bond Book1892–1908
County government and the poor
- Minutes of the Local Board of Review1915–1926
- Finance Board Minutes1932–1971
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
- Culpeper 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: Culpeper 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, Culpeper" 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: Orange County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Orange County
Later formed partly from Culpeper County: Madison County, Rappahannock County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1749, 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.