Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for City of Fredericksburg, 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 Book1782–1902
- [Embrey's] General Index to Deeds [Wills1782–1920
- General Index to Deed Book1789–1813
- Release Deed Book1931–1957
Wills
- General Index to Will Book1782–1957
- Index to Wills1782–1951
- Will Book1782–1956
- General Index to Wills and Fiduciaries1958–1973
Estates and guardianships
- Fiduciary Bonds1841–1851
- Bond Book1851–1903
- Fiduciary Bond Book1889–1928
- Fiduciary Book1892–1930
Marriages, births and deaths
- Index to Marriage Registers1850–1957
- Marriages1850–1860
- Old Fredericksburg Marriage Register1850–1860
- Register of Marriages1854–1939
- Divorces1903–1973
- Marriage Register1939–1968
Tax lists
- Soldier's Fund1865
Court orders and minutes
- Index to Court Records1782–1918
- Index to Court Records Be-C1782–1918
- Index to Suit Papers1782–1950
- Order Book1782–1905
- Law Orders1789–1831
- Minute Book1789–1833
- Records1789–1792
- Mercer vs Hedgman1793–1798
- Rule Docket1796–1797
- Carter of Shirley vs. Carter1799–1808
- Land Causes and Appeals1808–1823
- Fee Book1811–1819
- Causes and Appeals1814–1819
- Chancery Order Book1814–1928
- and 13 more series in the full listing
Records of free Black and enslaved people
- Certificates1790–1862
Military and pensions
- World War Memorial Record1931–1957
- WWII Induction and Discharge Records1940–1946
Bonds and oaths
- Bond Book1782–1850
- Oaths of Office1966–1973
Schools
- Board of School Trustees' Minute Book1887–1901
See every volume and reel number at the Library of Virginia
Library of Virginia note: Reels 91 and 92 need to be requested from Alderman Library at the University 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
- City of Fredericksburg official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the circuit court clerk's office, and any online record search the independent city 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: City of Fredericksburg 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, Fredericksburg" 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: Became an independent city in 1902, separating from Spotsylvania County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Spotsylvania County
Records stay with the county that created them. The atlas dates this city's independence to 1902, when Virginia's new constitution separated every city from its county. Many older cities already kept some of their own court records (hustings court records, for example), so search both the city's records and the county's. 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 independent city sooner or later, as witnesses, jurors, road workers or parties to a suit.