Record loss
Most of this locality's early records are gone. Records were destroyed in three fires: at the clerk's house in 1734, by British troops in 1779, and on 7 February 1866.
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 counties 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 Nansemond 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 Book1854–1962
- General Index to Deeds1866–1904
- Loose Plat [W. B. Whitehead]1868
- Plat Book1870–1955
- Oyster Plat Book1896–1922
- General Index to Plats1945–1972
Wills
- General Index to Wills1866–1972
- Will Book1866–1919
Estates and guardianships
- Record of the List of Fiduciaries1866–1911
- Fiduciary Settlement Book1886–1922
- Fiduciary Bond Book1904–1908
Marriages, births and deaths
- Register of Births1865–1870
- Register of Deaths1865–1870
- Marriage Register1866–1972
- Index to Marriage Register1900–1910
Court orders and minutes
- Index and Abstract of Fee Book1774
- Index of Fee Book1774
- Fee Book1789–1852
- Execution Book1850–1860
- Chancery Order Book1866–1970
- Common Law Order Book1866–1906
- General Index to County Court Orders1866–1904
- Order Book1866–1904
- Clerk's Order Book1904–1972
Military and pensions
- Civil War Map1863
- Lists of Muster Rolls of Confederate Soldiers1908
Bonds and oaths
- Officials' Bond Book1866–1898
County government and the poor
- Sheriff's Execution Book1840–1842
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
- Find Nansemond County's official website
We haven't checked this county's website yet, so this opens a web search. Look for an address ending in .gov, then find the circuit court clerk's office.
- 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: Nansemond 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, Nansemond" 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: New Norfolk County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1637, 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.