Record loss
Most of this locality's early records are gone. Many pre–Civil War records were lost or taken by Union troops in 1863. Sixteen deed books and five will books 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 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 Prince William 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
- Deeds1731–1732
- Deed Book1732–1901
- General Index to Deeds1732–1908
- Plat Book1789–1858
- District Court Deed Book1795–1799
- Loose Plats1797–1973
- Land Record1835–1843
Wills
- General Index to Wills1734–1951
- Will Book1734–1913
Estates and guardianships
- Administrators' Bond Book1753–1782
- Guardians' Bonds1830–1927
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Certificates1854–1865
- General Index to Marriage Register1859–1946
- Marriage Register1859–1936
- Register of Births1864–1870
- Register of Deaths1864–1870
- Marriage Licenses1865–1896
Tax lists
- List of Tithables1747
Court orders and minutes
- Minute Book1752–1904
- Order Book1754–1850
- Land Causes1789–1849
- District Court Order Book1793–1817
- Records at Large1798–1799
- Chancery Order Book1837–1909
- Judgment Lien Book1841–1916
- General Index to Judgment Lien Dockets1870–1962
- Index to Chancery Order Book1883–1901
- Common Law Order Book1886–1911
Military and pensions
- Index to WWII Induction1941–1949
- WWII Discharge Records1945–1949
Bonds and oaths
- Bond Book1753–1873
County government and the poor
- School Board Minute Book1872–1922
- School Board Loose Papers1913
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
- Prince William 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: Prince William 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, Prince William" 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: King George County, Stafford County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: King George County, Stafford County
Later formed partly from Prince William County: Fairfax County, Fauquier County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1730, 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.