Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Southampton 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 Deeds1749–1910
- Unrecorded Deeds1759–1839
- Processioners' Plat Book1826–1836
- County Court Processioners' Book1836–1846
- Processioners' Returns1836–1891
- Index to Deed Book1860–1910
- Release Deed Book1884–1925
- Trust Deed Book1886–1901
- Processioners' Report1890–1910
Wills
- General Index to Wills1749–1937
- Will Book1749–1924
Estates and guardianships
- Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds1749–1898
- Guardians' Bonds1750–1869
- Guardians' Account Book1751–1953
- Guardians' Accounts1751–1911
- Fiduciary Bond Book1850–1856
- List of Fiduciaries1850–1911
- Inventory Book1885–1932
- Administrators' Bond Book1888–1896
- Fiduciary Bonds1897–1911
- Fiduciary Settlements1979–1980
Marriages, births and deaths
- Ministers' Returns1706–1853
- Index to Marriage Register1750–1853
- Marriage Bonds and Consents1750–1851
- Marriage Register1750–1899
- Marriage Bonds1813–1858
- Index to Marriages1850–1983
- Marriage Licenses1850–1901
- Marriage Consents1851–1855
- Birth Register1853–1872
- Register of Births1853–1872
- Register of Deaths1853–1870
Tax lists
- Ordinary Bonds1770–1826
Court orders and minutes
- Court Papers1741–1932
- Judgment Papers1749–1864
- Order Book1749–1904
- Minute Book1763–1870
- Loose Court Papers1773–1812
- Clerk's Minute Book1803–1819
- Orders1807
- Rule Book1812–1816
- Common Law Order Book1820–1955
- Miscellaneous Court Records1858–1912
- Court Records, Commonwealth Causes1859–1912
- Court Records1866–1912
- Chancery Order Book1883–1903
Records of free Black and enslaved people
- County Court Free Negroes Register1794–1864
Bonds and oaths
- County Court Bonds1860–1862
- Officials' Bond Book1863–1919
- Bonds, Oaths, and Commissioners' Records1869–1912
- Commissioners' Bond Book1875–1942
Elections
- Poll Records1777–1877
County government and the poor
- Board of Supervisors' Minute Book1870–1981
See every volume and reel number at the Library of Virginia
Library of Virginia note: Reel numbers 73-82 and 285-326 no longer exist.
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
- Southampton 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: Southampton 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, Southampton" 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: Isle of Wight County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Isle of Wight 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.