Record loss
Most of this locality's early records are gone. Union troops vandalized many pre–Civil War records. A few deed, will and order books survive.
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 Stafford 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
- [Embrey's] Index of Records1664–1914
- Deed1671–1672
- FOR DEEDS1680–1709
- Deed Book1722–1902
- Index to Land Order Book1780–1789
- Release Deed Book1886–1928
- Deeds of Trust Book1900–1909
Wills
- Will Book1699–1929
- Wills1701–1797
- Deed Book1748–1767
- FOR WILLS1783–1786
- FOR WILLS OF VARIOUS DATES WITHIN THE PERIOD1809–1873
- Index to Wills1865–1929
Estates and guardianships
- Administrator's Account1763
- Administrator's Bond1763
- Guardian's Bond1772
- Estate Accounts1827–1921
- Fiduciary Register1871–1904
- Bond Book1878–1896
Marriages, births and deaths
- Register of Births1853–1873
- Register of Deaths1853–1873
- Marriage Register1854–1969
- Index to Marriages1969–1978
Tax lists
- County Claim1778
Court orders and minutes
- Court Records [Orders]1664–1693
- Record Book1686–1693
- Order1712
- Writs1745–1767
- Judgments1746–1773
- Order Book1749–1827
- Summons1760–1778
- Scheme Book1790–1793
- Minute Book1830–1919
- Chancery Order Book1831–1972
- Judgment Lien Docket1865–1983
- Clerk's Order Book1904–1921
- Judiciary Orders1904–1934
Military and pensions
- Muster Roll in the War in Defense of Virginia1861–1865
- Muster Roll in the War with Germany1917–1918
Bonds and oaths
- Bond Book1896–1979
- General Index to Bond Book1896–1969
- Commissioners' Bond Book1909–1911
County government and the poor
- Board of Supervisors' Minute Book1870–1906
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
- Stafford 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: Stafford 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, Stafford" 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: Westmoreland County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Westmoreland County
Later formed partly from Stafford County: Prince William County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1664, 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.