Sussex County, Virginia Genealogy Records

Which records survive from Sussex County, the years each set covers, and where to find them.

Formed
1753
County seat
Sussex
Record loss
None listed

Records that survive

These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Sussex 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 Book1754–1902
  • General Index to Deeds1754–1878
  • Loose Deeds1754–1849
  • Survey Book1754–1827
  • Land Titles and Deed Book1763–1768
  • Loose Deed1783
  • Loose Processioners' Returns1868–1874
  • Index to Deeds, etc1878–1976
  • Release Deed Book1885–1975
  • Trust Deed Book1975–1976

Wills

  • General Index to Wills1754–1948
  • Loose Wills, Inventories and Estates1754–1849
  • Will Book1754–1920

Estates and guardianships

  • Loose Bonds1732–1855
  • Guardians' Accounts1754–1866
  • Estrays, Petitions and Court Papers1775–1795
  • Loose Orphans' Accounts1792
  • Executors' and Administrators' Register1800–1849
  • Guardians' Register1800–1834
  • Loose Receipts related to Estate Accounts1800–1882
  • Division of Estates1804–1821
  • List of Certificates for Probates1825–1851
  • Record of Fiduciaries1850–1916
  • Estate Papers1855
  • Loose Guardians' Bond1855
  • Guardians' Account Book1866–1975
  • Clerk's Fiduciary Record Book1904–1975
  • and 1 more series in the full listing

Marriages, births and deaths

  • Marriage Contracts1746–1801
  • Index of Marriage Register1754–1853
  • Marriage Bonds1754–1850
  • Marriage Register1754–1976
  • Loose Marriage Bonds1770–1777
  • Ministers' Returns1781–1858
  • Ministers' Bonds1789–1833
  • Returns1849–1861
  • Certificates of Marriage Licenses1850–1884
  • Index to Marriage Bond Book1850–1888
  • Register of Births1853–1869
  • Register of Deaths1853–1897
  • Marriage Licenses1861–1868
  • Register of Marriages1866–1901
  • and 2 more series in the full listing

Tax lists

  • Loose Bonds1732–1773
  • Tithables1753–1795
  • Loose Ordinary Bonds1773–1839
  • Land Tax1782
  • List of Taxable Property1783–1790
  • List of Revenue Tax Being Returned To Individuals1786–1787
  • Loose Ordinary Bond1789–1845
  • Loose County Accounts1802
  • License Tax1860
  • Land Book1930–1931

Court orders and minutes

  • Court Papers1689–1899
  • Loose Bonds1732–1774
  • Order Book1754–1904
  • Judgments1774–1849
  • Estrays, Petitions and Court Papers1775–1795
  • Minute Book1782–1827
  • Loose Judgments1783–1796
  • Loose Summons1785–1823
  • Rough Rule Docket1785–1786
  • Loose Orders1787–1832
  • Plats from Court Papers1798–1854
  • Loose Fines1823–1861
  • Index to Order Book1835–1842
  • Office Judgments1836–1849
  • and 14 more series in the full listing

Records of free Black and enslaved people

  • Certificates of Emancipation1787–1829
  • Free Negro Register1800–1850
  • List of Free Negroes and Mulattoes1801–1812

Military and pensions

  • Civil War Muster Roll1861–1865
  • Loose Military Accounts1863
  • World War I Muster Roll1917–1918
  • World War II Induction1941–1946

Census

  • List of Persons Living in Wakefield1880

Bonds and oaths

  • Loose Bonds1732–1773
  • Oaths of Allegiance1754
  • Loose Officials' Bonds1763–1868
  • Loose Sheriff's Bond1776–1790
  • Loose Commissions1786–1849

Elections

  • Loose Poll Records1786–1893
  • Poll Records1787–1892
  • Polls1787
  • List of Registered Voters1902–1909

County government and the poor

  • Board of Supervisors' Minute Book1870–1975
  • Local Board of Public Welfare Minute Book1938–1976

Roads

  • Bonds for Bridge Building1755–1778
  • Loose Bridge Bonds1791–1840
  • Loose Bridge Bond1792

Schools

  • School Commissioners' Reports1824–1846

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

  • Sussex 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: Sussex 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, Sussex" 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: Surry County

Check the parent county for earlier records: Surry County

Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1753, 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.