Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Tazewell 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 Book1800–1968
- Index to Deeds1800–1964
- Index to Land Entry Book1800–1906
- Land Entry Book1800–1906
- Index to Record of Surveys1801–1922
- Surveyors' Book1801–1922
- Deeds1875–1906
- Land Grant Prohibitions1881–1917
- Release Deed Book1885–1915
Wills
- Index to Wills1800–1908
- Will Book1800–1932
- General Index to Wills and Fiduciaries1905–1985
Estates and guardianships
- Fiduciary Bond Book1852–1904
Marriages, births and deaths
- Index to Marriages1800–1939
- Marriage Register1800–1920
- Indexes to Birth and Death Registers1853–1870
- Register of Births1853–1870
- Register of Deaths1853–1871
Court orders and minutes
- Order Book1800–1904
- No Orders for period1817–1820
- Chancery Order Book1832–1976
- General Index to Law Order and Chancery Book1832–1940
- Index to Chancery Order Book1832–1984
- Index to Law Order Book1832–1940
- Law Order Book1832–1909
- Naturalizations1931–1944
- Index to Order Book1939–1984
Military and pensions
- Muster Rolls for World War I and World War1915–1918
- List of Men Registered in Tazewell County1917–1918
- World War Memorial Record1928–1964
Bonds and oaths
- Officials' Bond Book1843–1908
County government and the poor
- Board of Supervisors' Minute Book1870–1910
- Record of the Local Board of Review1915–1921
- Finance Board Minute Book1933–1976
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
- Tazewell 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: Tazewell 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, Tazewell" 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: Russell County, Wythe County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Russell County, Wythe County
Later formed partly from Tazewell County: Bland County, Buchanan County, Giles County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1799, 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.