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GENEALOGY

How do you discover who you are? Genealogy is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the country.  Resources, whether print or electronic, can help you get started exploring your family’s genealogy today.


 

DATABASES


  • Alexandria Gazette
    Browse issues from 2002-present. From Newsbank.

  • America’s GenealogyBank
    Explore genealogical records from 1690 to the present, including obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements, casualty lists, military and government documents, and more. Features the Social Security Death Index, historical newspapers, books and documents.

  • Ancestry Library Edition (In Library Access Only)
    Genealogy and family history research. Access to this resource has been temporarily expanded to library cardholders working remotely, courtesy of ProQuest and its partner Ancestry.

  • AtoZ Maps Online
    A collection of 60,000 royalty-free maps that can be downloaded and printed. Map types include world, country, state, political, physical, outline, environmental, scientific, and antique maps.

  • Fold3
    Convenient access to US military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.

  • Heritage Hub
    A collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for genealogical research, 1704 - today.

  • Heritage Quest
    Over 25,000 family and local histories, providing a collection of research materials for tracing family history.

  • Mount Vernon Gazette
    Browse issues from 2002-present. From Newsbank.

  • Washington Post Historical Newspapers
    Digitized Wasington Post articles from 1877-1997.

 

ALEXANDRIA RESOURCES

 

Obituary notices from the Alexandria gazette, 1784-1915
A compilation of names contained in obituary notices from Alexandria newspapers, 1784-1915.

Alphabetical index, birth records, Alexandria, Virginia
A compilation of names done by the WPA during the Depression. The library also contains other birth records.

Alphabetical index, death records, Alexandria, Virginia
Similar to the Birth Records previously listed. Check the library catalog for several other death records compilations that also exist. 1912-1939.

Tombstone inscriptions of Alexandria, Virginia
A five volume set of books indexing tombstones from most of the city’s cemeteries. Includes indexes, maps as well histories of the various cemeteries. 006733885 Some of the earliest marriage records taken from the period before official records were turned in to the state government. 004476529 These volumes index the Alexandria Gazette newspaper for the period from 1780-1840.  While not a complete index, these books do list proper names, occupations, ships, and other information that appeared in the local paper.

 

 

 


 

VIRGINIA RESOURCES

 

Cavaliers and pioneers : abstracts of Virginia land patents and grants 
A compilation of names arranged by date of names appearing in the Virginia Land Patents and Grants. This work covers the years 1666 to 1782.


Adventurers of purse and person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5 (4th ed.)
Names and genealogical information for the people associated with the Treasurer and Company of Adventurers and Planters of the City of London for the First Colony of Virginia. This is an indispensable source for Jamestown settlers’ information.


Index to Virginia estates, 1800-1865 
These volumes index microfilm held by the Library of Virginia (LVA). They index names from surviving Virginia wills from 1800–1865.  These books are a short cut to will research in the commonwealth.


DAR Patriot Index - Daughters of the American Revolution
These books, while not strictly Virginia, are an excellent source for names of ancestors who contributed to the cause of American independence with out actually serving in the military.


The Germanna Record 
The Germanna Record is the official publication of the foundation that commemorates the settlement of German colonists along the Rapidan River in the early 18th century.


Early settlers of Tidewater Virginia
These useful volumes utilize deed and will book information as well as historic registers of churches and other sources to lay out the early families of tidewater Virginia.

 


 

WEBSITES


Library of Virginia
The Virginia Memory and Virginia Chronicle sites provide access to digitized public records from many Virginia counties as well as newspapers from around the state. The Library of Virginia also has databases available like Fold3 and Proquest Sanborn Maps which are accessible to Virginia residents when you sign up for a free account.

FamilySearch
FamilySearch.org is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. Patrons may freely access FamilySearch resources and services online at FamilySearch.org, or through over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries, including the renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

The USGenWeb Project
A useful website that is organized by state. The site provides links to state and county institutions and organizations.

Cyndi's List
Cyndislist remains one of the most helpful genealogical sites on the internet. An ever increasing number of links are organized to help researchers locate a wide variety of materials and information.

The WorldGenWeb Project
A good site to discover information and links to sites outside the United States.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Nationwide Gravesite Locator
The Veteran’s Administration makes this site available for researchers looking for names of individuals buried in National Cemeteries.

NPS Civil War Soliders and Sailor System
The National Park Service runs this site which lists a significant number of the individuals who participated in the American Civil War.

American Family Immigration History Center
Search for passengers who arrived at the Port of New York between 1892 and 1924. The online materials include images of ship manifests and photographs of the ships themselves. Also includes information about visiting Ellis Island.

JewishGen 
Free, easy-to-use genealogy website features tens of millions of records, research tools, and other resources to help those with Jewish ancestry research and find family members.

Afrigeneas 
This site is dedicated to African American genealogy and has message boards, a mailing list, and a group of online resources, including a guide for beginners, a bookstore, and a library which contains links to articles, chat transcripts and some vital records. 

Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. 
Home page of the national organization, with links to regional associations. Includes details about the society's journal, annual conference, and activities, with information on how to become a member. 

Consumer Affairs DNA Testing and Ancestry Guide
The guide features verified reviews of companies that offer DNA analysis testing and genealogy records and resources.

Last updated: October 2021