Genealogical Research

Archives and Historical Documents

View list of Archives and Historical Documents for Dinwiddie Circuit Court.

Online Records

If you are interested in doing genealogical research online, please contact the Clerk’s Office. Find more information about Online access to land records.

Land Tax Records

The Clerk's Office has converted the Land Books on Microfilm with the Library of Virginia from 1782 to 1885 into a pdf format for each year. These records are especially helpful when searching the land records prior to 1833. Prior to 1833 the deeds and land records were destroyed and this is the only record of land owners in the county.

View the Tax Records.

Chancery Suit Papers

Suit papers from 1844 through 1954 have been scanned into digital format and are hosted on a website maintained by The Library of Virginia (Chancery Records Index) that can be accessed from the Clerk’s Office or any computer with access to the internet. The quality of the scanned images is excellent, so the original documents are not served to the public. This service is provided by the Library of Virginia free of charge.

Records in the Clerk’s Office

• Land Records: (1833 to present)
  • The Clerk's Office has grantor and grantee indexes dating back to 1833 recording the names of those who transferred or received property, and Deed Books that date from 1833 to present that contain the official copy of land related documents.
  • Land Records prior to 1833 were burned at the end of the Civil War in 1865.
• Wills and Fiduciary: (1833 to Present)
  • The Clerk's Office has wills and account indexes and books dating to 1833.
  • Will books prior to 1833 were burned at the end of the civil war in 1865.
• Marriage Records: (1863 to present)
  • The Clerk's Office has marriage licenses and registers dating to 1863, showing the bride’s and groom’s names, their ages, and their parents' names.
• Chancery Order Book and Index (1832 to Present)
  • Orders relating to land records or other actions before the courts.
• Land Books/Tax Books: (1865 to Present)
  • Shows property owners and tax values on land in Dinwiddie County.
• Birth Register: (1865 to 1896)
• Death Register: (1865 to 1896)

Request an electronic copy of any document. The fees for en emailed copy are $5.00/document email fee, $2.00/document certificate fee and $.50/page copy fee.

The Mail-in fee for copies is $.50/page and a $2/document fee for certifying a copy.

Mail-in requests must specifically identify the item to be copied and be accompanied by check or money order payable to Dinwiddie County Circuit Court Clerk covering the copy cost and a stamped self-addressed return envelope. The mailing address is:

• Dinwiddie County Circuit Court Clerk's Office
  Attention: Records Room
  P.O. Box 63
  Dinwiddie, VA 23069

For questions about using the records in the Clerk’s Office, call (804) 469-4540.

We are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Other Resources Available