Fairfax County, Virginia Genealogy
Fairfax County, Virginia family history and genealogy research page. Discover links to record collections, history, and genealogy information to aid you locate your Fairfax Co., ancestors. Get going by putting together a Free Family Tree.
Fairfax County Quick Facts
- Government Website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/
- Created Date / Origin: 1742 from Prince William County
- County Seat: Fairfax
- Named After: Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, the only resident British noble in Virginia
- Bordering Counties: Loudoun County (northwest), Prince William County (southwest), Arlington County (east), Charles County, Maryland (south), Prince George's County, Maryland (southeast), Montgomery County, Maryland (north).
- Cities & towns include: Annandale, Bailey's Crossroads, Belle Haven, Burke, Centreville, Chantilly, Dunn Loring, Fort Belvoir, Fort Hunt, Franconia, Great Falls, Groveton, Huntington, Hybla Valley, Idylwood, Jefferson, Lake Barcroft, Lincolnia, Lorton, Mantua, McLean, Merrifiel, Mount Vernon, Newington, North Springfield, Oakton, Pimmit Hills, Reston, Rose Hill, Seven Corners, Springfield, Tysons Corner, West Springfield and Wolf Trap.
Fairfax County Genealogical & Historical Societies and Family History Resources
A list of Fairfax County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives. See Also Virginia Archives, Genealogical and Historical Societies for statewide Addresses and links.
- Fairfax Genealogical Society,
P.O. Box 2290,
Merrifield, VA 22116-2290;
(703) 247-4304,
(888) 828-4121, voice mail
- Mount Vernon Genealogical Society,
Hollin Hall Senior Center,
1500 Shenandoah Road,
Alexandria, VA 22308
- Fairfax City Regional Library, Virginia Room,
3915 Chain Bridge Road,
Fairfax, VA 22030;
(703) 293-6383
- The Historical Society of Fairfax County, Virginia,
P.O. Box 415,
Fairfax, VA 22038-0415;
(703) 246-2123
- Gum Springs Historical Society, Inc.,
8100 Fordson Rd.,
Alexandria, VA 22306;
(703) 799-1198
- Falls Church Historical Commission,
300 Park Ave.,
Falls Church, VA 22046;
(703) 241-5014
- Gunston Hall Plantation Library and Archives,
10709 Gunston Road,
Mason Neck, VA 22079-3901;
(703) 550-9220
- Burke Historical Society,
P.O. Box 285,
Burke, VA 22009;
- Great Falls Historical Society,
P.O. Box 56,
Great Falls, VA 22066
- Historic Fairfax City, Inc.,
10209 Main Street,
Fairfax, VA 22030;
(703) 385-8414
- McLean Historical Society,
c/o The McLean Community Center,
1234 Ingleside Avenue,
McLean, VA 22101
- Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Washington,
P.O. Box 31122,
Bethesda, MD 20824-1122;
(301) 654-5524
- Seneca Road Historical Society,
625 Seneca Rd.,
P.O. Box 32,
Great Falls, VA 22066
- Historic Centreville Society, Inc.,
P.O. Box 1512,
Centreville, VA 22199
- Historic Vienna, Inc,P.O. Box 53, Vienna, VA 22183
131 Church Street NE,Vienna, VA 22180, 703-938-5187 (Freeman House), fax: 703-255-6399
- Lorton Heritage Society,
7605 DeVries Drive,
Lorton, VA 22199
- Virginia State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Fairfax County USGenWeb Archives Project (usgwarchives.net)
- Fairfax County, Virginia Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Fairfax County
- Fairfax County, Virginia Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com) read and post messages with other genealogy researchers for Fairfax County
- Fairfax County microfilmed holdings at The Library of Virginia (lva.virginia.gov)
- Virginia Heritage - Guides to manuscript and Archival Collections in Fairfax Co. Virginia
Fairfax County Courthouse and Government Records
Genealogist frequently forget the value of Fairfax County court, probate, and land documents as a resource of genealogy and family history information. Hidden away in Virginia courthouses and archives everywhere are often the aspirations and worries of countless Virginia residents.
The possibilities are great that your ancestors and forefathers have left a detailed record of at least a few elements of their lives in the Fairfax County court records. Even if your forebears is not mentioned in a Court case, give some thought to all of the other methods that could have lead to him or her appearing in court records.
Please make sure to get in touch with the clerk's department to determine hours, mailing address, fees and other particulars in advance of visiting or requesting information because of many times changing contact information. The Department Offices DO NOT DO RESEARCH. The files are readily available to interested parties, barring confidential issues. The majority of staff will guide individuals in obtaining the materials, however it's up to the individual to perform the research.
The following indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Fairfax county. The dates indicated below are the first known records for each county. Original wills and deeds as well as many other loose papers were destroyed during the Civil War; deed books for twenty-six of the fifty-six years between 1763 and 1819 are missing.
- Fairfax County Clerk of Circuit Courtserves as custodian of all county court records, and is responsible for providing access to those court records by court personnel, the legal community and the public.
- Address: 4110 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
- Phone: (703) 246-4111, (703) 691-7320
- Marriage Records: 1853
- Land Records: 1742
- Court Records: 1742
- Probate Records: 1731
- Fairfax City (VA) Treasurer
- Fairfax City Commissioner of the Revenue
- Fairfax County Real Estate Division
- Fairfax County (VA) Treasurer - Taxes and Revenue
- Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Vital Records has copies for copies of birth certificates, marriage licenses and divorce decrees. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Virginia for current fees and application process.
- County and City Research in Virginia Guides and Indexes (lva.virginia.gov) County and city records document the daily activities of the courts in Virginia's counties, independent cities, and towns. The Library of Virginia houses both original and microfilm records for many of Virginia's counties and independent cities. The guides list will help researchers navigate the complex variety of county and city records in the Library's collections. It includes County and City Records at the Library of Virginia, Using County and City Court Records, Chancery Cases, Judgments, Lost Records Localities database and Burned Jurisdiction database.
Fairfax County Genealogy Links
The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources related to Fairfax County. A lot of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some call for a fee. This is just a listing which has been compiled or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to provide your own favorite Fairfax County genealogy or family history affiliated sites.
Fairfax Co. VA Books, Newspapers & Publications
Fairfax Co. VA Birth, Marriage & Death Records
Fairfax Co. VA Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
- See Also Virginia Court & Tax, Land and Probate Records
- Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
- Abstracts of Wills and Inventories, Fairfax County, Virginia, 1742-1801 (search.ancestry.com)
- Using County and City Court Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia (lva.virginia.gov)
- Virginia County Records, Volume, VI, VII , IX, X (search.ancestry.com) The records in these series were compiled as part of a series known as the Virginia County Records . The volume includes wills, land grants, and marriage bonds as well as other miscellaneous information on early Virginia settlers.
- BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)
Fairfax Co. VA Census Records
Fairfax Co. VA Cemeteries & Graveyards
Fairfax Co. VA Church & Bible Records
Fairfax Co. VA Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
Fairfax Co. VA General and History Websites
Fairfax Co. VA Immigration & Naturalization
Fairfax Co. VA Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
Fairfax Co. VA Military Records
Fairfax Co. VA Schools & Directories