Genealogical Research

Genealogical information can be found in the library's books and databases on the history of colonial British America. Special resources that focus on people who lived in Williamsburg in the 18th century have been developed by staff, some of which is available on the website through various indexes and our Digital Library. Search our Online Catalog by author, title, family name, county name or other subject. Review the Special Collections finding aids for other documents of interest.

The following research guides will lead you to important resources in the field, many of which are widely available in large academic libraries all over the United States.

• Seventeenth-Century Virginians
• Williamsburg Area Residents
• Revolutionary War Virginians

Good genealogical research rests on a variety of documented facts. Many primary source documents can be found on the Internet by following these links from the Library of Virginia:

• Land Patents and Grants
• Virginia Colonial Records Project
• Military Records
• Bible Records
• Virginia Historical Inventory

Virginia records are also available from the following websites:

• Ancestry.com (subscription required)—census records and indexes
• National Archives and Records Administration—military records

If you need further help, please contact the Reference Department. Reference staff may respond to specific inquiries about our resources, but cannot undertake genealogical research on families.