Northampton County, Virginia Genealogy


Guide to Northampton County, Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: Eastville
Organized: 1634[1]
Parent County(s): Original Shire
Neighboring Counties
Accomack
See County Maps
Courthouse
VirginiaNorthamptonCourthouse.jpg
Location Map
Location of Northampton County, Virginia.png

County Information

Description

Northampton County is on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay.

County Courthouse

Northampton County Courthouse
5229 The Hornes
Eastville, VA 23347
Phone: 757-678-0466
Northampton County Website

Clerk Circuit Court has birth, and death records from 1865-1888, marriage, divorce, probate court and land records from 1865[2]

Northampton County, Virginia Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1853 1706 1853 1632 1632 1632 1810
* Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1912.
General compliance year is unknown.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

  • Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1810, 1890


For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]

Towns
Unincorporated communities


Neighboring County

History Timeline

Resources

Bible Records

For databases and indexes, see Virginia Bible Records.

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Philip Alexander Bruce's book Economic History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century (Vol. II, 1896, p. 334 footnote 1) includes a list of early English merchants in Northampton County.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Northampton County, Virginia online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Virginia Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records

For databases, indexes, and information online, see Virginia Census.

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1790 6,889
1800 6,763 −1.8%
1810 7,474 10.5%
1820 7,705 3.1%
1830 8,641 12.1%
1840 7,715 −10.7%
1850 7,498 −2.8%
1860 7,832 4.5%
1870 8,046 2.7%
1880 9,152 13.7%
1890 10,313 12.7%
1900 13,770 33.5%
1910 16,672 21.1%
1920 17,852 7.1%
1930 18,565 4.0%
1940 17,597 −5.2%
1950 17,300 −1.7%
1960 16,966 −1.9%
1970 14,442 −14.9%
1980 14,625 1.3%
1990 13,061 −10.7%
2000 13,093 0.2%
2010 12,389 −5.4%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1790 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation. 1800 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation. 1810 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.

1890 Union Veterans' Census

  • Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890. FS Library Collection. Online at: Ancestry ($). Includes residents of this county.

Church Records

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Baptist
Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):

  1. Hungo's (1783)[6]
  2. Lower Northampton (1778)[6]
  3. Machipongo (1807)[6]
  • 1776 Petition of Baptists (10,000 names!) and sympathizers from all over Virginia, dated 16 October 1776, asking for an end to persecution of Baptists by the established church. After locating your ancestor, view the digital copies.
    – Digital copies at Library of Congress; also at Library of Virginia
    – Hall, Jean Pickett. "Legislative Petitions: the 10,000 name petition" transcription in the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vols. 35-38, with annotations in Vol. 39, (Richmond, Virginia: Virginia Genealogical Society, 1983-) online at Ancestry ($) and in book form at various libraries.
    Northampton County fell within the bounds of the Accomac Association.

Church of England

Methodist

  • Stevenson, Arthur Linwood. Native Methodist Preachers of the Eastern Shore of Virginia: With Supplements Concerning Methodist Preachers and Methodist Preachers' Children Who Have Married on the Shore and a Few Others. [Va.?]: A.L. Stevenson, 1970. Available at FS Library.

Quaker
Early monthly meetings (with years of existence):

  • Magothy Bay Monthly Meeting (1705-1732)[7]
  • Nassawaddox Monthly Meeting, near Franktown, Va. (1656-1716)[7]
  • Onancock or Occahannock Monthly Meeting (1678-1699)[7]

Court Records

Online Court Indexes and Records

Chancery Court

  • Indexed images of Northampton County, Virginia Chancery Records 1721-1912 are available online through Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. These records, often concerned with inheritance disputes, contain a wealth of genealogical information.

County Court

Minute Books

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

For databases and immigrant groups, see Virginia Emigration and Immigration

  • Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Hog Island and Northampton County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]
  • List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe who served labor terms in Colonial Virginia are online at: Immigrant Servants Database.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African American
In 1790, Northampton County had one of the largest free colored populations in the state (464 persons).[8] The original Northampton County Register of Free Negroes, 1853-1861 are kept at the County Courthouse. LoV microfilmed these records in 1973. Copy: FS Library Film 2047516 Item 4.

Native Americans

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Compiled Genealogies by Surname

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families

  • For earliest colonists: McCartney, Martha W. Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers 1607-1635: A Biographical Dictionary. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 2007. FS Library US/CAN Book 975.5 D36m.

  • Carey, Mary Frances, Barry W. Miles and Moody K. Miles. Colonial Families of the Eastern Shore of Virginia. 3 vols. Lewes, De.: Colonial Roots, c2004-2007. FS Library Book 975.51 D2c v. 1-v. 3. Contents: v. 1. Descendants of James Bonnewell, Richard Bundick, William Mason, Edward Thornton, Henry Trader, and Henry Wright -- v. 2. Descendants of Edward Bayly, Richard Bayly, Edward Byrd, Edward Ker, John Lewis, Samuel Marshall, and Roger Miles -- v. 3. Descendants of Thomas Elliott (Northampton County), Thomas Elliott (Onley, Accomack County), Thomas Elliott (Wachapreague, Accomack), John Fisher, John Mapp, and Bartholowmew Mears.

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

For land indexes, records, and databases, see Virginia Land and Property, including Colonial and State Land Grants.

Online Land Indexes and Records


Deeds

  • Houston, William Robert Montgomery and Jean M. Mihalyka. Colonial Residents of Virginia's Eastern Shore: Whose Ages Were Proved Before Court Officials of Accomack and Northampton Counties. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. Three copies available at FS Library. (Ages taken from court, land, and probate records.)

Grants and Patents
Land patents (pre-1779), land grants (after 1779) and surveys are available online at the Library of Virginia website. For step-by-step instructions on retrieving these records, read the Virginia Land and Property article.

  • Nugent, Nell Marion. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants 1623-1666. Vol. I (1934; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1991). Available at FS Library; online at: Hathitrust, Ancestry ($).

Quit Rent


Local Histories

Hog Island

Maps and Gazetteers

County and state maps, historical and more current, are valuable research tools. For map collections, online and in libraries, see Virginia Maps.

Accomack CountyVA NORTHAMPTON.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

  • Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1976):269-274; Vol. 22, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1978):121-130. Available at FS Library; digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). [These records often identify migrants who left the county and their intended destinations. Northampton County's 1787-1790 Delinquent Lists appear on 20:269-70; 1786 Delinquent Lists appear on 22:122-123.]

Military Records

French and Indian War

  • 1651-1776 Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at FS Library US/CAN Book 975.5 M2c; digital book at Ancestry ($). Identifies some County militia officers and soldiers; see place name index.
  • Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at FS Library. Online at: Ancestry ($). Identifies some Northampton County militia officers, soldier enlistments, and veterans; see place name index.
  • Boogher, William F. Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. Washington: n.p., 1903. Available at FS Library; online at Internet Archive. Includes a chapter titled "Legislative Enactments connecting the preceding historic sketch (French and Indian War, Lord Dunmore's War) with the adjudication of the resulting accounts that follow; with the list of officers, soldiers and civilians entitled to compensation for military and other services rendered." For Northampton County, see p. 95-96.


Revolutionary War

Regiments. Service men in Northampton County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Northampton County supplied soldiers for the:

- 9th Virginia Regiment


Colonial Militia

  • Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at FS Library. Online at: Ancestry ($). Identifies some Northampton County militia officers and/or soldiers; see place name index.
  • 1651-1776 Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at FS Library US/CAN Book 975.5 M2c; digital book at Ancestry ($). Identifies some County militia officers and soldiers; see place name index.


War of 1812
Northampton County men served in the 27th Regiment.[9]

  • List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FS Library Book 973 M2Lp v. 5; online at Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Vol. 5, Virginia, Northampton County, p. 96. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.


Civil War

Regiments. Civil War service men in Northampton County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed here:

- 39th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Companies A, B, C, D, and K.[10]


World War II

Naturalization and Citizenship

Newspapers

For online newspaper resources, see the Virginia Newspapers page.

Obituaries

Other Records

Private Papers

Periodicals

Probate Records

For statewide probate records, indexes, and databases, see Virginia Probate Records.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

Local Court

  • Houston, William Robert Montgomery and Jean M. Mihalyka. Colonial Residents of Virginia's Eastern Shore: Whose Ages Were Proved Before Court Officials of Accomack and Northampton Counties. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. FS Library. Ages taken from court, land, and probate records.
  • Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search


Probate Court

  • Digital Images of Northampton County Wills, 1640 to 1645.See names of Testators. Virginia Pioneers

London Courts

  • Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Hog Island and Northampton County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]
  • 1639-1850 Virginia Land, Marriage and Probate Records 1639-1850 at Ancestry — index, incomplete ($)
  • 1640-1645 Images of Wills and Estates Virginia Pioneers ($)
  • 1645-1651 Images of Wills and Estates Virginia Pioneers ($)
  • 1645-1651 Images of Deeds Virginia Pioneers ($)
  • 1651-1654 Images of Deeds Virginia Pioneers ($)
  • 1671 Tithables Virginia Pioneers ($)
  • Online Images of Wills, Inventories, Orders, Deeds - 1632-1640 No. 1; 1645-1651 No. 3; 1651-1654 No. 4; 1654-1655 No. 5; 1655-1658 Nos. 7 and 8; 1657-1666 No. 6; 1668-1680; 1674-1679 No. 10; 1678-1683 No. 11; 1683-1689 No. 12; 1689-1698 No. 13; 1711-1718; 1718-1725 No. 14; 1717-1725 No. 15; 1725-1733 No. 16; 1733-1740 No. 18; 1764-1774 No. 9; 1772-1777 No. 25' 1777-1783 No. 26; 1783-1788 No. 27; 1788-1792 No. 28; 1792-1795 No. 29; 1795-1798 No. 30; 1799-1802 No. 31 Virginia Pioneers ($)


School Records

Online School Indexes and Records

Social Security Records

Tax Records

For additional online collections and the value and use of Virginia's tax lists in your research, see Virginia Taxation.

Online Tax Indexes and Records

  • 1662-1664, 1675-1677 Northampton County, Virginia Tithables, 1662-1664, 1675-1677. Original records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia; also available on microfilm at FS Library.
  • 1662-1677, 1720-1769 Bell, John B. Northampton County, Virginia, Tithables [1662-1677, 1720-1769] 2 vols. Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 1993. Available at FS Library.
  • 1666 Robertson, T.B. "List of Tithables in Northampton County, Va., August 1666," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 10 (1902/1903):194-196, 258-263. Available at FS Library; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at FS Library; digital version at JSTOR ($).
  • 1666 Wise, Jennings Cropper. Ye Kingdome of Accawmacke or the Eastern Shore of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century. 1911; reprint, Baltimore, 1968. [Includes 1666 tithables list for Northampton County.]
  • 1666 List of Tithables in Northampton County, Virginia, August 1666 online at Genealogy Trails - free.
  • 1704 "Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 28 (1920):207-218, 328-339; Vol. 29 (1921):18-28, 337-343, 402-412; Vol. 30 (1922):21-30, 280-285, 341-347; Vol. 31 (1923):70-75, 153-163, 215-231, 314-318; Vol. 32 (1924):69-75, 144-158, 281-287, 338-343; Vol. 33 (1925):47-50, 359-370; Vol. 34 (1926):113-119, 252-258, 313, 321. Available at FS Library; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at FS Library; digital version of VMHB at JSTOR ($). Northampton County appears in 34:313-321.
  • 1704 Quit Rent Rolls, 1704, Heritage Quest, Vol. 35 (Jul. 1991).
  • 1782 Fothergill, Augusta B. and John Mark Naugle. Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-87, Other Than Those Published by the United States Census Bureau. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1978. FS Catalog book 975.5 R4f 1978. Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, FS Library film 874197, item 4 - images. 1782 personal property tax list of Northampton County.
  • 1782-1814 Heinegg, Paul. "Northampton County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1814," Free African Americans.com. Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.
  • 1782-1850 Northampton County, Virginia Personal property tax lists, 1782-1850. Original records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.; microfilmed reproduction available at FS films 1870180-1870182 - images.
  • 1783 Personal Property (or Land) Tax List, 1783; index online at Revolutionary War Service website - free.
  • 1786-1790 Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1976):269-274; Vol. 22, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1978):121-130. Available at FS Library; digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). These records often identify migrants who left the county and their intended destinations. Northampton County's 1787-1790 Delinquent Lists appear on 20:269-70; 1786 Delinquent Lists appear on 22:122-123.
  • 1787 Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 & 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 & Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle & Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. Available at FS Library. The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Northampton County is included in Vol. 2.
  • 1789 Robertson, Thomas B. "Poll Vote of Northampton County, Va., 1789," William and Mary College Quarterly, 1st Series, Vol. 26 (1917):109-110. Available at FS Library; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at FS Library; digital version at JSTOR ($).
  • 1800 Tax List, 1800, The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 45, No. 3 (Jul. 2001); Vol. 45, No 4 (Oct. 2001). Online at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
  • 1810 Schreiner-Yates, Netti. A Supplement to the 1810 Census of Virginia: Tax Lists of the Counties for which the Census is Missing. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1971. Available at FS Library. The source for this publication is the 1810 personal property tax list. Northampton County is included because the 1810 Census for that county has been destroyed.
  • 1815 Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at FS Library. The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Northampton County is included in Vol. 3.

Vital Records

For additional indexes, databases, and details, see Virginia Vital Records.

Birth

Marriage

Death

Divorce

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Northampton County. For state-wide facilities, see Virginia Archives and Libraries.

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Northampton County. For state-wide library facilities, see Virginia Archives and Libraries.

Museums

Societies

Listed below are societies in Northampton County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Virginia Societies.

Websites

  • FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

References

  1. Newberry
  2. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  3. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  4. Newberry
  5. Wikipedia contributors, "Northampton_ County,_Virginia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northampton_County,_Virginia#Communities accessed 19 February 2020.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Robert Baylor Semple and George William Beale, A History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Virginia (Pitt and Dickinson, 1894), 365. Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Jay Worrall, The Friendly Virginians: America's First Quakers (Athens, Ga.: Iberian Publishing Company, 1994), 537-539. FS Library Book 975.5 K2wj.
  8. Ninth Census of the United States: Statistics of Population, Tables I to VIII Inclusive (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1872), 70. Digital version at Internet Archive; FS Library Book 973 X2pcu.
  9. Stuart Lee Butler, A Guide to Virginia Militia Units in the War of 1812 (Athens, Ga.: Iberian Pub. Co., 1988), 157. FS Library Book 975.5 M2bs.
  10. G.L. Sherwood and Jeffrey C. Weaver, 20th and 39th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1994). FS Library Book 975.5 M2vr v. 105.