Suffolk (Independent City), Virginia Genealogy

United States

Virginia

Suffolk (Independent City)

Guide to Suffolk (Independent City), Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Virginia Online Genealogy Records

Facts Seat: Suffolk (Indep. City) Organized: 01 Oct 1910 Parent County(s): Nansemond Neighboring Counties Camden (NC) • Chesapeake (Independent City) • Gates (NC) • Isle of Wight • Newport News (Independent City) • Portsmouth (Independent City) • Southampton See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption This page is available for adoption

Independent City Information

Description

The city of Suffolk is located in the southeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after Governor William Gooch's home of Suffolk County, England.

Courthouse

Suffolk (Independent City) Courthouse
150 N Main St
Suffolk, VA 23439-1604
Phone: 757-514-7800
Suffolk (Independent City) Courthouse

For additional records, see Nansemond County.

Record Loss

1734, 1779, and 1866 Many Nansemond County (later Suffolk Independent City) Courthouse records were lost by the burning of the county clerk's office where the records were in April 1734, when the courthouse was razed by British troops in 1779, and by a fire 7 February 1866. Lost federal censuses: 1790, 1800, 1810, 1890 For a comprehensive list of lost records, see the Library of Virginia's Lost Records Localities Counties and Cities with Missing Records For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see: Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle. When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog. Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. List of counties in the United States with Record Loss

Boundary Changes

Parent County(s): Created from Nansemond County (now extinct) on October 1, 1910. County Seat: Suffolk Independent City Virginia Historical Boundary Changes- list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library Interactive Map of Virginia County Formation History (1790-1897) - animated maps illustrating Virginia county boundary changes

Resources

Bible Records

For databases and indexes, see Virginia Bible Records.

• Bible Records of Suffolk & Nansemond County, Virginia: Together With Other ...: By Fillmore Norfleet

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Suffolk (Independent City), Virginia online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find A Grave VA USGenWeb Tombstone project Virginia Gravestones.org Billion Graves
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Catalog WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the City	Find A Grave
See Virginia Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records

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

Church Records

Church of England

• Hall, Wilmer Lee. The Vestry Book of the Upper Parish, Nansemond County, Virginia, 1743 - 1793. Richmond [Virginia]: Commonwealth of Virginia, Division of Purchase and Printing, 1949. Available at FS Library US/CAN Book 975.553 K2h and US/CAN Film 973095 Item 2.

Quaker

• Putnam, Martha A. Quaker Records of Southeast Virginia. Westminster, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1996. Available at FS Library. [Includes records about Quakers in Dinwiddie, Isle of Wight, Nansemond, Norfolk, Prince George, Southampton counties and Suffolk City from 1600s and 1700s (Blackwater Monthly Meeting, Chuckatuck Monthly Meeting, Pagan Creek Meeting, Western Branch Monthly Meeting, and Somerton Monthly Meeting.)]

Emigration and Immigration

For databases and immigrant groups, see Virginia Emigration and Immigration

• Ljungstedt, Milnor. "Items from Southern Records" (Showing Family and Trade Connections with Northern Colonies and the Home Countries), The American Genealogist, Vol. 15 (1938):95-104. Online at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). Suffolk, VA surname: Gibson.

Land and Property Records

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

Grants and Patents
Online Land Indexes and Records

• Hudgins. 882 patents dated 1638-1749 in what is now Suffolk City (previously Nansemond County), Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper, 2003. Names of those who received land patents, dates, land descriptions, and references may be viewed free of charge (click "Index" next to the county listing); however, in order to view the maps, it is necessary to purchase Direct Line Software's DeedMapper product.

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

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

Military Records

Civil War, 1861-1865
Since Suffolk was created in 1910 from Nansemond County, go to the Nansemond County page for information about the Civil War military units of that county. Civil War service men from Suffolk served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their area.

Civil War Battles
The following Civil War battles were fought in Suffolk.

• April 11-May 4, 1863 - Suffolk/Hill's Point, also known as Fort Huger.
• April 13-15, 1863 - Suffolk/Norfleet House, also known as Norfleet House Battery.
• Battles of the American Civil War maps - filter by state or by battle name.

Newspapers

For online newspaper resources, see the Virginia Newspapers page.

Probate Records

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

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1652-1900 Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900 at Ancestry ($) — index & images

Social Security Records

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

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

Vital Records

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

Marriage

• 1853-1935 Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry ($)

Death

• 1853-1911 Virginia, U.S., Death Registers, 1853-1911 at Ancestry ($) — index & images

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Suffolk (Independent City). For state-wide facilities, see Virginia Archives and Libraries.

Family History 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

• Bennetts Creek Virginia FamilySearch Center
• Elizabeth River Virginia FamilySearch Center

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Suffolk (Independent City). For state-wide library facilities, see Virginia Archives and Libraries.

Societies

Listed below are societies in Suffolk (Independent City). 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.