York County, Virginia Genealogy

United States

Virginia

York County

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

Virginia Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Yorktown Organized: 1643 Parent County(s): Original Neighboring Counties Gloucester • James City • Williamsburg (Independent City) • Newport News (Independent City) • Hampton (Independent City) • Poquoson (Independent City) See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

York County is located in the eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia; the county was named after the York River on which it lies.

County Courthouse

York County Courthouse
300 Ballard Street
Yorktown, VA 23690
Phone: 757-890-3450
York County Website

Clerk Circuit court has marriage, probate, land and court records.

York 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
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1854	1772	1853	1633	1633	1633	1810
* Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1912. General compliance year is unknown.

Record Loss

Most of the courthouse loose papers prior to the American Revolutionary War are missing. Bound volumes of deeds, orders, and wills still exist. Visit the Library of Virginia's website to determine exactly what records have been lost and their Lost Records Localities Database to find additional resources. 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: York County was created in 1634 as an original shire or county. County seat: Yorktown Virginia Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county Virginia Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Virginia county 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:

Unincorporated communities
Dare Grafton	Lackey Lightfoot	Seaford Tabb
Census-designated places
Bethel Manor	Yorktown

History Timeline

Aerial view of York, England. York County, Virginia is believed to have taken its name from the English city of York.

The county is believed to have been named after the English city of York.

Resources

Bible Records

For databases and indexes, see Virginia Bible Records.

• 1607-2007 Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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 York County.

• Cutten, George Barton. The Silversmiths of Virginia (together with Watchmakers and Jewelers) from 1694 to 1850. Richmond, Va.: The Dietz Press, Incorporated, 1952. Available at FS Library. [Includes a section on Yorktown silversmiths.]

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of York County, Virginia online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find a Grave VAGenWeb USGenWeb Archives VA Tombstone Transcription Project Virginia Gravestones BillionGraves
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find a Grave FamilySearch Places
See Virginia Cemeteries for more information.

 

• 1800-1986 Virginia, Jewish Cemetery Records Index, ca. 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• Tyler, Lyon G. "Old Tombstones in York and James City Counties," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Oct. 1893):78-86. Digital version at JSTOR - free.
  
  

Census Records

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

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	5,233	—
1800	3,231	−38.3%
1810	5,187	60.5%
1820	4,384	−15.5%
1830	5,354	22.1%
1840	4,720	−11.8%
1850	4,460	−5.5%
1860	4,949	11.0%
1870	7,198	45.4%
1880	7,349	2.1%
1890	7,596	3.4%
1900	7,482	−1.5%
1910	7,757	3.7%
1920	8,046	3.7%
1930	7,615	−5.4%
1940	8,857	16.3%
1950	11,750	32.7%
1960	21,583	83.7%
1970	33,203	53.8%
1980	35,463	6.8%
1990	42,422	19.6%
2000	56,297	32.7%
2010	65,464	16.3%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1890 Union Veterans' Census

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

Church Records

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Baptist
Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):

1. Grafton (1777)
2. New Bethel Baptist Church
3. New Quarters Baptist Church
4. Rising Sun Baptist Church
5. Zion Prospect Baptist Church

• 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.
  York County fell within the bounds of the Dover Association.

Christian

1. Northside Christian Church

Church of England
Also known as Anglicans, later Protestant Episcopal

• See also Blisland Parish
• See also Bruton Parish
• See also Charles Parish
• See also Charles River Parish
• See also Chiskiack Parish
• See also Hampton Parish
• See also Marston Parish
• See also Middle Plantation
• See also Middletowne Parish
• See also New Poquoson Parish
• See also York Parish
• See also Yorkhampton Parish
• Mason, George Carrington. Colonial Churches of Tidewater Virginia. Richmond, Virginia: Whittet & Shepperson, 1945. Available at FS Library; digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library

Churches still in operation:

1. Grace Episcopal Church
   111 Church Street
   (for mailing, P.O. Box 123)
   Yorktown, VA 23690

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

1. Poquoson Ward and Virginia Peninsula Branch (YSA)
   113 Sinclair Lane
   Yorktown, VA

Methodist

1. Providence United Methodist Church
2. Tabernacle United Methodist Church
3. Zion Methodist Church

Presbyterian

1. York River Presbyterian Church

Quaker
Early monthly meetings (with years of existence):

• Skimino Monthly Meeting (1698-1827)
• Warwick Monthly Meeting (1696-1720) aka Denby aka York

Court Records

Online Court Indexes and Records

County Court

• Fleet, Beverley. York County, 1633-1646. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Available at FS Library; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes York County Records; Deeds, Orders, Wills, Etc. No. 1 and No. 2; Record Book No. 2.]
• Fleet, Beverley. York County, 1646-1648. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Available at FS Library; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes court orders 1646-1648.]

Record Book

• Fleet, Beverley. York County, 1633-1646. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Available at FS Library; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes York County Records; Deeds, Orders, Wills, Etc. No. 1 and No. 2; Record Book No. 2.]
• Fleet, Beverley. York County, 1648-1657. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Available at FS Library; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes abstracts of Record Book No. 2 (1648), Record Book No. 1 (1652-1657), and Record Book No. 3 (1657).]

Chancery Court

• Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index can be used to search York County chancery records for the years 1768-1891. The originals can be located at the Library of Virginia. Additional unindexed pre-1913 chancery records are available at the York County Circuit Court Clerk's office.

Directories

• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary

Emigration and Immigration

For databases and immigrant groups, see Virginia Emigration and Immigration

Yorktown has been a port since colonial times. No official passenger lists survive for the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries. The Custom House, built about 1720, is the oldest brick building standing in Yorktown.

• Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Correspondence with the American Colonies 1739-1782," The Genealogist, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 1998):108-128; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Fall 1998):189-205. (Overseas correspondence of residents of Yorktown with the following surname: Norton.) Available at FS Library.
• Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Intercepted Letters Relating to America, 1777-1811" The Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Fall 2000):184-200. Overseas contacts of a resident of York Co., VA with the following surname: Cunninghame.
• Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. Includes wills of residents of Brewerton Parish, York River, York Town [Yorktown], and York 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.
  *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 ($). York Co., VA: Chesely, Clarke, Hall, Hethersall, Lane, Martin, Moosser [?], Perry, Phelps, Rogers, Weatherall, Williams.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African American

• 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• Heinegg, Paul. "York County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1825," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
• Heinegg, Paul. "York County Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831," Free African Americans.com. [This list can be found after the index in Guardians' Accounts, 1780-1823, Library of Virginia Microfilm Reel 65.]
• Johnson, Martha C. Black Families of Elizabeth City Co., VA, 1800-1990: Research of Families of Callis, Davis, Simpson, Radcliff, Originating from Gloucester Co., Mathews Co., York and James Counties and Elizabeth Co., Hampton, Virginia. FS Catalog Collection 1728886 Item 2.
• Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of York County.

Funeral Homes

• 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Amory Funeral Home in Yorktown Bucktrout Funeral Home & Crematory in Williamsburg Claytor Rollins Funeral Home and Crematory in Poquoson Whiting's Funeral Home in Williamsburg

Genealogies

Compiled Genealogies by Surname

• See York County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list of published books and articles, or jump to the surname using the alphabet bar.

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

• Chapman, Blanche Adams. Chapman Collection of Virginia Family Names, Smithfield Branch, Isle of Wight County Library, 1635-1814. MSS., Smithfield Branch, Isle of Wight County Library, Smithfield, Va. Microfilmed 2005: FS Library Collection.
  
• Currer-Briggs, Noel. "Similarity of Surnames in York County, Virginia, and County Norfolk, England," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 78 (1970):442-446. Available at JSTOR ($).
• DeMarco, Christopher. Colonial Families of York County, Virginia. 3 vols. Lewes, Delaware: Colonial Roots, 2006-2009. FS Catalog 975.542 D2d v. 1
• Evans, June Banks. Settlers Along the Shores of Virginia's York River with Banks, Farthing, Knewstep, Philbates, Richardson and Their Neighbors. New Orleans, La.: Bryn Ffyliaid Publications, 1989. FS Catalog 975.54 D2ev
• Forrest, Jessie Fay. "Families of the Poquoson are of York County: With Emphasis on those that Migrated from the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia around 1800," Virginia Tidewater Genealogy, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Jun. 1984):62-68.
• Hansford, Thelma Ironmonger and W.H. Edwards. Random Records and Recollections of York County, Virginia. MSS., 1968-1990. FS Library Film 1728880 Item 1 Includes photocopy of Reminiscences of Alvah Hansford / a paper prepared by W.H. Edwards. [West Virginia?] W. Va. Historical and Antiquarian Society, [1897?].
• Hansford, Thelma Ironmonger. Indexed References to York County Documents Relative to Thelma Hansford Collection. MSS. Microfilmed 1990: FS Library Film 1728879.
  
• Willett, Albert James. Poquoson Families. 5 vols. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 2001-2004. FS Library Books 975.5422 D2w v. 1-5
• Yurechko, John Otto. Virginians Along and Near the Lower Rapphahannock River, 1607-1799. 2 vols. Westminster, Md.: Family Line Publications, 1997-1998. FS Library Book 975.5 D2yj v. 1-v. 2. Contents: v. 1. Blake, Brooks (Brook), Churchill, Cook (Cock), Daniel, Dixon, Gore, Kidd, Lewis, Martin, Montague, Taylor and Wood -- v. 2. Brown, Clark, Elliott, Fox (Fowkes, Vaulx), Harrison, McTyre, Moore, Pate, Rawlins (Rollins), Rhodes, Sanders (Saunders) and Williams.

Dwight Hogge's My York Co. VA Project includes family trees of many of the area's families.

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

• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Deeds

• Fleet, Beverley. York County, 1633-1646. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Available at FS Library; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes York County Records; Deeds, Orders, Wills, Etc. No. 1 and No. 2; Record Book No. 2.]

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 ($).

Online Land and Property Records

• 1704 Quit Rent Rolls Virginia Pioneers ($)
• Public Losses from Enemy Invasions of 1781. Virginia Pioneers ($)

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.

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

• 1919-1980 Virginia, Various Counties, Military Discharge Records, 1919-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Colonial Militia

• Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at FS Library. Online at: Ancestry ($). Identifies some York County militia officers and/or soldiers; see place name index.
• Boogher, William F. Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. Washington: n.p., 1903. Available at FS Library; online at Internet Archive. Includes a chapter titled "Legislative Enactments connecting the preceding historic sketch (French and Indian War, Lord Dunmore's War0 with the adjudication of the resulting accounts that follow; with the list of officers, soldiers and civilians entitled to compensation for military and other services rendered." For York County, see p. 102.
• Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at FS Library; digital book at Ancestry ($). Identifies some York County militia officers; see place name index.

French and Indian War

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

Revolutionary War

• Public Losses in York County from the Invasions of the Enemy in 1781 Virginia Pioneers
• Claims for losses of York County Citizens in British Invasion of 1781. FS Library films, 34442; 1064759 item 2 & 2080568 item 2

War of 1812

• 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 Catalog Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; online at Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Vol. 5, Virginia, York County, p. 108. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.

Regiments. York County men served in the 68th and 115th Regiments.

Civil War

• 1861-1865 Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1861-1865 Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
• 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
• 1909 York County Confederate Pension List, available online, courtesy: VAGenWeb.

Civil War Battles
The following Civil War battles were fought in York County.

• June 10, 1861 - Big Bethel, also known as Bethel Church and Great Bethel.
• April 5-May 4, 1862 - Yorktown.
• May 5, 1862 - Williamsburg, also known as Fort Magruder.
• Battles of the American Civil War maps - filter by state or by battle name.

World War II

• 1940-1945 Virginia, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Newspapers

For online newspaper resources, see the Virginia Newspapers page.

• 1800s-Current Virginia, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• Indexed images of the Virginia Gazette (1736-1780) are available online through the Colonial Williamsburg website. In addition, Professor Tom Costa and The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia have created a database of all runaway advertisements for slaves, indentured servants, transported convicts, and ship deserters listed in this source and other Virginia newspapers (1736-1803), see: The Geography of Slavery in Virginia. These newspapers are valuable resources for all regions of Virginia.

Other Records

• 1607-2007 Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Private Papers

• Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Correspondence with the American Colonies 1739-1782," The Genealogist, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 1998):108-128; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Fall 1998):189-205. [Overseas correspondence of residents of Yorktown with the following surname: Norton.] Available at FS Library.

Probate Records

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

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1633-1800 Wills and Estate Records Index at Library of Virginia.
• 1652-1900 Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Local Court

• Fleet, Beverley. York County, 1633-1646. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Available at FS Library; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes York County Records; Deeds, Orders, Wills, Etc. No. 1 and No. 2; Record Book No. 2.]
• Hopkins, William Lindsay. Some Wills from the Burned Counties of Virginia and Other Wills Not Listed in Virginia Wills and Administrations 1632-1800. Richmond, Virginia: W.L. Hopkins, 1987. Available at FS Library. [Includes York County.]
• York County Wills, Book No. 1, 1633-1657 (digital images) Virginia Pioneers
• Index to York County Wills and Deeds, Book No. 2, 1645-1649Virginia Pioneers
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

London Courts

• Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Brewerton Parish, York River, York Town [Yorktown], and York 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 ($)
• Images of Will Book No. 1, 1633 – 1657; 1740 – 1746; 1746 – 1759. Virginia Pioneers ($)
• Images of Deeds, Orders, Wills, Book 19, 1740 – 1746; Book 20, 1745 – 1759. Virginia Pioneers ($)
• Images of Deeds, Wills, Orders 1633-1694. Virginia Pioneers($)

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 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

How can Virginia tax lists help me?

Online Tax Indexes and Records

• 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 ($). York County appears in 31:70-75.
• 1704 Virginia Tax Records: Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704: York County. Online at Ancestry ($).
• 1704, 1782-1784 Hansford, Thelma. Tax Lists York County 1782, 1783, 1784; Rent Roll York County 1704, Gloucester 1704, Warwick 1704; James City County Taxes 1768. Virginia?: T.I. Hansford?, 1950. Available at FS Library.
• 1763 "Tithables in York-Hampton Parish, York County, Va.," Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 7(1926):179-185. Available at FS Library; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at FS Library. Online at Ancestry ($). The source for this publication is a tithable list published in 1763.
• 1763 York County, Virginia Records: Tithables 1763 (York-Hampton Parish), Marriages 1772-1792. Signal Mountain, Tennessee: Mountain Press, 2007. Available at FS Library.
• 1780 Account of Indian corn received for taxes, 1780, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy. Richmond VA: Feb 1992. Vol. 30 Iss. 1. Online at Ancestry ($).
• 1782 Land tax records, 1782, Tidewater Virginia Families. Williamsburg VA: May 1999. Vol. 8 Iss. 1. FS Catalog book 975.51 D25t v. 8.
• 1782-1784 See 1704.
• 1782-1825 Heinegg, Paul. "York County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1825," at Free African Americans.com. Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.
• 1782-1850 Personal property tax lists of York County, 1782-1850. Original records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.; microfilmed reproduction available at FS films - images.
• 1784 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. 1784 personal property tax list of York County.
• 1786, 1788 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. Sources for this publication are the York County 1788 personal property tax list, the York Town 1788 personal property tax list, and partial York County 1786 personal property tax list (individuals who do not appear on 1788 list were abstracted). York County is included in Vol. 2.
• 1793 Tithables, 1793, Upper precinct, Tidewater Virginia Families. Williamsburg VA: Aug 1994. Vol. 3 Iss. 2. FS Catalog book 975.51 D25t v. 3.
• 1793 Tithables, ca.1793, Williamsburg, Tidewater Virginia Families. Williamsburg VA: Nov 1994. Vol. 3 Iss. 3. FS Catalog book 975.51 D25t v. 3.
• 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. York County is included in Vol. 3.

Vital Records

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

Birth

• 1584-1917 Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1715-1901 Virginia, Vital Records, 1715-1901 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1853-1866 Virginia, Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1853-1896 Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Birth Records, 1853-1896 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images, coverage may vary
• 1912-1913 Virginia, Birth Certificates, 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

• 1660-1800 Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index ($) — index $
• 1715-1901 Virginia, Vital Records, 1715-1901 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1740-1850 Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1771-1989 Virginia, County Marriage Records, 1771-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1772-1792 Tyler, Lyon G. "Abstracts of Marriage License Bonds On File in York County Clerk's Office," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jul. 1892):48-59. Digital version at JSTOR - free.
• 1772-1795 Crozier, William Armstrong. Early Virginia Marriages. Baltimore, Md.: Southern Book Co., 1953. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library - free. Includes York County marriages 1772-1795.
• 1772-1792 York County, Virginia Records: Tithables 1763 (York-Hampton Parish), Marriages 1772-1792. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2007. Available at FS Library.
• 1785-1940 Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
• 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1853-1935 Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry ($)
• 1936-1988 Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Death

• 1715-1901 Virginia, Vital Records, 1715-1901 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1853-1911 Virginia, U.S., Death Registers, 1853-1911 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1853-1912 Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1912-1987 Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Divorce

• 1918-1988 Virginia, Divorce Records, 1918-1988 at FamilySearch — index & images

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in York 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

• Gloucester Virginia FamilySearch Center
• Newport News Virginia FamilySearch Center
• Williamsburg Virginia FamilySearch Center

• Williamsburg Regional Libraries - James City County Library - an affiliate library

Libraries

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

Colonial National Historical Park (at Wikipedia), covering York and James City counties, Jamestowne, Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown Battlefield Park, Yorktown National Cemetery

• Tidewater Genealogical Society

Societies

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

Websites

• Cyndi's List - List of links for York County, Virginia genealogy.
• National Park Service - Colonial National Historical Park
• National Park Service - Historic Jamestowne
• National Park Service - Yorktown Battlefield
• Virginia Pioneers

• 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

• Davis, Virginia Lee Hutcheson. "Records of Tidewater Virginia Counties," Tidewater Virginia Families: A Magazine of History and Genealogy, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May-June 1992):53-66. FS Catalog Collection 975.51 D25t [For York County, see pp. 64-65]
• Dorman, John Frederick. "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: York County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1981):51-53. Online at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
• Hopkins, Garland Evans. York County Source Book; Includes a Brief History of Colonial York County, Virginia; Petitions to the General Assembly from 1776 to 1858; and Guides to Source Materials Concerning the History and Genealogy of the County. Winchester, Va.: Hopkins, 1942. FS Catalog 1036407 Item 25.