Warren County, Virginia Genealogy

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

Description
Warren County is located in the northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. It was named after Dr. Joseph Warren, one of the earliest Founding Fathers of America.

County Courthouse
Warren County Courthouse 1 East Main Street Front Royal, VA 22630 Phone: 540-635-2335 Warren County Website Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1836

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:

History Timeline


The county is named after Dr. Joseph Warren (1741-1775), "American Revolutionary War officer, who sent Paul Revere on his famous midnight ride."

Bible Records

 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Census Records
1890 Union Veterans
 * "Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890." Prince William County Virginia, by Ronald Ray Turner.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Quaker Early monthly meetings (with years of existence):
 * Crooked Run Monthly Meeting (1756-1810). Hinshaw published the early records:.
 * Crooked Run Meeting of Quakers (Hinshaws Encyclopedia of Quakers) Virginia Pioneers ($)

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index can be used to search Warren County chancery records for the years 1837-1948. Digital images are available for 1837-1912 and indexed information and originals are available through 1948 - see online catalog or contact Archives Research Services for availability.
 * Post-1940 Warren County chancery records may be available at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of Warren County.
 * 1865-1872 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * See Virginia_Cohabitation_Records for links to online records.

Funeral Homes

 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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
 * See Warren County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list of published books and articles.

Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families
 * Cartmell, T. K. Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia (Illustrated) from Its Formation in 1738 to 1908, Compiled Mainly from Original Records of Old Frederick County, Now Hampshire, Berkeley, Shenandoah, Jefferson, Hardy, Clarke, Warren, Morgan and Frederick. n.p.: n.p., c1909. 975.59 H2c 1963;  1000634 Item 1]; digital versions at Ancestry ($), FamilySearch Digital Library, World Vital Records ($). [3 copies at FHL.]
 * O'Dell, Cecil. Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia. Marceline, Mo.: Walsworth Pub. Co., 1995. . One of the most impressively researched one-place studies in the United States. In a review, Dorman stated "Comprehensive studies such as this appear only rarerly. This volume should be in every Virginia genealogical collection."

Local Histories

 * Cartmell, T. K. Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia (Illustrated) from Its Formation in 1738 to 1908, Compiled Mainly from Original Records of Old Frederick County, Now Hampshire, Berkeley, Shenandoah, Jefferson, Hardy, Clarke, Warren, Morgan and Frederick. n.p.: n.p., c1909. Available at ; ; digital version at Ancestry ($), FamilySearch Digital Library, World Vital Records ($). [3 copies at FHL.]
 * Virginia Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Massanutten Area Atlas. Original records, Shenandoah County Archives, Woodstock, Va. Microfilmed reproduction available at . [This is a bound book of hand drawn maps showing property boundaries for grant map, ca. 1748-1915. It covers parts of Shenandoah, Warren and Page counties.]
 * FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Revolutionary War War of 1812 Civil War
 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital version at Google Books. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Western District, Warren County on page 136.]
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." ; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes veterans. Virginia section begins on page 238.
 * 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. 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Warren County, p. 106. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 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)

Regiments. Civil War service men in Warren 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:
 * - 12th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Companies E and I.
 * - 17th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company B (Warren Rifles).
 * - 18th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company D.
 * - 49th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company E (Warren Blues).

Civil War Battle The following Civil War battles were fought in Warren County: World War II
 * May 23, 1862 Front Royal, also known as Guard Hill or Cedarville
 * July 23, 1863 Manassas Gap, also known as Wapping Heights
 * August 16, 1864 Guard Hill, also known as Front Royal or Cedarville
 * October 19, 1864 Cedar Creek, also known as Belle Grove
 * Maps of Civil War battles in Virginia: 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1906-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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

Birth

 * 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1584-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

 * 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index, ($) — index $
 * 1740-1850 Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Death

 * Deaths are online in the Library of Virginia's Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, sponsored by The Virginia Genealogical Society.
 * 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1853-1912 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection;  index & images

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 - at FamilySearch — index & images

Family History Centers

 * Ashburn Virginia Family History Center
 * Centreville Virginia Family History Center
 * Front Royal Virginia Family History Center
 * Warrenton Virginia Family History Center


 * Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County 'AHHA' - an affiliate library
 * Shenandoah County Library - an affiliate library

Websites

 * VAGenWeb
 * Cyndi's List


 * – 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

 * Good, Rebecca H. and Rebecca A. Ebert. Finding Your People in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia: A Genealogical Guide. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1998. 4th ed.