Access Covington Birth Records

Covington is a small independent city in the western mountains of Virginia, established in 1952 from Alleghany County, situated at the confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers where they form the James River. Birth records for Covington are issued by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records in Richmond, and the Alleghany Health District provides local public health services to the city and surrounding area.

Covington Circuit Court Clerk

The Covington Circuit Court Clerk maintains land records, marriage records, probate documents, and court files for the independent city. The clerk does not issue certified birth certificates. Those are available only from the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records in Richmond. Researchers tracing family lines in the Covington area will want to combine state birth records with the clerk's holdings for a complete picture.

Covington became an independent city in 1952, carved from Alleghany County. For any birth that occurred in the area before that year, Alleghany County records are the correct starting point. Alleghany County was formed in 1822, and its circuit court holds deed books, will books, marriage registers, and order books covering the Covington area from that date forward. Records before 1822 fall under the predecessor jurisdictions of Bath and Botetourt counties. Those older records are on microfilm at the Library of Virginia and partially indexed by genealogical societies. The area's mountain geography and relatively small population mean that some records are more complete than in larger, more disrupted counties.

The Covington Public Library and the Alleghany Highlands Regional Library serve the area and have some local history collections useful for genealogical research. The library provides public access to Ancestry.com and other genealogy databases. The Alleghany Highlands Genealogical Society has done work indexing local records and can be a helpful resource for researchers working on families from this corner of Virginia. Some family researchers also find records in the archives of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, which had significant operations in Covington and shaped the area's population in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The Covington Circuit Court holds land, marriage, probate, and court records from 1952 that researchers use alongside birth registers for genealogical research.

The City of Covington website provides city services information and links to court and vital records resources for residents and researchers.

Alleghany Health District Birth Records

The Alleghany Health District serves Covington and the surrounding area, including Alleghany County, the city of Clifton Forge, and Bath County. The district provides public health services for this mountain region of Virginia and can help residents understand how to request birth records from the state. The Alleghany Health District does not issue certified birth certificates. All certified copies are issued by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records in Richmond.

For Covington residents who need help with the birth record process, including situations where a birth was never registered, the Alleghany Health District can explain what steps to take and what the state office will need to complete a delayed registration. The district covers a relatively small geographic region and staff are generally familiar with local records questions. They can also explain which records fall under the Covington city jurisdiction versus those that go back to Alleghany County before 1952.

The Alleghany Health District also provides immunizations, maternal health programs, and other public health services.

Covington Birth Records History

Virginia's statewide birth registration system began in 1853. Records from that year through 1896 are on microfilm at the Library of Virginia and at public libraries with genealogy collections. The registration during that era was inconsistent. Virginia has a known gap in statewide birth records from 1896 to June 14, 1912. For births in the Alleghany County and Covington area during that gap, church records, census entries, and family documents are the main alternatives. The mountain communities in this part of Virginia had active Presbyterian and Baptist churches that kept membership registers; some of those registers are accessible through the Library of Virginia and FamilySearch.

Because Covington was not an independent city until 1952, all births before that year are recorded under Alleghany County. Alleghany County was formed in 1822 from parts of Bath and Botetourt counties, and the area has Scots-Irish and German family lines going back to the 18th-century settlement of the Virginia mountains. Researchers tracing families back before 1822 will need to look at Bath County records (formed 1791) and Botetourt County records (formed 1770). Both sets of records are at the Library of Virginia. The area's industrial history, tied to paper mills and the railroad, also brought in workers from outside the region in the late 1800s, expanding the range of family backgrounds represented in local records.

FamilySearch.org provides free access to Virginia birth registers from 1853-1896 and has indexed portions of Alleghany and related county records. Ancestry.com holds additional Virginia collections and is accessible free at the Alleghany Highlands Regional Library. The Alleghany Highlands Genealogical Society has published guides and indexes specific to this region that can speed up research considerably for anyone tracing families in the Covington area.

Fees and How to Request a Covington Birth Certificate

All certified birth certificates for Covington births are issued by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records. The fee is $12 per copy under Virginia Code Title 32.1. Online orders can be placed through the state system or through VitalChek. Mail applications go to P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, Virginia 23218-1000. Walk-in service is at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Birth records are restricted for 100 years and require valid photo identification from eligible family members.

Nearby Cities

Covington is in western Virginia near the Shenandoah Valley cities and other mountain communities.