Prince Edward County Birth Records Search

Prince Edward County birth records are official state documents maintained by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records in Richmond. The county was established in 1754 in south-central Virginia, with Farmville as its county seat. Prince Edward County is home to Longwood University and has a significant place in civil rights history as the site of the school closings during the desegregation era. Certified birth certificates for births in Prince Edward County are available from the state by mail, online, or in person. The Piedmont Health District and the county courthouse in Farmville provide local assistance with applications and historical birth record research.

Prince Edward County Circuit Court Clerk

The Prince Edward County Circuit Court Clerk maintains marriage licenses, land records, probate records, and court files from 1754. The clerk does not issue certified birth certificates. For births from June 14, 1912 to the present, contact the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records in Richmond. The courthouse holds historical birth and death registers from the 1853-1896 period on microfilm, which are the primary official source for Prince Edward County births from that era.

Prince Edward County was formed from Amelia County in 1754. For births before 1754 in what is now Prince Edward County, Amelia County records are the starting point. The Library of Virginia holds Amelia County records on microfilm. Cumberland County was later formed from Prince Edward County in 1749 -- actually the reverse: Prince Edward was formed from Amelia in 1754. Charlotte County was then cut from Lunenburg in 1765 and from Prince Edward in that same era. Researchers should check boundary changes carefully when searching for births from the mid-18th century.

Prince Edward County's civil rights history, particularly the 1959-1964 school closings in response to desegregation orders, is well documented. Researchers studying African American family history in the county should know that the Moton Museum in Farmville holds significant materials related to the civil rights period. The Virginia Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866, on FamilySearch covers Prince Edward County entries. Longwood University's library also holds some local history resources.

The Prince Edward County courthouse in Farmville holds land, marriage, probate, and court records from 1754 that researchers use alongside birth registers for genealogical research in this south-central Virginia county.

The Prince Edward County courthouse in Farmville provides access to records from 1754, with deed books, will books, and court order books that complement the birth register collection for genealogical research in this historically significant central Virginia county.

Piedmont Health District Birth Records

The Piedmont Health District serves Prince Edward County along with Amelia, Appomattox, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, and Nottoway counties in south-central Virginia. The district provides birth certificate application forms and guidance on the state submission process. It does not issue certified birth certificates. Applications go to the Office of Vital Records in Richmond.

The Piedmont Health District also provides immunizations, maternal health programs, and other public health services. For Prince Edward County residents who need a paper application form or guidance on the birth certificate process, the health district office in Farmville is the local resource.

Prince Edward County Birth Records History

Prince Edward County was established in 1754. Virginia's statewide birth registration law took effect in 1853. Birth registers from 1853 to 1896 are on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Virginia ended registration in 1896, creating a gap until June 14, 1912. Church records from the Presbyterian, Baptist, Episcopal, and Methodist congregations that served the county are the main alternatives for both the pre-registration and gap periods.

Prince Edward County has a notable Presbyterian heritage. Hampden-Sydney College, founded in 1775, is the oldest private college for men in the United States that is still operating. The college's records and the records of Presbyterian congregations in the area can help researchers fill gaps in civil records for this part of Virginia. The Virginia Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866, on FamilySearch covers Prince Edward County entries and is an important resource for tracing African American families who were enslaved in this region.

FamilySearch provides free online access to Virginia Birth Registers, 1853-1911, and Virginia Birth Records, 1912-2015, both including Prince Edward County entries. Ancestry.com holds digitized Virginia birth records accessible free at Virginia public library branches. Researchers looking for pre-1754 births in the Prince Edward area should start with Amelia County records at the Library of Virginia.

Fees and How to Request a Prince Edward County Birth Certificate

All certified birth certificates for Prince Edward County 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 Counties

Prince Edward County is in south-central Virginia, bordered by several surrounding counties.