Roanoke County Birth Records Search

Roanoke 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 1838 in western Virginia in the Roanoke Valley, with Salem as its county seat. Roanoke County surrounds but does not include the independent city of Roanoke. Salem, the county seat, is also an independent city adjacent to the county. The independent city of Vinton is also in the area. Certified birth certificates for births in Roanoke County are available from the state by mail, online, or in person. The Alleghany Health District and the county courthouse in Salem provide local assistance with applications and historical birth record research.

Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk

The Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk maintains marriage licenses, land records, probate records, and court files from 1838. 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 Roanoke County births from that era.

Roanoke County was formed from Botetourt County in 1838. For births before 1838 in what is now Roanoke County, Botetourt County records are the starting point. The Library of Virginia holds Botetourt County records on microfilm. The county courthouse is administratively located in Salem, which is an independent city. Births that occurred within the independent city of Roanoke, Salem, or Vinton are filed under those city jurisdictions, not Roanoke County. If you are unsure of the correct jurisdiction, the Office of Vital Records in Richmond can help.

Roanoke County and the surrounding independent cities form one of the larger metropolitan areas in western Virginia. The Roanoke Valley has been a railroad and industrial center since the late 19th century, drawing workers from across the region. The Roanoke Valley History Museum and the Virginia Museum of Transportation hold materials related to the area's heritage. The Roanoke Public Libraries system, while serving the city of Roanoke, has resources useful for county research as well. The Library of Virginia holds Roanoke County records on microfilm.

The Roanoke County courthouse holds land, marriage, probate, and court records from 1838 that researchers use alongside birth registers for genealogical research in this western Virginia county.

The Roanoke County courthouse provides access to records from 1838, with deed books, will books, and court order books supporting birth register research in this Roanoke Valley county of western Virginia.

Alleghany Health District Birth Records

The Alleghany Health District serves Roanoke County along with Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, and Craig counties and the cities of Covington and Salem in western 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 Alleghany Health District also provides immunizations, maternal health programs, and other public health services. For Roanoke County residents who need a paper application form or guidance on the birth certificate process, the health district office is the local resource.

Roanoke County Birth Records History

Roanoke County was established in 1838. 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, Methodist, and Brethren congregations that served the county are the main alternatives for both the pre-registration and gap periods.

The rapid growth of Roanoke as a railroad center in the 1880s brought many new residents to the area, which complicates genealogical research for some families. People who came to work on the Norfolk and Western Railroad came from across Virginia, the South, and even from Europe. Birth records for these families may originate in other states or countries before they arrived in the Roanoke Valley. For pre-1838 births in the area, Botetourt County records at the Library of Virginia are the primary resource.

FamilySearch provides free online access to Virginia Birth Registers, 1853-1911, and Virginia Birth Records, 1912-2015, both including Roanoke County entries. Ancestry.com holds digitized Virginia birth records accessible free at Virginia public library branches. Researchers should note that Roanoke County and the city of Roanoke have separate record systems and should search both if the exact location of a birth is uncertain.

Fees and How to Request a Roanoke County Birth Certificate

All certified birth certificates for Roanoke 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

Roanoke County is in western Virginia in the Roanoke Valley, bordered by several surrounding counties.