Southampton County Birth Records Search

Southampton 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 1749 in southeastern Virginia near the North Carolina border, with Courtland as its county seat. Southampton County is historically significant as the site of Nat Turner's 1831 slave rebellion, one of the most consequential events in antebellum Virginia history. The independent city of Franklin is adjacent to the county. Certified birth certificates for births in Southampton County are available from the state by mail, online, or in person. The Western Tidewater Health District and the county courthouse in Courtland provide local assistance with applications and historical birth record research.

Southampton County Circuit Court Clerk

The Southampton County Circuit Court Clerk maintains marriage licenses, land records, probate records, and court files from 1749. 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 Southampton County births from that era.

Southampton County was formed from Isle of Wight County in 1749. For births before 1749 in what is now Southampton County, Isle of Wight County records are the starting point. The Library of Virginia holds Isle of Wight County records on microfilm. The independent city of Franklin is adjacent to the county, and births that occurred within Franklin city limits are filed under the Franklin city jurisdiction. The county's courthouse in Courtland holds deed books, will books, and court order books from 1749 forward.

Southampton County's history is deeply connected to the Nat Turner rebellion of 1831. Researchers studying African American family history in Southampton County should know that the Virginia Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866, covers Southampton County entries and is a key resource. After the Civil War and emancipation, birth registration for African American families improved gradually but remained incomplete. The Southampton County Public Library and the Southampton-Franklin area historical societies hold materials relevant to local genealogical research.

The Southampton County courthouse in Courtland holds land, marriage, probate, and court records from 1749 that researchers use alongside birth registers for genealogical research in this southeastern Virginia county.

The Southampton County courthouse in Courtland provides access to records from 1749, with deed books, will books, and court order books supporting birth register research in this historically significant southeastern Virginia county.

Western Tidewater Health District Birth Records

The Western Tidewater Health District serves Southampton County along with Isle of Wight and Surry counties and the cities of Franklin and Suffolk in southeastern 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 Western Tidewater Health District also provides immunizations, maternal health programs, and other public health services. For Southampton County residents who need a paper application form or guidance on the birth certificate process, the health district office is the local resource.

Southampton County Birth Records History

Southampton County was established in 1749. 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 Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopal congregations that served the county are the main alternatives for both the pre-registration and gap periods.

Southampton County had a large enslaved population in the antebellum period. The Virginia Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866, on FamilySearch covers Southampton County entries and is an essential resource for researchers tracing African American families in this region. The 1831 Nat Turner rebellion and its aftermath disrupted the social order of the county, and some records from that period are fragmentary. Researchers studying this era should consult multiple sources, including newspaper accounts and county court records.

FamilySearch provides free online access to Virginia Birth Registers, 1853-1911, and Virginia Birth Records, 1912-2015, both including Southampton County entries. Ancestry.com holds digitized Virginia birth records accessible free at Virginia public library branches. For pre-1749 births in the Southampton area, Isle of Wight County records at the Library of Virginia are the primary resource.

Fees and How to Request a Southampton County Birth Certificate

All certified birth certificates for Southampton 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

Southampton County is in southeastern Virginia near the North Carolina border, bordered by several surrounding counties.