Sussex County Birth Records Search

Sussex 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 southeastern Virginia between the Nottoway and Blackwater rivers, with Sussex as its county seat. Sussex County was formed from Surry County and sits in Virginia's coastal plain region. Certified birth certificates for births in Sussex County are available from the state by mail, online, or in person. The Crater Health District and the county courthouse in Sussex provide local assistance with applications and historical birth record research.

Sussex County Circuit Court Clerk

The Sussex 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 Sussex County births from that era.

Sussex County was formed from Surry County in 1754. For births before 1754 in what is now Sussex County, Surry County records are the starting point. The Library of Virginia holds Surry County records on microfilm going back to 1652. The courthouse in Sussex holds deed books, will books, and court order books from 1754 forward. Sussex County is a rural county in Virginia's coastal plain and has historically been an agricultural region.

Sussex County has a significant African American genealogical heritage. The county's plantation-era records document a large enslaved population, and the Virginia Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866, on FamilySearch covers Sussex County entries. After emancipation, Sussex County's African American community established churches and institutions that kept their own records. Those church records are important supplements to the courthouse materials for post-Civil War genealogical research.

The Sussex County courthouse holds land, marriage, probate, and court records from 1754 that researchers use alongside birth registers for genealogical research in this southeastern Virginia county.

The Sussex County courthouse 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 coastal plain county.

Crater Health District Birth Records

The Crater Health District serves Sussex County along with Dinwiddie, Greensville, and Prince George counties and the cities of Colonial Heights, Emporia, Hopewell, and Petersburg 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 Crater Health District also provides immunizations, maternal health programs, and other public health services. For Sussex County residents who need a paper application form or guidance on the birth certificate process, the health district office is the local resource.

Sussex County Birth Records History

Sussex 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 Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopal congregations that served the county are the main alternatives for both the pre-registration and gap periods.

For births before 1754 in the Sussex County area, researchers must search Surry County records at the Library of Virginia. Sussex County's rural character and agricultural economy meant birth registration during the 1853-1896 period was uneven. The Virginia Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866, on FamilySearch is a key resource for tracing African American families in this region. After the Civil War, freedmen's bureau records and church records from African American congregations are important supplementary sources.

FamilySearch provides free online access to Virginia Birth Registers, 1853-1911, and Virginia Birth Records, 1912-2015, both including Sussex County entries. Ancestry.com holds digitized Virginia birth records accessible free at Virginia public library branches.

Fees and How to Request a Sussex County Birth Certificate

All certified birth certificates for Sussex 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

Sussex County is in southeastern Virginia between the Nottoway and Blackwater rivers, bordered by several surrounding counties.