Tazewell County Birth Records Search

Tazewell 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 1800 in southwestern Virginia on the Clinch River, with Tazewell as its county seat. Tazewell County sits in the coalfields region of far southwest Virginia and borders West Virginia to the north. Several smaller counties including Buchanan and Dickenson were later carved from Tazewell. Certified birth certificates for births in Tazewell County are available from the state by mail, online, or in person. The Cumberland Plateau Health District and the county courthouse in Tazewell provide local assistance with applications and historical birth record research.

Tazewell County Circuit Court Clerk

The Tazewell County Circuit Court Clerk maintains marriage licenses, land records, probate records, and court files from 1800. 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 Tazewell County births from that era.

Tazewell County was formed from Russell and Wythe counties in 1800. For births before 1800 in what is now Tazewell County, both Russell and Wythe county records may be relevant depending on which part of the county a family lived in. The Library of Virginia holds records from both parent counties on microfilm. Buchanan County was carved from Tazewell and Russell counties in 1858, and Dickenson County was formed partly from Tazewell in 1880. Researchers should check boundary changes carefully when looking for births near those county lines.

Tazewell County borders West Virginia, and some families moved between Virginia and what became West Virginia after 1863. Records for those families may be split between Virginia and West Virginia courthouse archives. The county's coal and agricultural heritage brought many workers to the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Clinch Valley area has active genealogical research communities. The Tazewell County Public Library holds local history materials.

The Tazewell County courthouse holds land, marriage, probate, and court records from 1800 that researchers use alongside birth registers for genealogical research in this southwestern Virginia county.

The Tazewell County courthouse provides access to records from 1800, with deed books, will books, and court order books from this coalfields county in far southwestern Virginia supporting birth register research.

Cumberland Plateau Health District Birth Records

The Cumberland Plateau Health District serves Tazewell County along with Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, and Wise counties in far southwestern 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 Cumberland Plateau Health District also provides immunizations, maternal health programs, and other public health services. For Tazewell County residents who need a paper application form or guidance on the birth certificate process, the health district office is the local resource.

Tazewell County Birth Records History

Tazewell County was established in 1800. 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 other denominations that served the county are the main alternatives for both the pre-registration and gap periods.

Tazewell County's mountain setting and frontier character meant birth registration compliance during the 1853-1896 period was inconsistent. The county borders West Virginia, and some families appear in records on both sides of the border -- researchers should check both Virginia and West Virginia archives when tracing families in this region. Family Bibles and church records are particularly important for Tazewell County genealogical research. The coal industry that developed in the late 19th century brought many new families to the area, some from other states and countries.

FamilySearch provides free online access to Virginia Birth Registers, 1853-1911, and Virginia Birth Records, 1912-2015, both including Tazewell County entries. Ancestry.com holds digitized Virginia birth records accessible free at Virginia public library branches. For pre-1800 births in the Tazewell area, Russell and Wythe county records at the Library of Virginia are the primary resources.

Fees and How to Request a Tazewell County Birth Certificate

All certified birth certificates for Tazewell 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

Tazewell County is in southwestern Virginia bordering West Virginia, surrounded by several other counties.