James City County VAGenWeb page




Looking for your family in James City County, Virginia?

First you may need to determine that the individuals for whom you are searching actually lived in James City County, Virginia. Here are some publications and links that can be helpful. There are other sources of James City County information at this web site. Don't forget to explore them before following links to other places. And remember the "Back" button on your browser. More helpful links.

Most of James City County's old court records have not survived the ravages of war. Surviving early records are at the Library of Virginia. They are listed in Suzanne Smith Ray, Lyndon H. Hart III, J. Christian Kolbe, A Preliminary Guide to Pre-1904 County Records in the Archives Branch Virginia State Library and Archives (Richmond, 1987) They include: There are also some records for the City of Williamsburg listed in Lyndon H. Hart III and J. Christian Kolbe, A Preliminary Guide to Pre-1904 Municipal Records in the Archives Branch Virginia State Library and Archives (Richmond, n.d.): Microfilm copies of some of these records are available at the Library of Virginia. Many can be borrowed by interlibrary loan through your local library.

The capital of the Virginia Colony was at James City (Jamestown) until the end of the seventeenth century, when it was moved to Williamsburg, so a considerable amount of county information can be gleaned from surviving Virginia colony records. Some of these have been published. Among them are: Surry County was formed in 1652 from the part of James City County that was south of James River.



Updated 9 June 2024 © Eve S. Gregory for VaGenWeb