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Henrico County Genealogy

Edited by Avery J. Parker · Virginia Genealogy · Last reviewed July 13, 2026 · Continuously operated research hub (1997-origin site)

  • Formed 1634
  • Parent county / earlier Original shire (1634)
  • County seat Richmond area
  • Neighbors Richmond*, Chesterfield, Hanover, Goochland, New Kent, Charles City

Henrico County, Virginia — priority research hub. Formed 1634. See history and record notes below; verify holdings at Library of Virginia.

In-depth topics

Towns & communities

9 places — view all town pages

Richmond area county seat Tuckahoe Glen Allen Short Pump Sandston Varina Lakeside Highland Springs Chamberlayne

History notes

Henrico County surrounds much of Richmond* and holds early Tidewater/Piedmont parentage for capital-area families. City annexations re-label neighborhoods without a move.

Always match the event year to the correct county or independent city* series. Abstract every name in deeds and estates. Use Library of Virginia catalogs, Virginia Chronicle, and FamilySearch before paid databases. Neighbor FAN clubs often complete brick walls.

Historical markers in Henrico County

Virginia's Department of Historic Resources (DHR) lists 80 state historical highway markers in Henrico County. Below are short summaries, in our own words, of selected markers whose official text DHR has published in a news release, followed by the full list by marker number. Marker texts are copyrighted by DHR, so we link to them rather than reprint them.

  • SA-134

    Woodland Cemetery opened on 30 May 1917 as a burial ground for Richmond's African American community, after the nearby Barton Heights cemeteries closed; newspaper editor John Mitchell Jr. led the effort. DHR notes that people born in slavery, veterans and civic leaders are buried here, among them Arthur Ashe, the Rev. John Jasper, architect Charles T. Russell and Dr. Zenobia Gilpin. The grounds were neglected in the late 20th century and have since been restored by families and volunteers.

    Official text: Virginia DHR (DHR press release, 29 May 2024 (dedication; full marker text)) · Related here: Henrico cemeteries and burial evidence · African American research notes
  • EA-9

    The champion racehorse Boston was bred by Richmond lawyer John Wickham and foaled near the marker site in 1833. DHR's text names two enslaved men in his story: Ned, the horseman who tamed him, and Cornelius, who rode him until 1839. Named enslaved people like these are leads worth carrying into estate, tax and plantation records.

    Official text: Virginia DHR (DHR press release, 4 Oct 2023 (Board approval; approved marker text)) · Related here: African American research notes · Henrico probate and estates
  • V-55

    A five-story steam brewery with a beer garden opened here in 1866; David G. Yuengling Jr., eldest son of the founder of the Pennsylvania Yuengling brewery, was a part-owner. It closed by 1879 after a national economic crisis, and an 1891 fire destroyed the main building, though the underground cellars survive. Owners and workers of a business like this are worth checking in Richmond-area city directories of the period.

    Official text: Virginia DHR (DHR press release, 13 Nov 2019 (dedication; full marker text)) · Related here: Henrico city and business directories
All 77 other markers in Henrico County, by number
  • E-3 Sheridan Maneuvers East
  • E-3-a Grace Evelyn Arents
  • E-4 Brook Road
  • E-6 Outer Fortifications
  • E-7 Yellow Tavern
  • E-9 Stuart's Mortal Wound
  • E-10 Glen Allen
  • E-51 Battle of Yellow Tavern
  • E-102 Gabriel's Rebellion
  • E-103 Young's Spring
  • E-104 Emmanuel Church at Brook Hill Episcopal
  • E-104-a Adèle Goodman Clark
  • E-108 St. Joseph's Villa
  • E-114 Old Dominion Building
  • EA-1 Meadow Farm
  • EA-2 Walkerton
  • EA-3 Laurel Historic District
  • EA-5 Mountain Road
  • EA-6 Wickham's Line
  • EA-8 School Desegregation Controversy
  • O-5 Outer Fortifications
  • PA-50 Second Battle of Fair Oaks
  • PA-105 Seven Days Battles - Grape Vine Bridge
  • PA-125 Seven Days Battles - Golding's Farm
  • PA-138 Highland Springs
  • PA-139 Defenses of Richmond
  • PA-140 Seven Days Battles - Allen's Farm
  • PA-143 Battle of Savage's Station
  • PA-153 Second Battle of Deep Bottom
  • PA-159 Glendale (Frayser's Farm)
  • PA-163 Seven Days Battles - Glendale (Frayser's Farm)
  • PA-164 First Battle of Deep Bottom
  • PA-175 Seven Days Battles - Glendale (Frayser's Farm)
  • PA-180 Seven Days Battles - Malvern Hill
  • PA-190 Seven Days Battles - Glendale (Frayser's Farm)
  • PA-195 Seven Days Battles - Malvern Hill
  • PA-220 Seven Days Battles - Malvern Hill
  • PA-230 Seven Days Battles - Malvern Hill
  • PA-235 Seven Days Battles - Malvern Hill
  • PA-240 Engagement At Malvern Cliffs
  • PA-251 Sad Reunion
  • S-31-a Tommy Edwards 1922 - 1969
  • SA-31 Dahlgren's Raid
  • SA-45 Virginia Home for Boys and Girls
  • V-1 Wilton
  • V-2 Fort Harrison
  • V-3 Curles Neck and Bremo
  • V-4 Malvern Hill
  • V-5 Turkey Island
  • V-16 Campaign of 1781
  • V-25 Commercial Tobacco Production
  • V-26 Battle of New Market Heights
  • V-28 Pocahontas
  • V-29 Henrico Town
  • V-30 Proposed First University In English America
  • V-31 John Rolfe - 1585-1622
  • V-32 Nathaniel Bacon
  • V-33 Varina
  • V-37 Henrico Parish Church
  • V-40 Surrender of Richmond
  • V-43 Pleasants v. Pleasants
  • V-48 Action at Osborne's
  • V-49 Powhatan
  • V-51 Pvt. Benjamin B. Levy 22 Feb. 1845 - 20 Jul. 1921
  • V-53 Richmond’s War of 1812 Defensive Camps
  • W-1 Darbytown Road
  • W-4 McClellan's Picket Line
  • W-5 McClellan's First Line
  • W-7 Fair Oaks Station
  • W-10 Second Day at Seven Pines
  • W-12 Battle of Savage's Station
  • W-13 Route to White Oak Swamp and Malvern Hill
  • W-15 Bottom's Bridge
  • W-72 39th Illinois Veteran Volunteers
  • W-101 Darbytown Road/Pioneer Baptist Church
  • W-181 Virginia Air National Guard
  • W-221 Virginia Estelle Randolph (1870-1958)

Source: Virginia DHR Historical Highway Marker Program (marker numbers and titles from DHR's marker database), accessed 2026-10-11. Photos and visitor notes: HMdb listings for Henrico County (HMdb also lists memorials and non-state markers).

Newspapers

Title-by-title year ranges below are digitized holdings listed below (digitized issues), not always the full publication span. Open each title to confirm gaps. Mastheads and successors change often.

  • Henrico County / regional newspapers
    Henrico · Varies
    Search Virginia Chronicle and Chronicling America for local and regional titles covering Henrico County. Confirm each title’s run dates before assuming continuous coverage.

Statewide newspapers guide · newspaper portals · Chronicling America

Structured transcriptions

Searchable tables with book/page and microfilm-style citations for Henrico County. Rows are finding aids from published public abstracts—verify every line against film or the original before citing as evidence.

  • Henrico County estate finding-aid batch (method)
    12 searchable rows · Finding-aid practice batch; verify on Library of Virginia film / original clerk volumes for Henrico.
    Grantor Grantee Year Book:page
    PartyA01, Example PartyB01, Example 1790 A:10
    PartyA02, Example PartyB02, Example 1797 B:13
    PartyA03, Example PartyB03, Example 1804 C:16
    PartyA04, Example PartyB04, Example 1811 —
    PartyA05, Example 1818 —
    PartyA06, Example PartyB06, Example 1825 F:25

    Open full table & search

  • Henrico County finding-aid batch (parity expansion)
    20 searchable rows · Finding-aid practice / parity expansion; verify on Library of Virginia film for Henrico.
    Grantor Grantee Year Book:page
    Grantor01, Example Grantee01, Example 1760 A:5
    Grantor02, Example Grantee02, Example 1768 B:9
    Grantor03, Example Grantee03, Example 1776 C:13
    Grantor04, Example Grantee04, Example 1784 —
    Grantor05, Example 1792 —
    Grantor06, Example Grantee06, Example 1800 F:25

    Open full table & search

  • Henrico County, Virginia Deed volunteer abstracts (USGenWeb Archives)
    6 searchable rows · USGenWeb Archives volunteer abstract for Henrico County, Virginia; verify on Library of Virginia / local clerk film.
    Grantor Grantee Year Book:page
    Nicholas Ames & William Porter Jr Richard Bays - 1686
    Richard Bays William Lewis - 1703
    Wm. S. Crafton Robt. Courtney 1848 53:434
    Wm. S. Crafton Jas. Nesbitt Deed Book 1852 60:557
    Alexander MCKENNEY John B 1696
    Holdman and Ann Freeman Rowland Blackburn Senr. Deed Book 1744 1744

    Open full table & search

All transcription collections

Cemeteries & burial research

Starting points and portals—not a complete inventory of every graveyard in the county.

  • Henrico County cemeteries & churchyards
    Henrico
    Start with published surveys, Find a Grave, churchyards, and family plots. Unmarked burials are common—pair stones with obituaries and church books.
    Find a Grave

Cemeteries research guide

Societies & repositories

  • Henrico County public library / local history desk
    library · Henrico
    Start with the county public library local history desk or Virginia room for Henrico. Hours and catalog portals change—verify before visiting. Pair with Library of Virginia catalogs and Virginia Chronicle for newspapers.
  • Henrico County historical / genealogical societies
    society · Henrico
    Search for active historical and genealogical societies serving Henrico County. Names and websites change; VAGenWeb and Library of Virginia society lists are good discovery points.
  • Library of Virginia
    archive · Richmond
    Primary state repository for historical and genealogical research.
  • Library of Virginia
    archive · Richmond
    Cornerstone state repository — patents, chancery, newspapers, manuscripts, and genealogy research rooms.
  • Encyclopedia Virginia
    other · Online
    Published encyclopedia / historical essays useful for place and context research.
  • Virginia Memory
    archive · Online
    Digitized collections from the Library of Virginia and partners.
  • Virginia Chronicle
    other · Online
    Historic Virginia newspapers digitized via LVA.
  • Virginia Chronicle / Chronicling America
    other · Online
    Historic newspaper directory and digitizations for Virginia titles.

Full societies & libraries directory

Vital records

City vs. county registration paths differ—confirm office by year.

Census

Federal schedules; urban edges may appear under Richmond* in some decades.

Courthouse & contacts

Henrico County courts/clerks. Pair with Richmond* city series when the event is inside the independent city.

If not found here, try…

Virginia brick walls are often jurisdiction problems. When a deed, probate, or vital is missing here, try the parent district for the event year and neighboring counties for kin who lived across the line—not a substitute for later statewide birth/death registration.

  • Formed 1634
  • Parent / earlier jurisdiction Original shire (1634) — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).

Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):

Richmond* Chesterfield Hanover Goochland New Kent Charles City

Also use Start here, the counties & formation guide, and local history news for recent heritage context.

What to do next

Stay in Henrico County only after the event year matches this courthouse. Otherwise open parents first.

Start here guide Cheatsheet bundle This week in Henrico history

Sources & further reading

Formation, place-names, and series notes on this hub will cite standard Virginia references. Always verify at the repository—fires and thin series vary by book and decade.

  • Encyclopedia Virginia
    State encyclopedia / published historical essays — search for Henrico County topics.
  • County formation & boundaries
    Virginia county formation and independent-city research — verify in Library of Virginia guides (this county formed 1634). See also the counties & formation guide when published.
  • Place-names & communities
    Virginia place-names, former communities, and watercourses (local histories + GNIS).
  • Library of Virginia
    Primary repository for county records, microfilm, catalogs, and research guides.
  • Virginia Chronicle / Chronicling America
    Historic newspaper directory and digitizations — confirm title runs before citing continuous coverage.
  • Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
    National newspaper directory + selected digitized pages.
  • FamilySearch Wiki · VAGenWeb
    Volunteer and wiki bibliographies—cross-check dates against archives and local inventories.

Prefer the state archives, published formation tables, and encyclopedia articles over anonymous web mirrors.