Find a Grave Virginia by Name —
Cemetery & Burial Records Search
From colonial Jamestown in 1607 to Arlington National Cemetery — Virginia holds more historic burial records than almost any other state. Your complete guide to finding any Virginia grave by name.
Virginia holds more burial records than nearly any other American state — a direct consequence of being the oldest continuously settled English-speaking colony, established at Jamestown in 1607. From colonial-era Anglican church registers and plantation interment records in the Tidewater to Civil War battlefield cemetery registers throughout the Shenandoah Valley, the depth here is unmatched.
Eight U.S. presidents are buried in Virginia — more than any other state. Arlington National Cemetery holds over 400,000 veteran burials. And yet, finding a specific grave among Virginia’s 133 counties and thousands of rural burial grounds requires knowing exactly which database to search, in which order. This guide gives you that system — with verified, working links at every step.
🔎 How to Search Virginia Graves by Name — Micro Step-by-Step
- Go to findgraveusa.org — Virginia and type the person’s full name in the search bar. Use exact spelling first.
- Apply the county filter immediately. Virginia has 133 counties and independent cities — without it, common surnames like “Johnson” return hundreds of unrelated results statewide.
- Click any result to open the full burial record: cemetery name, street address, plot number, burial date, headstone photo if available, and linked family members.
- No results on exact spelling? Try surname only first, then try maiden names — pre-1950 Virginia headstones often display the maiden name more prominently than the married name.
- Still nothing? The grave may be in an unindexed rural cemetery — proceed to Methods 3 or 4 for deeper archival research.
- Visit findagrave.com — Virginia Cemeteries. No account required for basic searches.
- Enter the surname and select Virginia from the state dropdown. For common surnames, also add the first name and approximate death year.
- Use wildcard operators:
?replaces one letter (e.g.Sm?threturns Smith and Smyth),*replaces multiple (e.g.Mc*returns all Mc- surnames). Essential for 19th-century phonetic spelling variants. - Click “More Search Options” to filter by specific Virginia county, birth/death year range, and whether a memorial photo exists.
- No headstone photo? Click “Request Photo” — a local Virginia volunteer typically photographs it within a few days at no charge. Arlington and Fairfax volunteers often respond within 24–48 hours.
- For notable Virginians: use the “Famous Memorials” filter — Virginia leads all states with 4,934 indexed notable figures.
- Visit www.lva.virginia.gov/ — the official Virginia state archives and most authoritative source for historical burial and death records.
- Under Research → Databases & Finding Aids, search the free online death certificate index (1912–present) and county death register transcriptions (1853–1896).
- Use the Virginia Memory digital library at virginiamemory.com for digitized cemetery surveys, church vestry books, and county genealogy records — all free online.
- In-person research: 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23219 · Phone: (804) 692-1000 · Hours: Mon–Sat 9AM–5PM. No appointment required for the general reading room.
- The Library of Virginia is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library — free in-person access to restricted FamilySearch and Ancestry digital collections not available at home.
- Create a free account at familysearch.org — no credit card, no trial period, permanently free.
- Go to Search → Records and search “Virginia Deaths.” Key collections: Virginia, Death Records, 1912–2014 and Virginia, Register of Deaths, 1853–1896.
- For cemetery-specific records: go to Search → Catalog, type the Virginia county name, then add “cemetery” to find microfilmed cemetery registers.
- For pre-1853 records: search “Virginia church records” in the Catalog. Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, and Catholic burial registers survive for many Tidewater and Piedmont counties from the 1700s onward.
- Use Search → Genealogies to find user family trees that may include your ancestor’s burial location — always verify linked sources independently.
- Go to billiongraves.com and enter the name, selecting Virginia from the location filter.
- Results show GPS-tagged headstone photos with the grave’s exact latitude/longitude — not just the cemetery, but the specific row and section.
- Click “View on Map” to see the precise plot position within the cemetery grounds.
- Download the BillionGraves app before visiting large Virginia cemeteries — it uses your phone’s GPS to navigate step-by-step directly to any indexed grave. Invaluable at Arlington (400,000 burials) and Hollywood Cemetery (130,000 burials).
- If a grave isn’t indexed, photograph and upload the headstone using the app — it auto-tags GPS location and adds it for future researchers.
Cross-Reference Pro Tip: The moment you find a burial record, search FamilySearch census records (1850–1940) for the same person. Census entries reveal the entire household — parents, siblings, birthplaces, and neighbors — often pinpointing the county of origin and expanding your family tree far beyond what any headstone can provide alone.
📊 All Virginia Burial Record Databases — Free vs. Paid
Every major database for searching Virginia cemetery records, interment records, and burial indexes — compared by coverage, cost, and best use.
Database | What It Covers | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
VA cemetery burial records searchable by name and county | Free | First stop; county-filtered name search | |
Millions of VA memorials; wildcard search; volunteer photos | Free | Headstone photos, family links, famous graves | |
GPS-tagged headstone photos; precise in-cemetery navigation | Free | Finding exact plot in large cemeteries | |
VA death records 1853–2014; county microfilm; church registers | Free | Pre-registration & historical records | |
Official VA archives; colonial records; county death registers | Free | Deepest historical research; state archives | |
Digitized state collections; vestry books; county records online | Free | Colonial-era & 19th-century records | |
County-organized transcriptions from original sexton registers | Free | High-accuracy transcriptions; rural cemeteries | |
Veterans in all VA national cemeteries — section, row, site | Free | Military and veteran burial searches | |
400,000+ Arlington burials — independent database | Free | Arlington — always search here separately | |
Certified VA death certificates (1912–present) | $12 first copy | Legal proof; parents’ names; cause of death |
🗺️ Search Virginia Burial Records by County
Virginia has 95 counties plus 38 independent cities — all separate jurisdictions for vital records. If your ancestor lived in “Alexandria,” “Norfolk,” or “Richmond City,” search the independent city records, not the surrounding county. This is unique to Virginia and trips up researchers constantly.
Browse all 133 Virginia counties and cities at Find a Grave — Virginia. For transcriptions from original county sexton registers, use Interment.net — Virginia — especially useful for rural counties with limited Find a Grave coverage.
🪦 Notable Virginia Cemeteries — History, Maps & Search Links
Virginia’s historic burial grounds are living documents of American history — with verified contact details, Google Maps embeds, and direct search links for each.
- 400,000+ veteran burials — most visited cemetery in America
- JFK, RFK, Audie Murphy, Joe Louis, William Howard Taft buried here
- Has its own search tool — independent from Find a Grave
- Phone: (877) 907-8585
- Hours: Daily 8AM–7PM (Apr–Sep); 8AM–5PM (Oct–Mar) · Free entry
- Established 1847 · 135 acres · 130,000+ burials above James River
- Presidents James Monroe & John Tyler buried here — the only cemetery with two presidents
- 18,000 Confederate soldiers including 25 generals in one mass burial area
- Phone: (804) 648-8501 · National Historic Landmark
- Daily 8AM–5PM · Free entry · Self-guided tour maps at gate
- 30,000 Confederate soldiers — Virginia’s largest Confederate burial site
- Original church dates to 1735; now a museum with Tiffany stained-glass windows
- Each window donated by a Confederate state — unique architectural landmark
- Phone: (804) 733-2400
- Mon–Sat 10AM–5PM, Sun 12–5PM · Guided tours available
- Thomas Jefferson’s private burial ground; burials since 1773
- Jefferson’s direct descendants continue to be interred here — still active
- Visible during estate tours; National Historic Landmark
- Phone: (434) 984-9800
- Open during Monticello estate tour hours
📜 Official Virginia Death Certificates — How to Get Them
A certified Virginia death certificate contains data no headstone can: exact cause of death, parents’ full names and birthplaces (post-1912), attending physician, informant’s name, and Social Security number. It often breaks genealogy brick walls — especially the parents’ birthplaces, which point you to the next generation of records.
Access Rule: Virginia death certificates become public record just 25 years after death — one of the shortest periods nationally. Deaths from 2001 and earlier are now publicly accessible to anyone. Records under 25 years require proof of qualifying relationship.
- Go to vitalchek.com or call 1-888-279-9888 (24/7). VitalChek is the official authorized vendor for Virginia.
- Select Virginia → Death Certificate. Enter: full name at death, date of death, county of death, and your relationship to the deceased.
- Pay the $12 state fee plus VitalChek’s convenience fee. Rush processing and overnight delivery available for additional charge.
- Find your nearest office at vdh.virginia.gov/local-health-districts/ — Mon–Fri 8AM–5PM.
- Bring: (1) valid government photo ID, (2) completed application from vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records, (3) proof of qualifying relationship if within the 25-year period.
- Pay $12 first copy; $7 each additional copy requested at the same visit. Most offices issue while you wait.
- Download the application at www.vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records/. Complete all fields — incomplete applications cause significant delays.
- Make a check or money order payable to “Treasurer of Virginia” for $12 per copy. Never send cash.
- Mail to: Virginia Office of Vital Records, PO Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
📚 Library of Virginia — Official State Archives
The Library of Virginia at www.lva.virginia.gov/ is the official state archives — the deepest single repository for Virginia genealogy records. Located at 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23219 · Phone: (804) 692-1000 · Mon–Sat 9AM–5PM.
Key collections for cemetery and burial research:
- County Death Registers (1853–1896): Virginia’s first registration attempt. Many counties are indexed free at Virginia Memory.
- State Death Certificates (1912–present): Indexed online. Full images in person or via Ancestry at participating libraries.
- Colonial Church Vestry Books: Anglican burial registers from the 1650s onward — some of the oldest interment records in America.
- County Clerk Records: Wills, inventories, and guardianship bonds — often name burial location and surviving family.
- Freedmen’s Bureau Records (1865–1872): Among the most extensive in any Southern state; include burial registers for post-Civil War freedmen and freedwomen.
- Virginia Memory Digital Library: Free online at virginiamemory.com — digitized cemetery surveys, historical photographs, and county maps.
The Library of Virginia is a confirmed FamilySearch Affiliate Library. In-person visitors get free access to restricted FamilySearch digital collections not available at home — including full Ancestry.com. No FamilySearch account required for in-person use. One of the most underused benefits in Virginia genealogy research.
🎖️ Virginia Veteran & Military Grave Search
Virginia is home to 31 national cemeteries — more than any other state — including Arlington, the largest in the nation. These three systems are independent; coverage differs significantly between them. Search all three.
🔍 Arlington Cemetery Own Search
Arlington operates its own independent grave search — completely separate from Find a Grave and the VA Gravesite Locator. Always search all three for Arlington burials.
Search Arlington Now →🎖️ VA Nationwide Gravesite Locator
Covers veterans in any VA national cemetery — all conflicts from Civil War to present. Returns section, row, and site number.
Search VA Gravesite Locator →📋 FamilySearch Veterans Collection
Search “U.S. Veterans Gravesites, 1775–2006” free — covers VA cemeteries plus many non-VA military burial sites not in the federal locator.
Search FamilySearch →⚔️ Civil War Battlefield Cemeteries
Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg have NPS burial databases far more detailed than Find a Grave for these specific sites.
NPS Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania →📁 Military Service Records
Pension files often name the burial location. Request from NPRC at archives.gov/veterans — free for records over 62 years old.
Request at NPRC →💼 VA Burial Benefits
Burial in a VA national cemetery is a free benefit for eligible veterans. Find Virginia VA cemeteries and eligibility at va.gov/burials-memorials.
VA Burial Benefits →Virginia-Specific: Virginia has 150+ state veterans cemeteries and churchyard military sections not in the VA federal system. The Virginia Department of Veterans Services at dvs.virginia.gov maintains a separate directory of state-operated burial sites.
🔎 Common Virginia Burial Record Questions — Answered
Every major question people search when looking for Virginia cemetery records, burial records, and grave locations — with practical, specific answers.
Find a Grave Virginia by Name Free
The fastest free search starts at FindGraveUSA.org, followed by Find a Grave and BillionGraves. All three are completely free with no account needed for basic searches. For records predating 1912, check FamilySearch and Library of Virginia — both free.
Virginia Cemetery Records Online
Virginia has strong online cemetery record coverage. For official transcriptions from original sexton records, use Interment.net — Virginia, organized alphabetically by county. The Virginia Memory digital library also provides digitized cemetery survey photographs for many rural and historical burial grounds.
Virginia Death Records Genealogy Search
Virginia death records span three distinct periods: colonial parish registers (pre-1800), county death registers (1853–1896, then lapsed), and statewide certificates (1912–present). FamilySearch holds the most complete free index for all three periods. Official certified death certificates are available from Virginia Office of Vital Records for $12.
How to Find a Grave in Virginia
Start with a name search on FindGraveUSA.org using the county filter. If no result, try Find a Grave with wildcard operators (? and *). If still nothing, the grave is likely in an unindexed rural or family cemetery — check county-level records at Library of Virginia and contact the county clerk directly for burial permit records.
Virginia Genealogy Cemetery Records
Virginia genealogy research benefits from colonial-era collections dating to the 1650s at the Library of Virginia. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) has also transcribed hundreds of Virginia grave markers into publicly accessible records. Search DAR records at dar.org.
Virginia Veterans Burial Records
With 31 national cemeteries and Arlington holding 400,000+ burials, Virginia’s veteran burial record coverage is the deepest in the nation. Search all three independent systems: the Arlington own database, the VA Nationwide Gravesite Locator, and FamilySearch “U.S. Veterans Gravesites, 1775–2006.”
Free Virginia Death Records Search
Free death record databases include FamilySearch (indexed 1853–2014), Library of Virginia (county registers), and the Social Security Death Index (free at FamilySearch). These return name, birth date, death date, and last-known ZIP code. The certified death certificate — adding parents’ names and cause of death — requires the $12 fee from Virginia Office of Vital Records.
Virginia Historical Cemetery Records
Virginia’s historical burial records are among the oldest in the nation. Colonial-era Anglican vestry books list interments back to the 1650s in some Tidewater parishes. The Library of Virginia at lva.virginia.gov and Virginia Memory at virginiamemory.com are the best starting points for pre-1853 records.
🌿 8 Insider Tips — Virginia-Specific Genealogy Tricks
Things experienced Virginia genealogists know that casual searchers consistently miss. Read all eight before you start searching.
Two Parallel Jurisdictions
Virginia has 95 counties AND 38 independent cities — all separate jurisdictions for vital records. Searching “Fairfax” when your ancestor lived in “Alexandria City” returns zero relevant results. Always check which jurisdiction applies.
Death Certs Go Public in Just 25 Years
Virginia’s 25-year confidentiality period is one of the shortest nationally. Deaths from 2001 and earlier are now publicly accessible. Order at vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records for $12 — no special qualification needed.
1853–1896 Records: Incomplete but Worth Checking
Virginia began death registration in 1853, abandoned it in 1896, and restarted in 1912. The county death registers are inconsistent — some have nearly complete records, others almost nothing. Always check both FamilySearch and Library of Virginia before concluding a record doesn’t exist.
Arlington Has Its Own Separate Search Tool
Arlington operates an independent grave search at arlingtoncemetery.mil — completely separate from Find a Grave and the VA Gravesite Locator. Many researchers use only one and miss burials in the others. Run all three for any Arlington search.
Freedmen’s Bureau Records Are Exceptionally Rich
Virginia’s Freedmen’s Bureau records (1865–1872) include burial registers among the most detailed in any Southern state. Essential for African American genealogy — searchable free on FamilySearch under “Virginia Freedmen’s Bureau Records.” Often the only burial record for this period.
SW Virginia Coal Company Cemeteries Are Off-Grid
Coalfield counties (Wise, Buchanan, Dickenson, Tazewell) had company-owned cemeteries with records held by coal company successors, not county clerks. Contact the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center or county historical societies for these burial records.
Eight Presidential Burial Sites — All Research-Accessible
Virginia has more presidential burial sites than any state: Washington (Mount Vernon), Jefferson (Monticello), Madison (Montpelier), Monroe (Hollywood), Harrison (Berkeley Plantation), Tyler (Hollywood), Wilson (Washington National Cathedral), Kennedy (Arlington). Each site has unique records separate from standard cemetery databases.
Civil War NPS Databases Are More Detailed
Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg battlefield cemeteries are managed by NPS with databases far more detailed than Find a Grave. Search nps.gov/frsp before assuming a Civil War soldier isn’t indexed anywhere.