(This page's most recent update is
July 2024)
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Institutional records are another class of collections that should be part of one’s genealogy research repertoire. Although most of your ancestors may not have spent time in an institution, I’ll bet that almost every family tree has several that have. So they are worth your effort to research.
Here are a few good primers for searching institutional records:
- FamilySearch – Institution and School Records
- Finding Your Ancestors in Poor House or Poor Farm Records
- Researching Ancestors in Asylums
What kind of institutions and types of records can we discover?
- Poorhouse
- Poor Farm
- Orphanage
- Orphan Train
- Mental Hospital
- Workhouse
- Almshouse
- Institutional School
- Sanitarium
- Asylums
- Correctional institutions
Acquiring records from each of these types of institutions may be difficult because of privacy concerns, but they are worth the effort.
Below you will find free online institutional records you can use to help you discover more about your relatives who have spent time in an institution.
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Virginia Free Online Institutional Records
- Accomack County, Accounts of Fiduciaries, 1780-1787, 1851-1894
- Accomack County, Accounts of Fiduciaries, 1849-1903
- Accomack County, Alms House Cemetery
- Accomack County, Guardian and Orphan Bonds, 1798-1943
- Accomack County, Orphan’s Accounts, 1741-1850
- Accomack County, Overseers of the Poor, Indentures, 1798-1835
- Accomack County, Overseers of the Poor, Parish Records, 1787-1819
- Accomack County, Overseers of the Poor, Parish Records, 1787-1819
- Accomack County, Overseers of the Poor; St. George’s Parish, Parish levy Papers, 1805-1856
- Albemarle County, Order Book, 1744-1748: the only Data on Will, Deed, and Orphan items up to Year 1748
- Albemarle County, Overseers of the Poor, Albemarle Parish, Surry and Sussex Counties, Va., Vestry Book, 1742-1787
- Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Episcopal, Overseers of the Poor, Vestry Book, 1742-1787
- Alexandria County, Orphans’ Court, Court Minutes, 1801-1847
- Alleghany County, Alleghany County Poor Farm Cemetery
- Amherst County, Central Virginia Training Center Cemetery
- Antrim Parish, Halifax County, Episcopal, Vestry Book, 1752-1817
- Augusta County, 1890 Veterans Census including County Jail and Western Lunatic Asylum
- Augusta County, Alms House Cemetery
- Augusta County, Western State Hospital Cemetery, Part 1
- Augusta County, Western State Hospital Cemetery, Part 2
- Augusta County, Western State Hospital Cemetery, Part 3
- Augusta Parish, Augusta County, Episcopal, Photostat of Vestry Book, 1746-1780
- Augusta Parish, Augusta County, Episcopal, Vestry Book, 1746-1780
- Blisland Parish, New Kent County, Episcopal, Blissland Parish Vestry Book, New Kent County, 1721-1786
- Brunswick County, Orphans and Guardians Records, 1740-1973; General Index to Guardians Account, 1732-1948.
- Buckingham County, Poorhouse Cemetery
- Chatham County, Poorhouse Cemetery
- Christ Church, Newport Parish, Isle of Wight County, Vestry Books, 1724-1772
- Danville, Virginia, Records from General Hospital
- Dinwiddie County, Central State Hospital Hiram W. Davis Cemetery
- Dinwiddie County, City Alms House Cemetery
- Elizabeth River Parish, Norfolk County, Episcopal, Vestry Book, 1749-1761
- Essex County, Guardian Account Books, 1731-1888
- Essex County, Howard Grove or Poor House Cemetery
- Fairfax County, Poor House Cemetery
- Fairfax County, Stoney Lonesome Prison Cemetery
- Fauquier County, Poorhouse Cemetery
- Floyd County, List of Persons Convicted of Felonies and Other Offenses, 1871 – 1943
- Fluvanna County, Alms House Cemetery
- Fluvanna County, Overseers of the Poor, Records, 1844-1914
- Franklin County, Franklin County Poor Farm Burials
- Frederick County, Overseers of the Poor, Frederick Parish, Vestry Book, 1764-1818
- Frederick County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Giles County, Big Stoney Poor Farm Cemetery
- Giles County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Grayson County, Grayson County Poor Farm Cemetery
- Greene County, Convict Camp, Prisoners in 1930 Census
- Greensville County, Greensville Prison Cemetery
- Hampton City, Poor House Cemetery
- Hampton, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Hospital Records, 1872-1921; Indexes, 1880-1933
- Henrico County, 1850 Census of the Virginia Penitentiary
- Henrico County, Orphans Court Book, 1677-1739
- Henrico County, Orphans’ Court, Record Book, 1677-1725, 1739
- Henrico County, Court Records, 1677-1739
- Henry County, Alms House Cemetery
- Henry County, County Poor House Cemetery
- Isle of Wight County, Orphan and Guardianship Records
- Isle of Wight, Court Records, Register of Convicts, 1773-1909
- James City County, 1890 Veterans Census including Eastern Lunatic Asylum
- King George County, Inventories and Fiduciary Accounts, 1721-1898; General Index to Fiduciary Accounts, 1721-1921
- Kingston Parish, Mathews County, Episcopal, The Vestry Book, 1679-1796
- Lancaster County, Estate Books, 1796-1912; General Index to Fiduciary Accounts, etc., 1750-1914
- Lancaster County, Orphans’ Accounts, 1823-1842; General Index to Fiduciary Accounts, etc., 1750-1914
- Lee County, Overseers of the Poor, Records, 1838-1870
- Lee County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Lexington Parish, Amherst County, Episcopal, Vestry Book, 1779-1880
- Lunenburg County, Minute Books of the County Court, 1817-1866
- Lynchburg, Rivermont Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1898-1950
- Marshall County, Relating to Orphans, ca. 1800
- Middlesex County, Episcopal, Orphans Books, 1760-1831, and Marriage Returns, 1785-1826
- Montgomery County, Montgomery County Poorhouse Cemetery
- Northampton County, Almshouse Farm Cemetery
- Northampton County, Court Records of Orphan, Guardian, and Estate Accounts, 1811-1841, 1842-1850
- Northampton County, Orphans’ Accounts, 1731-1813
- Northumberland County, Orphans and their Guardians 1757 – 1769
- Page County, Alms House or Infirmary Cemetery
- Page County, Almshouse Cemetery
- Patrick County, County Alms House Cemetery
- Patrick County, Patrick County Poor Farm
- Petsworth Parish, Gloucester County, Episcopal, The Vestry Book, 1677-1793
- Petsworth Parish, Gloucester County, Episcopal, The Vestry Book, 1677-1793
- Petsworth Parish, Gloucester County, Episcopal, Vestry Book, 1677-1793
- Prince William County, Poor House Cemetery
- Prince William County, Poorhouse Cemetery
- Pulaski County, County Farm/Alms House Census Records 1880-1920
- Pulaski County, Fairview Home or Poorhouse Cemetery
- Raleigh Parish, Amelia County, Episcopal, Vestry Book, 1790-1926
- Richmond County, Overseers of the Poor, Records of the Proceedings of the Overseers of the Poor in the County of Richmond, 1843-1856
- Rockbridge County, 1880 Census Schedule of Defective, Dependent and Delinquent Classes
- Rockingham County, Alms House or Pleasant Valley Alms Cemetery
- Rockingham County, Keezletown Alms Cemetery
- Rockingham County, Overseers of the Poor, Accounts of the Overseers of the Poor, 1878-1879
- Rockingham County, Overseers of the Poor, Minute Books, 1782-1870
- Russell County, Pauper or Russell County Poor Farm Cemetery
- Shenandoah County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Smyth County, Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Inst. Cemetery
- Smyth County, SW Virginia State Hospital 1920 Census
- South Farnham Parish, Essex County, Episcopal, Vestry Book, 1739-1876
- St. Ann’s Parish, Albemarle County, Episcopal, Vestry Book, 1772-1785, and Overseers of the Poor Accounts, 1786-1809
- St. Ann’s Parish, Albemarle County, Overseers of the Poor, Vestry Book, 1772-1785, and Overseers of the Poor Accounts, 1786-1809
- St. George’s Parish, Spotsylvania County, Episcopal, Vestry Books, 1726-1817
- St. James-Northam Parish, Goochland County, Episcopal, Vestry Book, 1744-1860
- Staunton City, Western State Hospital Cemetery
- Staunton City, Western State Hospital Old Graveyard
- Surry County, Clerk of the County Court, 1672-1922, 1947-1949
- Surry County, Orphan Account
- Surry County, Overseers of Poor, 1782-1897
- Sussex County, Alms House Cemetery
- Tazewell County, 1890 Census Tazewell Alms House
- The Vestry Book of Blisland (Blissland) Parish, New Kent and James City Counties, Virginia, 1721-1786
- Upper Parish, Nansemond County, Episcopal, The Vestry Book, 1743-1793
- Virginia, Virginia State Road Camp 1930 Census
- Warwick County, Overseers of the Poor, Record of Overseers of the Poor, 1786-1860 [photostat Copy]
- Washington County, Alms Poor House Cemetery
- Washington County, Overseers of the Poor, Minutes of Meetings, 1826-1862
- Westmoreland County, Westmoreland Poor House Cemetery
- Williamsburg City, Eastern State Hospital Cemetery
- Williamsburg City, Original Eastern State Hospital Cemetery
- Wise County, 1880 Census of Inmates in County Jailhouse
- Wise County, 1900 Census of Inmates in County Jail
- Wise County, 1920 Census of Inmates in County Jail
- Wise County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Wood County, Records of the Poor, 1880-1890
- Wythe County, Poorhouse Farm Cemetery
- York County, Poor Farm Cemetery
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!