Alexandria Library

Virginia Slave Births Index, 1853-1865, Volume 6, Geographic Supplement Alexandria Library

In 1853, the Commonwealth of Virginia began an annual registration of births and deaths. The Birth Index of Slaves, 1853-1865 was later transcribed by the Work Projects Administration (WPA) and recorded on microfilm. While the information - name of informant, infant's name, mother's name, birth date, place of birth - is of immense value to genealogists, working with the microfilm can be problematic. Hence, the creation of this multi-volume reference work, Virginia Slave Births Index, 1853-1865. The Geographic Supplement will assist those whose research has led them to a locale rather than to an informant. There is an alphabetized list of informants for each county and city. The surname (or corporate name) appears once in each locale. The researcher then consults the "lettered" volume of the Virginia Slave Births Index, 1853-1865 for the informant's full name and the infant's birth date. The researcher should then examine the county (or city) birth register for that year for additional information. When two locales are reported for one birth, the researcher should examine the birth register of the first named county (or city) before proceeding. Birth registers for this period are on microfilm at the Library of Virginia.