Helpful Genealogy Research Tips

Getting Started

1. The first step to any genealogical research is to begin with yourself and your living relatives. Interviewing living relatives is the best way to find information about your most recent family history. You may record these interviews or take detailed notes.

2. Keep your information organized. As you are learning more about your family history, it is important to take clear and concise notes. Some information you should store is birth names, married names, birth and death dates, and where your ancestor resided. 

3. Start one generation at a time. Focusing on one generation at a time will allow you to collect accurate information without getting overwhelmed.

4. Consider the following items when beginning your genealogical research: family bibles, slave records, marriage notices, newspapers, deeds, death certificates, tax records, and church records.

Library Resources

Ancestry Library Edition

Ancestry is available to use at all Suffolk Public Library locations. This resource can only be accessed on our public computers.

Local History and Genealogy Books

The Morgan Memorial Library has a specific Local History & Genealogy reference section.

Newsbank Inc. - Heritage Hub

Explore your family history with the premier collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for in-depth genealogical research from 1704 – today. HeritageHub helps you easily identify relatives, uncover new information and potentially unknown family members. Includes deep coverage from all 50 states, hard-to-find content from the mid 1900’s, and original obituary images. 

Suffolk Digital Archives

Local History & Genealogy Programs

All of our local history and genealogy programs are free to the public. Ask us about our next Genealogy Meetup!

Discovery Appointments

A local history and genealogy librarian is available to answer any questions you may have. Fill out this form to request a Discovery Appointment.

Universal Class

Universal Class offers a self-paced genealogy class. You can access this resource in the library or at home with your library card.

Other Resources

Library of Virginia (LVA)

LVA documents the history, culture, and people of the commonwealth and is available on paper and microfilm, as well as digitally.

Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society

The Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society collects and preserves all things related to Suffolk. Visit their website for education opportunities.

National Archives & Record Administration (NARA)

NARA is the nation’s record keeper. All federal documents are stored by them. Documents available for viewing include census records, military records, photos, and more.

Cyndi’s List

Cyndi’s List is a website dedicated to linking reliable and accurate genealogical information.

Internet Archive

Internet Archive is a crowd-sourced archive that you can browse online.

Virginia Department of Health

For a copy of a death, birth, or marriage certificate, contact the Virginia Department of Health.

Family Search

Family Search is a nonprofit organization that offers genealogical records for free. 

Find a Grace

Find a Grave is the largest digital collection of graves available. 

Suffolk Specific Tips

1. Suffolk only became a city in 1974. When searching for information before that period you will have to search for Nansemond County and the towns of Holland and Whaleyville. The city now extends to the border of North Carolina.

2. When colonized in 1742 it was referred to as Constant's Warehouse. 


3. Due to fires, Suffolk/Nansemond County has suffered catastrophic levels of loss in records. Family Search has tips on other records to search. The Library of Virginia has a database of recovered records. 

Still Not Finding the Record You Need?

Due to the fires in Nansemond County, it may be difficult to find the records you need. Check out the following places for records:

Churches

St. John's Episcopal Church has digitized their baptism records from 1844 - 1960. 

Glebe Church has an abundance of historical articles available for review.

City Directory

Morgan Memorial Library has Suffolk City directories available in their reference collection. Visit in-person to view them.  

Land Patents

Library of Virginia has digitized some of their land patents and grants. 

Marriage Records

Visit any Suffolk Public Library location to view marriage records through Ancestry.

Tax Records

Morgan Memorial Library has tax records available from 1815 - 1861. Visit in-person to view them.

Personal tax records are available to view at the Library of Virginia. Please note that the records are under Nansemond County. Ask staff about requesting an interlibrary loan.

Vital Records

The Virginia Department of Health does not do genealogical research, however they can send certified copies of records for a fee. In the Office of Vital Martha Records, marriage, divorce, and death data becomes public information twenty-five (25) years from the date of the event, and birth data becomes public information one hundred (100) years from the date of the event (Section 32.1-271 of the Code of Virginia). 

Copies  of surviving Virginia birth and death records for the period 1853 to 1896 and marriage records before 1936 are located in the Library of Virginia.

The Virginia Department of Health has made certain records available to the public through Ancestry. Visit any public library location to view through Ancestry.

Black Ancestry Tips

  1. Genealogical research should always begin with yourself and your living relatives.

  2. You will likely be able to trace your family back to the Civil War with typical sources, but some records may be segregated.

  3. When searching for ancestors, keep in mind that names were mutable and last names could have changed. If you are certain an ancestor lived in a certain area and you know their age, read the entire census page for possible misspellings.

  4. Not all indexes include African Americans, so check the original records. If they are not in the “colored” registries, try the white registries in case their race was recorded incorrectly.

  5. The 1870 Census was the first census to count all individuals, as the 14th Amendment abolished the three-fifths rule. 

  6. Research the local history of where your ancestors lived. Churches, clubs, and other community establishments may have records of your ancestors. 

  7. If you need more help to get over a specific roadblock, contact our local history and genealogy librarian! Set up a Discovery Appointment.

Black Ancestry Databases and Resources

The Freedman’s Bureau Records

The Freedman’s Bureau Records include marriage certificates, schooling information, labor contracts, hospital records, complaints, relief rolls, land applications, requests for legal aid and protection, and trial summaries of formerly enslaved individuals. The scope is limited since this bureau was only fully active from June 1865 through December 1868

Family Search - African American Resources for Virginia

Family Search has compiled list of online resources and strategies for searching for African American ancestors in Virginia.

Virginia Slavery Era Insurance Registry 

Virginia Slavery Era Insurance Registry is a registry of policies taken out on enslaved individuals. They are sorted by state, then county, then slaveholder name.

The Library of Virginia: To Preserve our Common Heritage

The Library of Virginia has compiled a list of African-American newspapers by and for the Black community.

Unknown No Longer Database

Unknown No Longer is a database curated by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture to make biographical details of enslaved Virginians more accessible. 

Freedom on the Move

Freedom on the Move is a crowdsourced database of advertisements on runaway enslaved people. 

Virginia African American Cultural Resources Task Force 

Virginia African American Cultural Resources Task Force is dedicated to preserving Black heritage. Visit their website for more information regarding the preservation of Black cultural heritage sites. 

Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society of Hampton Roads

The Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society is a non-profit dedicated to preserving African-ancestored family history. There is a chapter in Hampton Roads.