Genealogy Records

frequently asked questions

What is included in a Jamestown genealogy record? Each genealogy record summarizes documented historical information about the individual. This may include birth and death dates; familial relations, such as parents, spouse(s), and children; and the person’s Virginia connection, such as arrival date and place of residence. The information available about an individual can vary tremendously, so files will not necessarily include all of these details. Records also focus on documented evidence from the first half of the 17th century and do not contain information about subsequent generations beyond the person’s children or grandchildren, if known.

How do I purchase a record or records? Each genealogy record costs $4.95. For each record you wish to purchase, click the “Add to Cart” button. Once all records are selected, click the dark gray “View Cart” pop-up button at the bottom of the screen to review and/or modify the list of selected records. When ready, proceed to the Checkout page to purchase the records. At this time, records can only be purchased with a credit card linked to a billing address in the United States and are non-refundable.

How do I receive my purchased records? Each genealogy record comes as a downloadable PDF. Upon completion of your purchase, the download link(s) will be available on the confirmation screen. An email with the link(s) will also be sent to the address provided during the transaction process. The PDFs can be opened with Adobe Acrobat, which is free to download. Our team will be happy to assist Monday through Friday, during normal business hours, with questions about how to download the file(s), but records cannot be mailed. If you need assistance downloading a purchased file, please email hjweb@preservationvirginia.org.

How can I find out if there is a record for my relative? The genealogy records are listed under a person’s last name at birth, if known.  Additional names and spelling variations are shown in the descriptions under the primary name. The list of records can be filtered by first letter of the primary last name using the checkboxes in the dropdown at the top of the list. To search all names and variations, enter a term in the search box at the top of the list and click the magnifying glass.

Why do only some records have spouses listed? Spouses are only included in the description for a record when some additional information about the individual beyond their name and marriage is available. “Separate record available” means that the spouse has their own genealogical record. “In this record” indicates some additional information about the person is available in the spouse’s record, but not enough is known about them to have their own record.

What does “No confirmed surviving descendants” mean? Record descriptions with this phrase indicate that our researchers have not been able to identify any surviving children beyond one or two generations from the individual. These genealogical lines could continue to the present, but our researchers have not been able verify any descendants through documented sources.

genealogy records