Buckingham County Death Index

Buckingham County death records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk in Buckingham and by the Virginia Department of Health in Richmond. The death index for Buckingham County spans from 1853 through the present, with records divided between the court and the state vital records office depending on the year of death. This page explains where to request certified copies, where to find historical death registers, and what free online search tools cover Buckingham County.

Buckingham County Circuit Court Clerk

The Buckingham County Circuit Court Clerk's Office in the town of Buckingham handles probate matters, wills, land records, marriage licenses, and court case files for the county. The clerk does not issue certified death certificates. Those come from the Virginia Department of Health in Richmond. The court holds records going back to 1761 and is the main repository for estate and probate files connected to deaths in the county.

Probate records at the Circuit Court can be useful when a death certificate is not yet publicly available. When a Buckingham County resident dies with property, the family typically files probate documents with the Circuit Court. Those filings can include the date of death, names of heirs, and details about assets. The oldest will books and estate inventories here date back to the mid-eighteenth century and can be valuable for genealogical research.

For current court case searches, the Virginia Online Case Information System provides free searches of Buckingham County civil, criminal, and probate cases by name or case number. This system is a good first step when trying to locate probate filings that may confirm or approximate a date of death.

Virginia Death Records for Buckingham County

The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records holds certified death certificates for Buckingham County deaths from June 1912 to the present. The office is at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23227. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218-1000. Phone is (804) 662-6200.

Each certified copy costs $12. Under Virginia Code Title 32.1, Chapter 7, death records become public 25 years after the date of death. Before that point, only immediate family may request a copy. Eligible relatives include the spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent of the deceased. A legible government-issued photo ID is required with any request.

For online ordering, VitalChek is the state's authorized third-party service. An extra processing fee applies on top of the $12 state fee. VitalChek handles deaths from June 1, 1912 forward. Certified copies are also available at full-service Virginia DMV locations for a $2 processing fee added to the state cost.

Search the Buckingham County Death Index Online

The Virginia Online Case Information System (OCIS) allows free searching of Buckingham County court records. Search by name or case number for probate, civil, and criminal filings. Probate records often arise after a death and can help identify a date of death when the certificate is not yet publicly available under the 25-year rule.

The Library of Virginia holds Buckingham County death register microfilm from 1853 to 1896. These registers record the name of the deceased, date and place of death, cause of death, age, sex, race, occupation, and names of parents. The microfilm is available for interlibrary loan at many Virginia libraries. Buckingham County's registers from this period are a key source for family history research in the county.

Virginia residents can use Ancestry for Virginians at no charge. This includes Virginia Death Records from 1912 to 2014 and Virginia Death Registers from 1853 to 1911. A Library of Virginia card or a card from a participating public library is required. This free resource is a good starting point before requesting a paid copy from VDH.

FamilySearch provides free access to Virginia death databases including Virginia Deaths and Burials from 1853 to 1912. Index data and images from original register pages are available on the site. FamilySearch is a reliable free option for historical Buckingham County death research.

Buckingham County Death Records: Historical Research

Buckingham County was formed in 1761 from Albemarle County. The county sits in central Virginia, in the Piedmont region. Death records follow the standard Virginia pattern: death registers run from 1853 to 1896, a gap exists from 1897 through May 1912, and modern certificates begin in June 1912. Before 1853, no systematic death registration existed. Researchers must rely on church records, plantation records, cemetery surveys, and estate filings at the Circuit Court for earlier deaths.

The Virginia Genealogical Society sponsors the Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, which includes Buckingham County records and can help pinpoint a register entry before requesting the microfilm. The Library of Virginia also holds a statewide death index through 1954, giving certificate numbers that can be used to order copies from VDH.

Deaths from 2000 and earlier are now past the 25-year mark and are public records. Deaths from 2001 onward remain restricted to immediate family until the privacy window closes. Federal mortality census schedules from 1850 to 1880 are held at the Library of Virginia on microfilm and list people who died in the year before each census. These schedules can help fill in the record gaps for Buckingham County residents who died outside the registration periods.

Nearby Counties

These counties border or sit near Buckingham County. Each has its own Circuit Court and vital records resources for deaths in those jurisdictions.