Giles County Death Index

Giles County death records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk in Pearisburg and by the Virginia Department of Health in Richmond. The Giles County death index covers deaths from 1853 through the present, with records split between different agencies based on when the death occurred. This page explains how to request certified copies, access historical death registers, and use free online search tools for Giles County deaths.

Giles County Circuit Court Clerk

The Giles County Circuit Court Clerk's Office in Pearisburg handles probate matters, wills, land records, marriage licenses, and court case files. The clerk does not issue certified death certificates. Those come from the Virginia Department of Health. The court holds probate records that are tied to deaths in the county and can serve as an important secondary source.

When a Giles County resident dies with property, the family typically files probate documents at the Circuit Court. Those filings can include the date of death, names of heirs, and details about the estate. Will books and estate inventories going back to 1806 are held here. Giles County was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (now West Virginia), and Tazewell counties. For deaths before 1806 in this area, researchers should check those parent county records.

The Virginia Online Case Information System provides free access to Giles County civil, criminal, and probate cases by name or case number. This can help locate probate filings connected to a death when the certificate is still within the 25-year privacy window. The court also holds guardianship records that can arise when a death leaves minor children needing a legal guardian.

Virginia Death Records for Giles County

The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records holds certified death certificates for Giles County deaths from June 1912 to the present. The office is at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23227. Walk-in hours run 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 window, only immediate family may request a copy. Eligible relatives are the spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent of the deceased. Photo ID is required with every 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 can also be obtained at full-service Virginia DMV locations for a $2 processing fee added to the state cost.

Search the Giles County Death Index Online

The Virginia Online Case Information System (OCIS) provides free access to Giles County court records. Search by name or case number for probate, civil, and criminal cases. Probate filings often follow a death and can help confirm a date of death when the certificate is not yet publicly available.

The Library of Virginia holds Giles County death register microfilm from 1853 to 1896. These registers include the name, date and place of death, cause of death, age, sex, race, occupation, and parent names of the deceased. The microfilm is available for interlibrary loan. These registers are the main resource for Giles County deaths from the nineteenth century.

Virginia residents can use Ancestry for Virginians at no cost. This includes Virginia Death Records from 1912 to 2014 and Virginia Death Registers from 1853 to 1911. A Library of Virginia card or a participating public library card is needed. This is one of the fastest free ways to search the Giles County death index without paying for a certified copy.

FamilySearch provides free Virginia death databases including Virginia Deaths and Burials from 1853 to 1912. Index data and images from original register pages are available. FamilySearch is a practical free starting point for historical Giles County death research.

Giles County Death Records: Historical Research

Giles County was formed in 1806 from Montgomery, Monroe (now West Virginia), and Tazewell counties. The county sits on the New River in southwest Virginia. Death records follow the standard Virginia pattern: registers from 1853 to 1896, a gap from 1897 through May 1912, and modern certificates from June 1912 forward. Before 1853, church records, cemetery surveys, and estate records at the Circuit Court are the main sources. For deaths before 1806 in this area, researchers need to check the records of the three parent counties.

The Virginia Genealogical Society sponsors the Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, which covers Giles County and can help identify register entries before requesting microfilm from the Library of Virginia. The Library of Virginia holds a statewide death index through 1954, providing certificate numbers for ordering 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. Federal mortality census schedules from 1850 to 1880 are held at the Library of Virginia on microfilm and include Giles County residents. These schedules list the name, age, sex, race, occupation, cause of death, and month of death, and are a useful supplement to the death registers for the mid-nineteenth century in Giles County.

Nearby Counties

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