Find Clarke County Obituary Records
Clarke County obituary and death records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk, the Virginia Department of Health, and the Library of Virginia. This page explains where those records are located, how to search them, and what you can expect to find for Clarke County families in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley region.
Clarke County Overview
Clarke County Circuit Court Clerk
The Clarke County Circuit Court Clerk keeps land records, probate records, and older vital records for the county. Death registers from 1853 to 1896 are available on microfilm through the Library of Virginia. The clerk's office in Berryville is a starting point for historical death research in Clarke County, particularly for records that predate the state certificate system.
Clarke County is a small rural county in the lower Shenandoah Valley. It was formed from Frederick County in 1836. The county seat of Berryville has served as the center of local government since then. Clarke County is part of the 26th Judicial Circuit along with neighboring Frederick and Warren counties.
| Office | Clarke County Circuit Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 102 North Church Street Berryville, VA 22611 |
| Phone | (540) 955-5116 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | clarkecounty.gov |
Clarke County Death Certificates
Clarke County death certificates from June 1912 to the present are held by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records. Certified copies cost $12 each. Under Code of Virginia Title 32.1, Chapter 7, only immediate family members can receive certified copies within 25 years of the death. After that period, the records are public.
The VDH office is at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23227. The Customer Care Center phone is (804) 662-6200, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can apply online, by mail, or in person. A copy of your photo ID must go with your request. Visit the VDH vital records page to start your application.
Clarke County residents can also get death certificates through local health department offices. The Northern Shenandoah Valley Health District serves Clarke County and can provide guidance on obtaining death certificates for local deaths.
The image below shows the Virginia Department of Health vital records portal, where Clarke County death certificate requests are processed.
The online portal walks you through each step of the application process and provides current fee and ID requirements.
Clarke County Historical Death Registers
The Library of Virginia holds Clarke County death registers from 1853 to 1896. These records are on microfilm and can be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan. The registers from this period contain name, race, sex, date and place of death, cause of death, age, place of birth, occupation, marital status, names of parents, and the name of the person who reported the death.
Between 1897 and 1911, Clarke County likely did not record deaths. Virginia did not require registration during that period, and most rural counties stopped keeping registers. The Library of Virginia holds Clarke County death certificates from 1912 to 1939 on microfilm. From 1940 onward, certified copies come from the state office in Richmond.
The Library of Virginia death records guide gives details on how to access these records and request microfilm. This is a free service for qualifying requests.
The image below shows the Library of Virginia's death records research guide, which covers the availability of Clarke County records by time period.
The guide explains how to find specific counties, request microfilm, and use the available indexes for the 1853 to 1896 period.
Clarke County Obituary Newspaper Records
Newspaper obituaries from Clarke County are part of several statewide indexes. The Henley Marriage and Obituary Index covers 1736 through 1982 and includes notices from Virginia newspapers. Clarke County may appear in this index through coverage in the Winchester Star and other regional papers that served the Northern Shenandoah Valley.
You can search the Henley Index through the Library of Virginia's online guide. The Winchester Star Obituary Index, which covers 1896 to 1915, is a separate resource listed on the Virginia Genealogy Obituaries page. Clarke County residents who died during that period may appear in the Winchester Star given its proximity to Berryville.
The Winchester Star has covered Clarke County news for over a century. Microfilm copies of older issues may be available at the Thomas Balch Library in Leesburg or the Clarke County Public Library in Berryville. Contact those libraries for help locating specific obituary issues.
Search Clarke County Death Records Online
Virginia public library card holders can search Clarke County death records for free through Find It Virginia. This gives you access to the Ancestry.com index of Virginia death records from 1912 to the present. You can retrieve and download digital copies at no cost using your library card number and a free Ancestry.com login.
The Clarke County Public Library can help you get a library card if you do not already have one. The library itself may also have local history materials useful for obituary research. For genealogy help beyond what you can find online, the Virginia Museum of History and Culture's Searching for People page lists additional research resources.
Virginia's open records law at Section 2.2-3700 of the Code of Virginia gives you the right to request death records that are beyond the 25-year privacy window. This applies to Clarke County records held by state and local agencies.
Cities Near Clarke County
Clarke County does not have independent cities within its borders. Winchester, an independent city adjacent to the county, serves as the regional center for the area and has its own death records system.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Clarke County. Each has its own death records through the state system and local circuit court.