Search Dinwiddie County Death Records and Obituaries

Dinwiddie County obituary and death records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Dinwiddie and through Virginia's vital records system, serving researchers and family members who need death documentation from this historic Southside Virginia county adjacent to Petersburg and Colonial Heights.

Dinwiddie County Circuit Court Clerk

The Dinwiddie County Circuit Court Clerk maintains land records, probate records, and marriage records from 1752 when the county was formed. Dinwiddie County surrounds the independent cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights, and Hopewell. Deaths that occurred within those city limits are filed with each city's own vital records office, not with Dinwiddie County.

Estate files at the circuit court document deaths through the probate process. These files are public and can be reviewed at the courthouse in Dinwiddie. The clerk's staff can help locate estate files by name or approximate year. For pre-1912 Dinwiddie County death research, the circuit court records and the Library of Virginia death registers are the main sources.

Dinwiddie County Death Certificates

Certified death certificates for Dinwiddie County deaths from 1912 to the present are available through the Crater Health District or the Virginia Department of Health. The fee is $12 per copy. Under Code of Virginia Title 32.1, deaths within the last 25 years require proof of immediate family relationship.

Order from VDH at (804) 662-6200 or at vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records. For in-person requests, the Crater Health District office in Petersburg serves Dinwiddie County. Remember that deaths in Petersburg, Colonial Heights, and Hopewell require requests to those cities' health departments, not to Dinwiddie County.

Bring valid photo ID. For deaths within the last 25 years, bring documentation showing your relationship to the deceased, such as a birth certificate or marriage license.

The screenshot below shows the VDH vital records portal for ordering Dinwiddie County death certificates.

Virginia's Office of Vital Records processes all Dinwiddie County death certificate requests for deaths recorded from June 1912 onward.

Historical Obituary Records in Dinwiddie County

Dinwiddie County death registers from 1853 to 1896 are on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Dinwiddie County is a historically significant area with Civil War battlegrounds, and death records from the post-war period reflect the social upheaval of that era. The LVA death guide at lva-virginia.libguides.com/bmd/death explains what is available.

The statewide 1897-1911 gap affects Dinwiddie County. Petersburg area newspapers covered Dinwiddie County deaths throughout that period. The library at Virginia State University in Petersburg also holds some local history materials relevant to Dinwiddie County genealogy.

The Henley Index at lva-virginia.libguides.com/henley covers Virginia newspaper obituary notices from 1736 to 1982 and includes coverage of Petersburg area papers that reported on Dinwiddie County deaths. This is a key resource for pre-1912 obituary research in this county.

Online Search Tools for Dinwiddie Obituaries

Find It Virginia at finditva.com provides free access to Dinwiddie County death records from 1912 to the present. A Virginia library card is required. Search by name and county. This database also covers death records for the surrounding cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights, and Hopewell, which are important because many Dinwiddie County families had ties to those cities.

The Virginia Genealogical Society obituary database at virginiagenealogy.org/obits indexes obituaries from Virginia newspapers including those from the Petersburg and Southside Virginia region. Dinwiddie County families are included. The database is free to search.

The Virginia Museum of History and Culture at virginiahistory.org holds family papers and compiled genealogies for Southside Virginia families. The VMHC collections include materials relevant to Dinwiddie County research from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The screenshot below shows the Library of Virginia death records guide covering Dinwiddie County historical registers.

The Library of Virginia maintains death registers and genealogical indexes covering Dinwiddie County from 1853 through the present.

Public Access and FOIA Rights

Virginia's Freedom of Information Act at Code of Virginia Section 2.2-3700 makes death records older than 25 years publicly accessible. Dinwiddie County Circuit Court records, including probate files and deed books, are open to the public and can be reviewed at the courthouse in Dinwiddie.

Genealogy Resources for Dinwiddie County

Dinwiddie County genealogy benefits from proximity to Petersburg, which has strong research resources including the Petersburg Public Library and Virginia State University library. Both hold local history collections relevant to Dinwiddie County families.

The Library of Virginia at lva.virginia.gov holds Dinwiddie County deed books, will books, and court records. The LVA collections index at lva.virginia.gov/collections/cri identifies specific Dinwiddie County holdings. For African American family research, the Freedmen's Bureau records at the National Archives cover the Petersburg area including Dinwiddie County.

Cities Near Dinwiddie County

Three independent cities are located within or adjacent to Dinwiddie County. Each city maintains its own vital records office.

Nearby Counties

Dinwiddie County borders Chesterfield, Prince George, Sussex, and Greensville counties.