Tazewell County Obituary Records

Tazewell County obituary and death records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Tazewell, the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records, and the Library of Virginia. This page explains how to find death certificates, historical registers, and obituary sources for this Southwest Virginia coal county, and how to request certified copies from the right offices.

Tazewell County Circuit Court Clerk

The Tazewell County Circuit Court Clerk in Tazewell holds land records, probate files, will books, and court documents going back to the county's formation in 1799. The clerk does not issue death certificates directly but maintains estate and probate records that document deaths over many generations. Will books name decedents, identify heirs, and often include death dates. For deaths before statewide registration was reliable, these court records are a primary research tool alongside church archives and local newspapers.

Death registers from 1853 to 1896 for Tazewell County are on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. There is a gap in statewide registration from 1897 to 1911. Consistent death registration resumed in June 1912. Tazewell County's history as a coal mining region means many deaths from the late 1800s and early 1900s are also documented in mine safety and industrial records held by state and federal agencies. Coal camp communities kept their own records in some cases.

Tazewell County Death Certificates

Death certificates for Tazewell County 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, deaths within the last 25 years are restricted to immediate family including spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Valid photo ID and a signed request form are required.

In-person orders are placed at the VDH Richmond office at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, open Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The phone number is (804) 662-6200. Online and mail orders are accepted at vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records. The New River Health District serves Tazewell County for local vital records questions.

Tazewell County includes the towns of Tazewell, Bluefield, and Pocahontas. The county shares the Bluefield area with Mercer County, West Virginia. Deaths that occurred in the West Virginia portion of that community will be on file with West Virginia rather than Virginia authorities. It is worth confirming which state has the official record if research involves the border area.

The VDH vital records page at vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records provides instructions for ordering Tazewell County death certificates by mail, online, or in person.

The VDH page covers fees, required ID, and all ordering methods for Tazewell County and other Virginia death records.

Tazewell County Obituary and Historical Records

The Library of Virginia holds death registers from 1853 to 1896 for Tazewell County on microfilm available for interlibrary loan. Death certificates from 1912 to 1939 are also on microfilm at the Library. The guide at lva-virginia.libguides.com/bmd/death explains what records are available for Tazewell County and how to access them remotely or in person.

The Henley Marriage and Obituary Index covers Virginia newspapers from 1736 to 1982 and includes Southwest Virginia publications. Entries for Tazewell County families may appear through regional papers like the Tazewell County Register and the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Search the index through the Library of Virginia's online catalog.

Mining fatality records from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy document deaths from coal mine accidents in Tazewell County. These records complement standard death certificates and are especially relevant for research into deaths in communities like Pocahontas, Richlands, and Cedar Bluff. The Virginia Coalfields and regional historical archives hold additional materials related to the coal industry and its communities.

The Tazewell County Public Library and local historical societies maintain genealogical collections covering the county. Cemetery records for the many family and church cemeteries in the rural parts of the county are an important resource for pre-1912 deaths and for deaths during the registration gap period from 1897 to 1911.

The Library of Virginia guide at lva-virginia.libguides.com/bmd/death describes historical Tazewell County death records from 1853 through microfilm and digital databases.

This guide covers microfilm access, Ancestry.com databases, and the Henley Index for Tazewell County death and obituary research.

Search Tazewell County Death Records Online

Find It Virginia at finditva.com gives free access to Virginia death records on Ancestry.com for Virginia library cardholders. The Tazewell County Public Library participates in the statewide system and can issue cards to county residents. Once signed in, you can search the Virginia death records index from 1912 to 2014 and view certificate images at no cost.

The Virginia Genealogy Society at virginiagenealogy.org/obits links to obituary databases and Southwest Virginia newspaper archives. The Bluefield Daily Telegraph archive and Tazewell-area paper archives are useful sources for county obituaries going back to the early 20th century.

The Library of Virginia Criminal Registers index at lva.virginia.gov/collections/cri documents deaths in state institutions. The Henley Index through the LVA catalog is worth searching for 19th century obituary records from the Tazewell area. Mining safety records accessible through the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy are a specialized resource for coal industry deaths.

Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act at Section 2.2-3700, death records older than 25 years are public. Recent deaths require proof of family relationship before copies will be released.

Virginia Death Record Laws

Virginia's vital records law under Code of Virginia Title 32.1, Chapter 7 governs death certificate access across all Virginia localities. Section 32.1-272 directs the State Registrar to issue certified copies for $12 on proper request. Deaths within the last 25 years require proof of close family relationship. Deaths older than 25 years are public records. The law also covers physician and funeral director reporting duties and the role of local registrars in the registration system.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act at Section 2.2-3700 provides public access to government records. Death records older than 25 years fall within these open-records rules. The FOIA Advisory Council at (804) 698-1810 can assist if a request is denied and you think the denial was improper.

Certified copies are required for estate proceedings, insurance claims, property transfers, and name changes. Plain informational copies are acceptable for genealogy but not for official legal or financial use. Confirm with the VDH what type of copy you need before placing your order.

Cities Near Tazewell County

Tazewell County is a Southwest Virginia county with no independent cities that meet the qualifying population threshold for this site.

Tazewell is the county seat. Bluefield (Virginia portion) and Richlands are other communities in the county. Death records for all Tazewell County communities are handled through county and state offices. The West Virginia city of Bluefield is just across the state line but uses West Virginia records systems. The closest qualifying city on this site is Bristol in Washington County to the southeast.

Nearby Counties

These counties border or are near Tazewell County in Southwest Virginia. Each has its own Circuit Court Clerk for death record and obituary searches.