Washington County Obituary Records

Washington County obituary and death records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk in Abingdon, 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 far Southwest Virginia county, and how to request certified copies from the right offices.

Washington County Circuit Court Clerk

The Washington County Circuit Court Clerk in Abingdon holds land records, probate files, will books, and court documents going back to the county's formation in 1776. As one of Virginia's earliest counties in the Southwest, Washington County's court records include documents from the late 18th century onward. The clerk does not issue death certificates directly but maintains estate and probate files that document deaths. Will books name decedents, identify heirs, and often include dates of death going back many generations.

Death registers from 1853 to 1896 for Washington 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. Washington County's long settlement history and connection to the Overmountain Men and early frontier Virginia mean there are records going back before formal county organization. Local church records and cemetery surveys are essential for early research.

Washington County Death Certificates

Death certificates for Washington County from June 1912 to the present are on file with 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 members including spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Valid photo ID and a signed request form are required for any order.

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 available at vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records. The Mount Rogers Health District serves Washington County for local vital records questions.

Washington County borders Tennessee and is adjacent to the independent city of Bristol, which straddles the Virginia-Tennessee state line. Deaths in Bristol, Virginia are on file with the city of Bristol rather than Washington County. Deaths in Bristol, Tennessee are on file with Tennessee authorities. If you are unsure which side of the line a death occurred on, check with the local circuit court or vital records office before submitting a request.

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

This page covers fees, required ID, and ordering methods for certified Washington County death records and all other Virginia localities.

Washington County Obituary and Historical Records

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

The Henley Marriage and Obituary Index covers Virginia newspapers from 1736 to 1982 and includes Southwest Virginia publications. Entries for Washington County families may appear through the Abingdon-area papers and regional publications including the Bristol Herald Courier. Search the index through the Library of Virginia's online catalog or request a mail lookup.

The Washington County Public Library in Abingdon holds local genealogical collections. The Historical Society of Washington County also maintains materials relating to local families, church records, and cemeteries. Washington County's Revolutionary War and early frontier history means some of the most useful research leads are in the LVA's colonial and early American records collection. Early Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist church records from the Abingdon area are held at the LVA and at local collections.

The Virginia Genealogy Society at virginiagenealogy.org/obits lists obituary resources and links to Southwest Virginia newspaper archives. The Bristol Herald Courier archive is a key source for Washington County obituaries from the late 1800s to the present and covers the Tennessee border communities as well.

The Library of Virginia guide at lva-virginia.libguides.com/bmd/death covers historical Washington County death records from 1853 through modern digital databases.

This guide covers microfilm registers, 1912-1939 certificates, and Ancestry.com access for Washington County death and obituary research.

Search Washington County Obituary Records Online

Find It Virginia at finditva.com gives free access to Virginia death records on Ancestry.com for Virginia library cardholders. The Washington County Public Library in Abingdon issues cards to county residents. Once logged 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 lists obituary databases and links to Southwest Virginia newspaper archives. The Bristol Herald Courier is particularly valuable for Washington County and the city of Bristol obituary records 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 and supplements death certificate research. The Henley Index through the LVA catalog can yield early obituary records from 18th and 19th century papers serving the Abingdon and Southwest Virginia area.

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

Virginia Death Record Laws

Virginia's vital records law under Code of Virginia Title 32.1, Chapter 7 governs who can access death certificates and at what cost. Section 32.1-272 requires the State Registrar to issue certified copies for $12 on proper request. Deaths in the last 25 years are restricted to close family who can document their relationship. Deaths older than 25 years are public records. Physicians, funeral directors, and local registrars all have duties under this statute to report and register deaths.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act at Section 2.2-3700 makes government records broadly open. Death records more than 25 years old fall under these open-records provisions. If a request is improperly denied, the FOIA Advisory Council at (804) 698-1810 can offer guidance and mediation assistance.

Certified copies are required for estate administration, insurance claims, real estate transfers, and name changes. Informational copies work for genealogy research but are not accepted in legal proceedings. Confirm with the VDH which type you need before submitting your request.

Cities in and Near Washington County

The independent city of Bristol borders Washington County and has its own records system separate from the county.

Bristol is the primary qualifying city adjacent to Washington County and has its own page on this site. Death records for Bristol, Virginia city residents are filed with Bristol city offices rather than the county. Washington County communities include Abingdon, Damascus, Glade Spring, and Saltville. All county death records are handled through Washington County and state resources.

Nearby Counties

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