Free Online Virginia City Directories

City and business directories are available online from all over the U.S. and are what I consider another important set of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.

This activity of presenting links is a collaborative effort between The Ancestor Hunt and Miriam Robbins, who for years has made available the Online Historical Directories website, which presents links to directories of all types that are available online, including free collections as well as those available only via subscription. I wish to thank Miriam for her help in launching this category of records at The Ancestor Hunt.

So, what kinds of directories are available to the researcher?  Naturally city and business directories, but also telephone directories, and alumni, farm, lodge, rural, and social directories.

What can you find in these records? How about:

• Full names, including middle names
• Spouse name
• Occupation
• Widows, working women, and adult children at home.
• Maps
• Businesses (and index to advertisers).
• Addresses and maps of churches, schools, funeral homes, cemeteries, post offices, courts, hospitals, benevolent associations, newspapers.
• Whether a woman is a widow (including name of husband).
• List of marriages and deaths of previous year.
• Death date.
• etc.

Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching historical city and other directories:
​

• FamilySearch - United States Directories
• How to Use City Directories In Your Genealogy Research 
• What's In A City Directory? (a 10 article series about City Directories)

Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.

(Updated July, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD)

Links to these free collections are presented initially with statewide collections, followed in alphabetical order by city or county. Generally, the publishing company is included in the reference to the collection, along with the collection title, and the date(s) of the directory:

Statewide

• Virginia Business and Professional Directory, Thomson, 1851
• Virginia Business Directory, Chataigne, 1888-9 
• Virginia Business Directory, Elliott & Nye, 1852
• Virginia Constitutional Convention Directory, Virginia Constitutional Directory, 1901

Arlington County

• Arlington County Virginia Directory, Hill's 1955

Charlottesville

• Charlottesville, Va. directory and list of Albemarle County farmers, 1914-1915

Falls Church

• Falls Church City Directory, 1963

Franklin County

• Franklin County, Pollard's 1910 Directory and commercial guide

Fredericksburg

• Fredericksburg Business Directory, 1885
• Fredericksburg Business Directory, 1933
• Fredericksburg City Directory, 1888-1889
• Fredericksburg City Directory, 1892
• Fredericksburg City Directory, 1910-11
• Fredericksburg City Directory, 1921
• Fredericksburg City Directory, 1938

Harrisonburg

• Harrisonburg, Virginia, City Directory - Miller's  v. 4 (1940-1941)

Lynchburg

• Lynchburg City Directory, 1873
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1875
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1876-1877
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1879-1880
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1883-1884
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1892
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1892-1893
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1894
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1894-1895
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1896
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1902
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1904
• Lynchburg City Directory, 1906
• Lynchburg, Virginia, Walsh's City Directory - 1910

Manchester 

• Manchester, Va., and suburbs ... to which is appended a business directory of Chesterfield County , Haddock's Directory

Marion

• Marion, Virginia, City Directory - Miller's v. 1 (1954-1955)
• Marion, Virginia, City Directory - Miller's v. 2 (1958-1959)

Martinsville

• Martinsville, Virginia, City Directory - Miller's v. 5 (1945-1946)
• Martinsville, Virginia, City Directory - Miller's v. 8 (1951-1952)
• Martinsville, Virginia, City Directory - Miller's v. 9 (1954)

Newport News

• Newport News, Hampton, Phoebus and Old Point, Va. Directory, 1910
• Newport News, Hampton, Phoebus and Old Point, Va. Directory, 1913, 
• Newport News, Hampton, Phoebus and Old Point, Va. Directory, 1917
• Newport News, Hampton, Phoebus and Old Point, Va. Directory, 1918

Norfolk

• 1851-1852 Norfolk City
• 1859 Norfolk City
• 1860 Norfolk City
• 1866 Norfolk City
• 1867 Norfolk City
• 1869 Norfolk City
• 1870 Norfolk City
• 1872 Norfolk City
• 1872-1873 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1874-1875 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1875-1876 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1877-1878 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1880-1881 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1882-1883 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1883-1884 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1885 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1886 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1888 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1889 Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Berkley City
• 1890-1891 Norfolk, Portsmouth and Berkley City
• 1891-1892 Norfolk, Portsmouth and Berkley City
• 1892-1893 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1894 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1895-1896 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1897 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1898 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1899 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1900 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1901 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1902 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1903 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1904 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1905 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1906 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1907 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1908 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1909 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1910 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1911 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1912 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1913 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1914 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1915 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1916 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1917 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1918 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1919 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1920-1921 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1922 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1923 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1924 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1925 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1927 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1928 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1930 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• 1931 Norfolk and Portsmouth City
• Directory of Norfolk, Portsmouth and Berkley, Virginia 1902
• Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia, Directory - 1908
• Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia, Directory - 1921
• Norfolk, Portsmouth and Berkley, Chataigne's directory of 1891-92
• Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1964
• Norfolk, Portsmouth, South Norfolk Telephone Directory, 1957
• Norfolk, Portsmouth, South Norfolk Telephone Directory, 1961
• Norfolk, Portsmouth, South Norfolk Telephone Directory, 1962

Petersburg

• Charlottesville, Va. directory and list of Albemarle County farmers 1914-1915
• Petersburg, Va. City Directory 1924

Pulaski County

• Pulaski Virginia Directory - 1935

Richmond

• ​Chataigne's directory of Richmond, Va., 1881
• Chataigne's directory of Richmond, Va., 1882-1883
• Chataigne's directory of Richmond, Va., 1883-1884
• City Directory, Richmond, Virginia, 1859
• Hill's Richmond city directory (Chesterfield and Henrico Counties, Va.) 1855
• Hill's Richmond city directory (Chesterfield and Henrico Counties, Va.) 1874-75
• Hill's Richmond city directory (Chesterfield and Henrico Counties, Va.) 1904
• Hill's Richmond city directory (Chesterfield and Henrico Counties, Va.) 1906
• Hill's Richmond city directory (Chesterfield and Henrico Counties, Va.) 1914
• Hill's Richmond city directory (Chesterfield and Henrico Counties, Va.) 1920
• Richmond City Directory, Ellyson, 1856
• Richmond Elite Directory, 1893
• Richmond Women's Business and Professional Directory, Virginia Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, 1921

​Roanoke

• Roanoke City Directory - Volume 10, 1922
• Roanoke, Virginia, City Directory - 1928
• Roanoke, Virginia, City Directory - 1930

Roanoke County

• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1923
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1927
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1928
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1931
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1932
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1935
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1936
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1937
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1938
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1939
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1940
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1941
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1942
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1943-44
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1945
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1946-47
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1948-49
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1950
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1951
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1952
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1953
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1954
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1955
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1956
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1957
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory 1958
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.1 1913
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.10 1922
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.12 1924
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.2 1914
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.21 1933
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.24 1934
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.3 1915
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.4 1916
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.5 1917
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.6 1918
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.7 1919-1920
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.8 1920-1921
• Roanoke, Salem and Vinton (Roanoke County, Va.) City Directory v.9 1921/1922

Virginia Beach

• The local yellow pages : a directory of businesses serving Lynnhaven, 1983
• Virginia Beach (Princess Anne County, Va.) City Directory, 1962
• Virginia Beach (Princess Anne County, Va.) City Directory, 1963
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1964-1965
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1966
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1967
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1968
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1969
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1970
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1971
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1972
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1973
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1974
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1975
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1976
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1977
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1978-1979
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1980
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1981
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1983
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1984
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1985-1986
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1987
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) City Directory, 1988
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) Polk City Directory, 1990
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) Polk City Directory, 1991
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) Polk City Directory, 1992
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) Polk City Directory, 1993
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) Polk City Directory, 1994
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) Polk City Directory, 1995
• Virginia Beach (Virginia) Polk Directory, 1982
• Virginia Beach City Directory, 1949-1950
• Virginia Beach Cross Reference Phone Directory 1954
• Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1936
• Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1937
• Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1939
• Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1944
• Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1948
• Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1953-1954
• Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1958
• Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1959
• Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1962
• Virginia Beach Telephone Directory, 1963
• Virginia Beach, (Virginia). Polk City Directory, 1998
• Virginia Beach, (Virginia).Polk City Directory, 1999

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

​For other Free Virginia Links, click on the category of interest:​

Newspapers
Obituaries
BMD Records
Photos
Yearbooks
Directories
Divorce Records
Naturalizations
Church Records
School Records
Coroner Records
Voter Records
Probate and Wills
Immigration
Mortuary Records
Alumni Records

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