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Charlottesville and Albemarle History and Research

Use this guide to find materials and resources covering the diverse history of the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

General information

The City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County are home to dozens of public and private cemeteries, graveyards, and burial grounds. Here are tips for planning your research.

  • Start with online resources like LDSGenealogy, FindAGrave, or BillionGraves. These sites contain indexed burials, headstone images, records directories, and user-submitted photographs and transcriptions. 
  • Check with local organizations. Historical societies, church archives, and libraries may hold burial records, obituaries, family papers, or cemetery maps.
  • Prepare to document carefully. During your visit, take detailed notes, photographs, and location coordinates when possible. This information may help you later.
  • Respect the site.  Obtain permission before visiting private cemeteries, and be sure to leave burial sites as you found them. 

Print Resources

Virginia Cemeteries: A Guide to Resources by Anne Hogg and Dennis Tosh

Record of Cemeteries in Albemarle County, Virginia, Including Charlottesville by Mrs. J. E. Early, Jr. and Mrs. Gordon Harris

Hidden History: African American Cemeteries in Central Virginia by Lynn Rainville; also available as an e-book. 

  • For non-UVA researchers, electronic access to e-books is restricted to UVA library buildings.

Markers: Annual Journal of the Association for Gravestone Studies, 1979-2025. Available through Virgo, but access is restricted to UVA grounds. 

Notable Cemeteries

Charlottesville and Albemarle County are home to more than one hundred cemeteries, burial grounds, and graveyards. Below are links and resources for some of the largest local historic cemeteries. 

For a longer list of area cemeteries, graveyards, and burial grounds, see LDS Genealogy's Cemetery Records for the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. For Scottsville area cemeteries, see this detailed guide from the Scottsville Museum.