Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Brunswick County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1808-1902. Local government records collection, Brunswick County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Brunswick County.

Processing Information

Naturalization Records, 1808-1902, were processed and indexed for the purpose of inclusion in the Library of Virginia's Naturalization Records Digital Collection by Library of Virginia staff.

Encoded by G. Crawford: October 2018; updated by M. Long: May 2024.

Historical Information

Context for Record Type: Beginning in 1795, a person could declare their intent to become a citizen at any time and in any place after they arrived in the United States. Prior to the Naturalization Act of 1906, the naturalization process primarily occurred in local and state courts. Declarations of intent were the record by which an applicant for U.S. citizenship declared their intent to become a citizen and renounced their allegiance to a foreign government. This document typically preceded proof of residence or a petition to become a citizen by two or more years.

Locality History: Brunswick County was named for the duchy of Brunswick-Luneburg, one of the German possessions of King George I. It was formed by statute in 1720 from Prince George County and on 31 October 1723 the boundaries of the county were ordered to be laid out, but, because of the sparse population, the county court first met in June 1732. Brunswick County was enlarged by the addition of parts of Surry and Isle of Wight Counties in 1733. The county seat is Lawrenceville.

Lost Locality Note: Brunswick County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Most loose records prior to 1781 are missing. Pre-1781 volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

Scope and Content

Brunswick County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1808-1902, may include affidavits, reports for naturalization, declarations of intent to become United States citizens, and notices of application for admission of citizenship. The reports are narrative accounts made by applicants summarizing their journey to the United States. The declarations of intent record the person's name, place of birth, age, country of previous citizenship, renunciation of allegiance and fidelity to the nation of which the person is currently a citizen, and the date the intention was sworn. Affidavits, signed by those who knew the applicant and could vouch for their loyalty to the United States, may also be filed with the reports and declarations.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Related Material

Naturalization records for Brunswick County (Va.) and other localities are available through the Library of Virginia's Naturalization Records Digital Collection and can be found by searching the Digital Collections Discovery section of the Library of Virginia website.

Additional Brunswick County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Brunswick County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Brunswick County Court Records may be found in the Lost Records Localities Digital Collection available on the Library of Virginia website.

Adjunct Descriptive Data