Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Lunenburg County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1813-1897. Local government records collection, Lunenburg County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Lunenburg County.

Historical Information

Lunenburg County was named for King George II, duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, a German possession of England's Hanoverian kings. It was formed from Brunswick County by an act that took effect on 1 May 1746. Part of Lunenburg County was added in 1777. The county seat is Lunenburg.

Prior to 1906, naturalizations could be recorded in any court — federal, state, county, or city. 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. A declaration of intention normally preceded proof of residence or a petition to become a citizen by two or more years. 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.

Scope and Content

Lunenburg County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1813-1897, include declarations of intent and reports to become United States citizens and notices of application for admission of citizenship. 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.

Arrangement

Arranged chronological.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Lunenburg County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Immigrants -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.
• Naturalization -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.

Geographical Names:

• Lunenburg County (Va.) -- History.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.
• Naturalization records -- Virginia. -- Lunenburg County.