Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Albemarle County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1830-1869. Local government records collection, Albemarle 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 Albemarle County.

Historical Information

Albemarle County was named for William Anne Keppel, second earl of Albemarle, and governor of Virginia from 1737 to 1754. It was created by a statute of 1744 and formed from Goochland County; part of Louisa County was added in 1761 and islands in the Fluvanna (now the James) River in 1770. The court met for the first time on 8 February 1745. The county seat is the city of Charlottesville.

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

Albemarle County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1830-1869, 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:

• Albemarle County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Immigrants -- Virginia -- Albemarle County.
• Naturalization -- Virginia -- Albemarle County.

Geographical Names:

• Albemarle County (Va.) -- History.

Genre and Form Terms:

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