COLONIAL VIRGINIA COUNTY FORMATION MAPS

Most family historians quickly discover that an ancestor may have lived on the same land throughout his life, although his county of residence changed at least twice.  Studying county boundary changes or patterns of migration are an important element of genealogical research.  Migration was often an economic necessity, particularly when family-held acreage could no longer support large families.  Using available land and court records, a property analysis of the Coleman sons and the first four generations of their descendants reveals they lived in or acquired land in:

Virginia county lines changed frequently as America began to expand.  A flood of emigrants eager for a prosperous new life necessitated the forming of new counties to better govern the growing population.  Familiarity with county boundaries makes it easier to track an ancestor's pattern of migration.  The maps on the following pages should make those migrations easier to understand.  The counties were drawn by hand, and any resemblance to correct shape is by the grace of God.

Click on any map image below to see a full screen size view of the map.

Gloucester County in Colonial Virginia	Virginia Counties (1634 - 1640)	Virginia Counties (1641 - 1650)	Virginia Counties (1651 - 1660)	Virginia Counties (1661 - 1670)	Virginia Counties (1691 - 1700)
Virginia Counties (1701 - 1710)	Virginia Counties (1721 - 1730)	Virginia Counties (1731 - 1740)	Virginia Counties (1741 - 1750)	Virginia Counties (1751 - 1760)	Virginia Counties (1761 - 1770)