How to Know If You’re Connected
You may be a descendant of the Nomini Hall enslaved community if:
- Your family has roots in Virginia’s Northern Neck region (Westmoreland, Northumberland, Richmond, Lancaster, or King George counties), Frederick County (Shenandoah Valley), or Loudoun County, Virginia.
- Your surname matches one of the 70+ surnames in our enslaved community directory, particularly if combined with Virginia roots.
- Your family migrated from Virginia to Baltimore, Washington D.C., Ohio or Pennsylvania in the 1800s or early 1900s. Many descendants followed these routes.
- You have DNA matches with known descendants of the Nomini Hall community.
- Family oral history mentions ancestors being freed before the Civil War, a connection to the Carter family, or roots in the Northern Neck of Virginia.
Research Steps: Where to Start
Step 1: Document what you know. Write down every family name, location, and date you have. Talk to your oldest living relatives. Record their memories.
Step 2: Check the surname list. Compare your family surnames to our directory. Pay attention to spelling variations (Johnston/Johnson, Reid/Reed, Glascock/Glasscock).
Step 3: Search census records. Look for your ancestors in the 1870, 1880, and 1900 census records in Virginia. The 1870 census is the first to list formerly enslaved people by name. Look for your surnames in the Northern Neck counties.
Step 4: Check county records. Northumberland, Westmoreland, Richmond, Frederick, and Loudoun County courts hold freedom certificates, land records, and other documents from the manumission period.
Step 5: Take a DNA test. DNA testing (AncestryDNA, 23andMe, or FamilyTreeDNA) can confirm connections through shared matches with documented descendants.
Step 6: Connect with us. Join our member community to share research, compare notes, and access our growing database of documented family lines.
DNA Testing Guidance
DNA is one of the most powerful tools for connecting descendants of the Nomini Hall community. Here’s what to know:
Which test to take: AncestryDNA has the largest database and is most likely to connect you with other descendants. FamilyTreeDNA offers additional tools for serious genealogists.
What to look for: Shared matches with known Nomini Hall descendants. Clusters of matches in Virginia’s Northern Neck region. Matches with surnames from our directory.
Limitations: DNA confirms biological connections but cannot tell you which specific ancestor you share. You still need traditional genealogical research to identify the exact line.
Our recommendation: Test yourself and encourage your oldest living relatives to test. Their DNA carries information closer to the source.
Joining the Member Community
Our member community is for:
- Confirmed and potential descendants of the Nomini Hall enslaved community
- Researchers working on related family lines
- Anyone with information to contribute about these families
What you’ll get:
- Access to shared research and family trees
- Connection with other descendants researching the same lines
- Updates on new discoveries and project developments
- Invitations to events, presentations, and gatherings
- Support for your personal genealogical research