County · code 51041
Chesterfield CountyVirginia
Chesterfield County is a county in Virginia with its seat at Chesterfield Court House. It was created on May 25, 1749, from Henrico County and named after Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield.
- Founded1749
- County seatChesterfield Court House
- Named forPhilip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield
- Land area424 sq mi + 14 sq mi water
- Population364,548 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped150,107 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Chesterfield on the map of Virginia
Virginia has 133 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1749 from Henrico County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Chesterfield created from Henrico on May 25, 1749. The county lost territory to Powhatan in 1850, to the independent city of Richmond in 1914 and 1942 and 1970, and to the independent cities of Colonial Heights and Manchester at various times. It gained territory from Henrico in 1922.
- 1749
- 1850Lost territory Chesterfield lost to Powhatan. · Va. Acts 1849-1850, Dec. reg. sess., ch. 28, sec. 1/p. 26
- 1902Lost territory Chesterfield lost to creation of Manchester (extinct) as an independent city, 2d class. · Bain, "Body Incorporate," 18-21; Swindler, 10:166, 169
- 1914Lost territory Chesterfield lost to the independent city of Richmond. · Bain, Annexation, [241]; Richmond Community Development Dept., correspondence, January 1990
- 1922Gained territory Chesterfield gained from Henrico. · Va. Acts 1922, Jan. reg. sess., ch. 22, sec. 1/pp. 26-27
Show all 10 changes
- 1749
- 1850Lost territory Chesterfield lost to Powhatan. · Va. Acts 1849-1850, Dec. reg. sess., ch. 28, sec. 1/p. 26
- 1902Lost territory Chesterfield lost to creation of Manchester (extinct) as an independent city, 2d class. · Bain, "Body Incorporate," 18-21; Swindler, 10:166, 169
- 1914Lost territory Chesterfield lost to the independent city of Richmond. · Bain, Annexation, [241]; Richmond Community Development Dept., correspondence, January 1990
- 1922Gained territory Chesterfield gained from Henrico. · Va. Acts 1922, Jan. reg. sess., ch. 22, sec. 1/pp. 26-27
- 1942Lost territory Chesterfield lost to the independent city of Richmond. · Richmond Community Development Dept., correspondence, January 1990; Bain, Annexation, [243]; "Henrico County v. City of Richmond" in Va. Rpts., 177:768-769
- 1948Lost territory Chesterfield lost to creation of Colonial Heights as an independent city, 2d class. · Virginia Commission on Local Government, correspondence, February 1990
- 1954Lost territory Chesterfield lost to the independent city of Colonial Heights. · Colonial Heights Office of the City Planner, correspondence, December 1989; Bain, Annexation, [245]
- 1958Lost territory Chesterfield lost to the independent city of Colonial Heights. · Colonial Heights Office of the City Planner, correspondence, December 1989; Bain, Annexation, [246]
- c. 1970Lost territory Chesterfield lost to the independent city of Richmond. · Richmond Community Development Dept., correspondence, January 1990
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Chesterfield
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
-
Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 150,107 parcels from Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 188,344 in all from Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Dept of Emergency Management (VDEM; VGIN moved from VITA to VDEM).
checked 14 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Chesterfield by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Permits
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Chesterfield County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Chesterfield County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Chesterfield County
- When was Chesterfield County founded?
- Chesterfield County was founded in 1749, formed from Henrico County, and named after Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield.
- What is the county seat of Chesterfield County?
- The county seat of Chesterfield County is Chesterfield Court House.
- Is there an online parcel map for Chesterfield County?
- Yes. Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management publishes a parcel map of 150,107 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Chesterfield County's boundary or name changed?
- Chesterfield County was created in 1749 from Henrico County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 9 later changes, chiefly involving Henrico County and Powhatan County.
- Who issues building permits in Chesterfield County?
- The county's page on building permits: Building Permit Data. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Who issues septic and well permits in Chesterfield County?
- The county's page on septic systems and wells: Environmental Engineering.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Chesterfield County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby