Independent city · code 51740
Portsmouth cityVirginia
Portsmouth is an independent city in Virginia that was founded in 1752. It covers 33.3 square miles and had a population of 97,915 in the 2020 census.
- Founded1752
- Named forPortsmouth, England
- Land area33 sq mi + 13 sq mi water
- Population97,915 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped36,615 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Portsmouth 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
Founded in 1752
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Portsmouth became an independent city, first class, separated from Norfolk in 1902. It gained additional territory from Norfolk multiple times between 1908 and 1960, and from Chesapeake in 1968.
- 1902Independent city separated Portsmouth made an independent city, 1st class, from Norfolk (extinct). · Bain, "Body Incorporate," 18-21; Swindler, 10:166, 169
- 1908Gained territory Independent city of Portsmouth gained from Norfolk (extinct). · Portsmouth City Planning Dept., correspondence, December 1989; Bain, Annexation, [240]
- 1918Gained territory Independent city of Portsmouth gained from Norfolk (extinct). · Portsmouth City Planning Dept., correspondence, December 1989; Bain, Annexation, [241]
- 1948Gained territory Independent city of Portsmouth gained from Norfolk (extinct). · Portsmouth City Planning Dept., correspondence, December 1989; Bain, Annexation, [244]
- 1960Gained territory Independent city of Portsmouth gained from Norfolk (extinct). · Portsmouth City Planning Dept., correspondence, December 1989; Bain, Annexation, [247]
- c. 1968Gained territory Independent city of Portsmouth gained from the independent city of Chesapeake. · Portsmouth City Planning Dept., correspondence, December 1989
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Portsmouth
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 36,615 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, 39,381 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
Portsmouth 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
Portsmouth city's official site
We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.
County government
- County government
The official website of Portsmouth city.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Portsmouth city 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 Portsmouth city
- When was Portsmouth city founded?
- Portsmouth city was founded in 1752, and named after Portsmouth, England.
- Is there an online parcel map for Portsmouth city?
- Yes. Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management publishes a parcel map of 36,615 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Portsmouth city's boundary or name changed?
- Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 6 changes for Portsmouth city. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 6 later changes, chiefly involving Norfolk County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Portsmouth city yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby