County · code 51175
Southampton CountyVirginia
Southampton County is a county in Virginia with its seat in Courtland, formed in 1749 from Isle of Wight County.
- Founded1749
- County seatCourtland
- Named forHenry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton and Southampton, South-East England
- Land area599 sq mi + 3.1 sq mi water
- Population17,996 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped15,241 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Southampton 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 Isle of Wight County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Southampton County was created from Isle of Wight County in 1749 and named after Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton. The county gained territory from Nansemond County in 1786, but ceded land to the independent city of Franklin beginning in 1961.
- 1749Southampton County created Southampton created from Isle of Wight. · Winfree, 432-434
- 1786Gained territory Southampton gained from Nansemond (extinct).from Nansemond· Hening, 12:69
- 1961Lost territory Southampton lost to creation of Franklin as an independent city, 2d class. · Va. Sec. Rpt., 521
- 1986Lost territory Southampton lost to the independent city of Franklin. · Franklin Office of the City Attorney, correspondence, October 2002; Circuit Court of Southampton County, Book 27, Page 16, 20 December 1985
- 1996Lost territory Southampton lost to the independent city of Franklin. · Franklin Office of the City Attorney, correspondence, October 2002; Circuit Court of Southampton County, Book 27, Page 19, 20 December 1985
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Southampton
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 15,241 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, 9,411 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
Southampton 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.
Records
- Assessor and property records
Commissioner of the Revenue
- Clerk of court: deeds and plats
Circuit Court Clerk's Office
Permits
- Health department: septic and well
Employee Health Benefits - FY2027 Proposed Costs/Open Enrollment Info
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Southampton County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Southampton 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 Southampton County
- When was Southampton County founded?
- Southampton County was founded in 1749, formed from Isle of Wight County, and named after Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton and Southampton, South-East England.
- What is the county seat of Southampton County?
- The county seat of Southampton County is Courtland.
- Is there an online parcel map for Southampton County?
- Yes. Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management publishes a parcel map of 15,241 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Southampton County's boundary or name changed?
- Southampton County was created in 1749 from Isle of Wight County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 4 later changes, chiefly involving Nansemond County.
- Who issues septic and well permits in Southampton County?
- The county's page on septic systems and wells: Employee Health Benefits - FY2027 Proposed Costs/Open Enrollment Info.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Southampton County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby