County · code 51191
Washington CountyVirginia
Washington County is a county in Virginia with its seat in Abingdon. It was created in 1776 from Fincastle County and named after George Washington.
- Founded1776
- County seatAbingdon
- Named forGeorge Washington
- Land area561 sq mi + 5 sq mi water
- Population53,935 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped39,701 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Washington 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 1776 from Fincastle County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
When Fincastle County was eliminated on December 31, 1776, settlers in the Carters Valley and North Holston area of present Tennessee who believed they were in Virginia put themselves under Washington's authority. Over the following decades, Washington County lost territory to the creation of Russell County in 1786, Scott County in 1814, Tazewell County in 1826, and Smyth County in 1832. The county also exchanged territory with Montgomery County in 1777, and gained land from Sullivan County in Tennessee in 1901 when the Tennessee-Virginia boundary through Bristol was adjusted.
- 1776Washington County created Washington created from Fincastle (extinct). Settlers in Carters Valley and the North Holston area of present Tennessee believed they were located in Virginia and put themselves under the authority of Washington when Fincastle was eliminated on this date.from Fincastle· Hening, 9:257-261
- 1777
- 1786
- 1814Lost territory Washington lost to creation of Scott. · Va. Acts 1814-1815, ch. 38, sec. 1/pp. 85-87
- 1826
Show all 11 changes
- 1776Washington County created Washington created from Fincastle (extinct). Settlers in Carters Valley and the North Holston area of present Tennessee believed they were located in Virginia and put themselves under the authority of Washington when Fincastle was eliminated on this date.from Fincastle· Hening, 9:257-261
- 1777
- 1779Changed North Carolina took control of the Carters Valley and North Holston settlements in Tennessee, ending efforts by settlers to place themselves under Washington. Precise location of the boundary between Virginia and North Carolina remained in dispute. · N.C. State Recs., 24:ch. 29/pp. 300-301
- 1786
- 1814Lost territory Washington lost to creation of Scott. · Va. Acts 1814-1815, ch. 38, sec. 1/pp. 85-87
- 1826
- 1832Lost territory Washington lost to creation of Smyth. · Va. Acts 1831-1832, ch. 67, sec. 1/pp. 47-49
- 1901Gained territory Washington gained from Sullivan (Tennessee) when the Tennessee-Virginia line through the town of Bristol was adjusted. · Van Zandt, 110
- 1902Lost territory Washington lost to creation of Bristol as an independent city, 2d class. · Bain, "Body Incorporate," 18-21; Swindler, 10:166, 169
- 1942Lost territory Washington lost to the independent city of Bristol. · Bristol Community Development and Planning Dept., correspondence, December 1989; Dodson, Cities, "Bristol"
- 1973Lost territory Washington lost to the independent city of Bristol. · Bristol Community Development and Planning Dept., email, February 2003
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Washington
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 39,701 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, 28,500 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
Washington 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.
Zoning and code
GIS and maps
County government
- County government
The official website of Washington County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Washington 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 Washington County
- When was Washington County founded?
- Washington County was founded in 1776, formed from Fincastle County, and named after George Washington.
- What is the county seat of Washington County?
- The county seat of Washington County is Abingdon.
- Is there an online parcel map for Washington County?
- Yes. Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management publishes a parcel map of 39,701 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Washington County's boundary or name changed?
- Washington County was created in 1776 from Fincastle County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 10 later changes, chiefly involving Montgomery County, Russell County and Scott County.
- Who issues building permits in Washington County?
- The county's page on building permits: Building & Development - Washington County Virginia. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Washington County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby