Genealogical Research

Alumni of The College of William & Mary

Many people want to know more about either their relatives who attended the College or to confirm if a relative attend William & Mary. Most student records are confidential under various laws, including FERPA, though if the student is a relative and is deceased, you might be able to obtain copies of their records from the College's Registrar, though you might have to also supply additional documentation proving death and lineage.

Additionally, there are many records that are available on-line to assist you with confirming if and when a relative might have attended the College of William & Mary, though understand that fires in 1705, 1859, and 1862 destroyed a lot of the University Records. However, there are some records that might help.

• The Provisional list of alumni, grammar school students, members of the faculty, and members of the Board of Visitors of the College of William and Mary in Virginia, from 1693 to 1888 : issued as an appeal for additional information was prepared in 1941, though is obviously not complete. It is, however, scanned and digitized.
• The College's year book, the Colonial Echo, has also been scanned and is searchable via keyword. Publication of the Echo began in 1899, though there are some issues missing from the digital library. Physical copies can be found in Swem's reference collections, and in the Special Collections Research Center.
• The SCRC also maintains a Wiki page with information on Alumni.