EXHIBIT 21

SUBSIDIARIES OF THE REGISTRANT
December 31, 2002

				State of Incorporation and
				Headquarters Location
First Virginia Banks, Inc.				Falls Church, Virginia
	Banking Subsidiaries:
		First Virginia Bank		Falls Church, Virginia
			First General Mortgage Company	Falls Church, Virginia
			First Virginia Mortgage Company	Falls Church, Virginia
			First Virginia Commercial Corporation	Falls Church, Virginia
			First Virginia Card Services, Inc.	Falls Church, Virginia
			First Virginia Credit Services, Inc.	Falls Church, Virginia
		Farmers Bank of Maryland		Annapolis, Maryland
		Atlantic Bank		Ocean City, Maryland
		First Virginia Bank-Hampton Roads		Norfolk, Virginia
			The Mortgage Company of James River Inc	Suffolk, Virginia
			HR Properties, Inc.	Norfolk, Virginia
		First Virginia Bank-Colonial		Richmond, Virginia
			Family Finance Corporation	Petersburg, Virginia
			Family Finance of Virginia, Inc.	Petersburg, Virginia
			First Colonial Financial Corporation	Hopewell, Virginia
		First Virginia Bank-Southwest		Roanoke, Virginia
		First Virginia Bank-Blue Ridge		Staunton, Virginia
		First Vantage Bank/Tri-Cities		Bristol, Virginia
	Nonbanking Subsidiaries
		First Virginia Insurance Services, Inc.		Falls Church, Virginia
			First Virginia Insurance Services of Maryland, Inc.	Falls Church, Virginia
		First Virginia Services, Inc.		Falls Church, Virginia
		First Virginia Life Insurance Company		Falls Church, Virginia
		Springdale Advertising Agency, Inc.		Falls Church, Virginia
		First Virginia Operations Services, Inc.		Falls Church, Virginia
		Springdale Temporary Services, Inc.		Falls Church, Virginia
		First General Leasing Company		Falls Church, Virginia
		Farmers National Land Corporation		Annapolis, Maryland

     All of the organizations listed above are 100% owned by First Virginia Banks, Inc., or one of its subsidiary banks.