Abstract: A distributed reference and change table 36 for a virtual memory system 10 has a number of storage locations at least equal to the maximum number of data blocks of an associated read/write physical memory. A memory module 24 has a plurality of data words organized into n number of data blocks. The memory module includes an integral reference and change table having at least n storage locations each having at least two bits, one bit indicating the occurrence of an access (reference) to a corresponding data block and the other bit indicating if the access was a write (or change) type of access. A plurality of such memory modules are physically and electrically coupled to a common memory carrier module, each of the plurality of memory modules having an integral reference and change table.