How to Find Kentucky Birth Records

Statewide registration of births began in 1911 in Kentucky with general compliance by 1917.

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Next Step: When did the birth occur?

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 * Choose a time period to search for your ancestor's birth record:


 * Births before 1852
 * Births from 1852 thru 1910
 * Births after 1910
 * I don't know when the birth is


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Births before 1852
Before 1852, no births were recorded by the county or state. You must search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births from 1852 thru 1910
In 1852, Kentucky passed a law requiring counties to record births. This law was repealed in 1862. Registration was again attempted from 1874 to 1879 and sporadically from 1892 to 1910. Delayed records of births before 1911 exist. If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for birth information in other records.

For births that exist during this time period, try the following databases:

Obtain the Record
With approximate birth years and places, you can locate birth records from 1852-1910 on microfilms available through the FamilySearch Library ( and ), Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort (films 994027-994058), Filson Club, Louisville (film 929.3 K37v, 32 reels), and other Kentucky repositories.

Delayed records of births before 1911 can be obtained for a fee from the Office of Vital Statistics.

There are no restrictions on these records. Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births after 1910
Statewide registration of births began in 1911 in Kentucky.

For births that exist during this time period, try the following databases:

Obtain the Certificate
With full names, exact dates and places (from your records or the index above) of an event, you can order a copy of the birth certificate for a fee from VitalChek.

Restrictions for persons born within the last 100 years: To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 100 years, you must be:


 * The person on the certificate
 * The parent or grandparent of the person on the certificate
 * The spouse of the person on the certificate
 * The child of the person on the certificate
 * The sibling of the person on the certificate
 * The legal guardian of the person on the certificate
 * Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate
 * NOTE: A copy of the birth certificate cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 100 years have passed from the date of the birth.

'''If you do not want to order the birth record, there are other records with birth information you can search. ''' Return to top: Choose another birth year

Related Wiki Articles

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 * U.S. Vital Records Overview
 * United States Vital Records
 * Locating United States Vital Records
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 * United States Marriage Records