Vermont Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This article describes multiple collections.
 * "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-2008" consists of an index and images from microfilm of births, marriages and deaths. This collection includes images for the years 1955-2003, but roughly 20% of marriages missing are from 2001-2003, being all the civil unions legally performed in Vermont. These missing records are available in the Ancestry.com database.
 * "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954" consists of an index and images (index cards) of town clerk transcriptions of births, marriages and deaths, 1760-1954. This collection is complete for years 1871-1908.

The records are handwritten on preprinted pages which have been bound into volumes. The collection consists of vital records (births, marriages, and deaths), cemetery records, and burial and removal permits. They are arranged by town, record type, then date. The content and completeness of the records varies by town.

Vital record keeping began with the earliest permanent settlement, about 1760. All original records are maintained by the town or city. The present vital registration law was enacted in 1857. This statute required all vital events be recorded in the town where they occurred. A centralized registration system was established in 1919 and copies of the town vital records was sent to the state.

This collection contains records compiled and submitted to the state by town clerks in response to the 1919 law. For events prior to that time, the information submitted was complied from a variety of sources, including original town vital records where they existed, but also church records, tombstones, and other sources. Therefore for records prior to 1919 it should not be assumed that the source is original town vital records. There is generally no indication of the source used for these records.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
These records usually contain the following:

Birth
 * Child’s name and gender
 * Birth date and place
 * Race
 * Name of parents, including maiden name of mother
 * Age(s) of parents and their residence
 * Father's occupation
 * Birthplace of father
 * Birthplace of mother
 * Live or stillborn birth
 * Name of medical attendant
 * Registration date

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Groom's name and age
 * Groom's residence and occupation
 * Birthplace of groom
 * Names of groom's parents and their birthplace
 * Number of marriages of groom
 * Bride's name and age
 * Bride's residence
 * Birthplace of bride
 * Names of bride's parents and their birthplace
 * Number of marriages of bride
 * Name and title of person performing ceremony

Death
 * Name and age of deceased
 * Death date and place
 * Cause of death
 * Marital status
 * Name of surviving spouse
 * Race, occupation, and residence of deceased
 * Names of parents
 * Birthplace of deceased
 * Level of education
 * Name and address of informant
 * Attending physician
 * Burial information

Burial/removal
 * Name of person to whom certificate was issued
 * Town/city, and county issuing permit
 * Death date
 * Name and age of deceased
 * Cause of death
 * Medical attendant
 * Purposed date and place of burial/removal
 * Undertaker's name and address
 * Name and title of person issuing permit
 * Permit date

Digital Folder Number List
This collection was published as a DGS browse collection. A table listing each DGS number and its contents can be found at Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954 Digital Folder Number List.

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search, it will be helpful to know the following:
 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * The place the event occurred
 * The name of the individual or individuals, such as the bride and groom, infant, or deceased

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family
 * The name of the officiator may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records which often include the names and residences of other family members
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1900

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Vermont.
 * Vermont Guided Research
 * Vermont Record Finder
 * Vermont Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Vermont Research, 1880-Present
 * How to Find Vermont Birth Records
 * How to Find Vermont Marriage Records
 * How to Find Vermont Death Records

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Vermont vital records, 1760-2003
 * State records of births, marriages, and deaths, 1909-1942
 * State records of births, marriages, and deaths, 1942-1954
 * Instructions relative to the registry and return of births, marriages, and deaths in Vermont

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Vermont Births and Christenings, 1765-1908
 * Vermont Deaths and Burials, 1871-1965
 * Vermont Marriages, 1791-1974
 * Vermont, Town Records, 1850-2005
 * Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Benjamin W. Dean. Instructions relative to the registry and return of births, marriages, and deaths in Vermont. Middlebury : Printed at the Register book and Job Office, 1859

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.