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Introduction to Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. United States Vital Records has additional research guidance on researching and using vital records. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Illinois Vital Records State Department of Health or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.

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Vital Records Reference Dates
Illinois' vital records start the following years:

* A few Illinois counties kept birth and death records before this date.


 * }

Illinois Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online
The following is a list of online resources useful for locating Illinois Vital Records which consist of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths. Most online resources for Illinois Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index always consult the original record to confirm the information in the index.

Marriages:


 * Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900 at Illinois State Archives - Free, Index Only; Incomplete
 * Illinois Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry - ($); Incomplete
 * Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 at Ancestry - ($); Incomplete
 * Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 at Ancestry - ($); Incomplete

Deaths:


 * FamilySearch.org - Free; Index
 * Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives Illinois State Archives - Free, Index Only; Incomplete
 * Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives Illinois State Archives - Free, Index Only; Complete

Order a copy of the certificate:


 * Order Illinois Certificates online - ($)

Illinois State Archives Global Search (free):


 * The Global Database Search created by the Illinois State Archives examines all index databases on the their website and can be searched by name. A list of all databases containing the name you enter will be returned. You must click on a database from the list which is returned and enter the name again to search for the record in that database. The search field is at the bottom of the webpage.

Chicago and Cook County: For Chicago and Cook County online vital record databases, see Cook County, Illinois Vital Records

Birth Records
Because of legislation passed in 1843, a parent could report a birth to the county. However, very few births were recorded and only a few scattered counties have incomplete records. In 1877, the State Board of Health required all births be reported to the county clerk, although many were not reported because compliance was not enforced. In Illinois, the statewide registration of vital statistics began in 1916 and was generally complied with by 1922.

After 1916, birth records usually give the name and sex of the child; the names, birthplaces, and ages of the parents (with the mother’s maiden name); the occupation of the father; and the number of children born to the mother. Birth records of adopted children may give the birth parents but have frequently been amended to show only the adoptive parents.

There is a 75 year restriction on obtaining birth records for those not entitled to obtaining a birth certificate. For births after 1916, a copy of the birth certificate can be obtained if the individual is deceased. You must request a special form from Illinois Department of Public Health.

Copies of birth certificates for genealogical purposes can be obtained from the county clerk in the county where the birth occurred or the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records online, by mail, by fax, and in person,

Birth Records on Microfilm: Some statewide birth records for Illinois have been collected and put on microfilm. You can locate some at the following locations:


 * Illinois Regional Archives Depository System (IRAD): IRAD is run by the Illinois State Archives to archive records from local governments in Illinois. There are seven depositories covering the state of Illinois. You must know the county the birth took place. Click here to see what records are available for the county you are searching. Click here for a map to determine what depository to contact.


 * Family History Library: Illinois Births, Prior to Act, Excluding Chicago: 1842, 1849–1872. These films can be loaned to your local Family History Center.  How to locate a Family History Center.

Delayed Birth Records
Delayed registrations of births can be located in the county where the birth occurred or the county of residence in the state when the individual applied for the delayed birth record.

Some delayed birth records are located at Illinois Regional Archives Depository System (IRAD) depositories. IRAD is run by the Illinois State Archives to archive records from local governments in Illinois. There are seven depositories covering the state of Illinois. Click here to see what records are available for the county you are searching. Click here for a map to determine what depository to contact.

The Family History Library has microfilms of delayed birth registrations dating from 1941 for some counties which can be loaned to your local Family History Center. Use the Family History Library Catalog to locate the correct microfilm. How to locate a microfilm number in the Family History Library Catalog. How to locate a Family History Center.

Marriage Records
Several types of marriage records were kept, such as marriage registers, marriage returns, and marriage applications. Sometimes only one type of marriage record was preserved or filmed.

The marriage registers before 1877 provide the date of marriage, names of the bride and groom, and the person who performed the marriage. Starting in 1877, pre-printed marriage register books in Illinois provided columns for ages, residences, birth places, and sometimes the names of the parents or guardians of the bride and groom.

Marriage returns were reported by the minister or Justice of the Peace who performed the marriage. County histories can be checked to learn which religion and congregation a minister served. Ministers’ returns may reveal that the marriage took place in a private residence, often the home of a parent or relative.

The county clerk usually kept marriage records from the time the county was organized. A few records date from the 1790s, but couples were not required to obtain a marriage license until 1877.

The counties continue to record marriages to the present day and only county clerks can issue certified copies of the marriage certificate. A statewide register of marriages was started on 1 January 1962 as county clerks forwarded marriage information to the Illinois Department of Health. If you do not know the county where a couple married after 1962, the Division of Vital Records can search their statewide register and provide the marriage date and county.

Illinois, Cook County Marriage Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Gretna Greens:

When an Illinois eloping couple's marriage is not in their home county, search for it in alternate places like Crown Point, IN, or South Bend, IN, or Evansville, IN, or Lee County, Iowa.

Marriage Records on Microfilm
 * Illinois Regional Archives Depository System (IRAD) depositories have originals and film copies of marriage records and licenese for many counties. IRAD is run by the Illinois State Archives to archive records from local governments in Illinois. There are seven depositories covering the state of Illinois. You must know the county the marriage took place. Click here to see what records are available for the county you are searching. Click here for a map to determine what depository to contact.
 * The Family History Library has microfilm copies of the records to approximately 1920 for many counties,which can be loaned to your local Family History Center. Use the Family History Library Catalog to locate the correct microfilm. How to locate a microfilm number in the Family History Library Catalog.  How to locate a Family History Center.

Marriage Indexes
Online Databases


 * Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900 - Provides groom, bride, date and county as well as information for contacting the county for a copy of the record.
 * Illinois Marriages to 1850 - ($); Incomplete
 * Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 - ($); Incomplete
 * Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 - ($); Incomplete
 * Illinois County Marriage Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Death Records
Because of legislation passed in 1843, members of a family could report a death to the county. However, very few deaths were recorded and only a few scattered counties have incomplete records. A new law was passed in 1877 had the State Board of Health require all deaths be reported to the county clerk, although many were not reported because compliance was not enforced. In 1916, death records were mandated by the state with copies sent to the state capital. Compliance to this law reached 95% by 1919.

After 1916, death records usually give information about the deceased, such as name, age, birth date, state or country of birth (sometimes the city or town), names of the parents (frequently including the maiden name of the mother), and the informant (who may be a close relative). The date and place of death are given. Sometimes burial information, the cause of death, and the names of the physician and mortician are provided. The length of residence in the state or county may also be given.

Illinois, Cook County Death Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths (FamilySearch Historical Records)

1877 - 1916
Copies of death records from 1877 to 1916 can be obtained from the following locations:


 * Illinois State Archives Reference Room (ISA). The following is required: decedent's name, date of death, name of county (and if provided, township of death), and death certificate number. They have death records for deaths that occurred more than 50 years ago. Earlier deaths are not available at the ISA.


 * County Clerk. Contact the county clerk in the county the death occurred. Addresses of Illinois county clerks. Try the county clerk first - they are often more affordable and faster than the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Death Records on Microfilm: Microfilm copies of many counties of Illinois can be found at the following locations:

Suggested Text for County Probate Pages
Probate records are court records created after an individual’s death that relate to a court’s decisions regarding the distribution of the estate to the heirs or creditors and the care of any dependents. These documents are important to family history researchers because they usually exist for time periods before civil birth and death records were kept.

The [court] has responsibility for the probate records of [name] County.

The following [name] County probate records have been indexed or abstracted:

Suggested State Census Records "Overview" Text
[The State] often took censuses in the years between the federal censuses, the dates are listed below. State census records may have columns that were different or more unusual than those found on federal censuses, [make this specific for the state, such as the 1892 gives religion or 1925 gives a married woman’s maiden name]. The responses and years of coverage may give additional information on the family.

State Censuses
For a list of state and territorial censuses:


 * Lainhart, Ann S. State Census Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publ., 1992. (FHL book X2Lai.) State-by-state list of censuses, and selected census substitutes. Describes dates, coverage, content, indexes and availability.

In addition, the staff of the Family History Library has compiled the following register which lists all state census records available at the library:


 * Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Family History Library, US/Canada Reference Staff, State Census Register, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Family History Library, 2005). FHL Ref. book 973 X23us. Available free online through Brigham Young University's Family History Archive: Vol. 1, Alabama - Kansas; Vol. 2, Kentucky - New York; Vol. 3, North Carolina - Wyoming.

Articles

 * Orphan Trains
 * Link "legal ages" page to land, military, court, immigration, and vital records pages.
 * Mining
 * Northern Liberties, Pennsylvania