Illinois 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 Department of Public Health, Division of Public Records or the county clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.

Searching Online Records
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.


 * The Global Database Search created by the Illinois State Archives allows all index databases on their website to be searched by name (free).
 * Click on a database from the list of results and enter the name again to search for the record in that database. The search field is at the bottom of the webpage.
 * The database is strong for birth, marriage and death information.

Birth Records
Online Birth Records


 * at FamilySearch. Index only (Free)
 * A wiki article describing this online collection is found at Illinios Birth and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * 1877-1940: Most entries were indexed from microfilmed county records. 28 counties are missing from this index (Aug 2014). For a list of counties included, see Coverage Table
 * 1842-1872: Indexed from Illinois births, prior to act, excluding Chicago: 1842, 1849-1872, microfilmed records. See
 * 1824-1940: Includes entries indexed from church records or submitted by individuals.


 * Cook County Illinois Historic Vital Records at Cook County Genealogy Online. Index only (Free)
 * births 75 years or older
 * Purchase copies online through Cook County. Free or low-cost copies may also be available via IRAD or FamilySearch Photoduplication Request


 * at FamilySearch. Index only (Free)

 How to find early births Birth Records Timeline
 * at FamilySearch. Index only (Free)
 * Birth Registers were recorded in a book. Certificates are copies of individual birth certificates and contain some information than the Registers.
 * For further explanation, see wiki articles for Cook County Birth Certificates and Cook County Birth Registers
 * Check both, as there are differences and some overlap.
 * Indexed from microfilmed county records.
 * If the "GSU Film number" is listed in the index entry, request a copy certificate using FamilySearch Photoduplication Request


 * 1843 Legislation, a parent could report a birth to the county. However, very few births were recorded in only a few scattered counties.
 * 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.
 * 1916 Statewide registration of vital statistics began in 1916 and was generally complied with by 1922.
 * These 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.
 * 75-year restriction on obtaining birth records for deceased persons. Exception: immediate family members.
 * Request a special form from Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records.

Delayed Birth Records
Delayed registrations of births were made when the individual applied, usually as an adult. An advantage is that they had to provide evidence to support the birth, which often included the testimony of a close relative or a church or Bible record.

The records 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 can also be found at Illinois Regional Archives Depository System (IRAD) depositories and the Family History Library (FHL).

To see a coverage map of FamilySearch's holdings of Illinois county birth records, click here.

Marriage Records
Online Marriage collections


 * Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives. Index only. (Free)
 * sources include original county clerks' marriage records and publications of county genealogical societies and private individuals
 * index created by volunteer in their homes and by Archives staff
 * Provides groom, bride, date and county as well as information for contacting the county for a copy of the record.
 * ongoing effort; as of March 2012 90 of the 98 counties are complete, 4 not started
 * get copies of records from IRAD or county clerks


 * Illinois, County Marriages, 1800-1940 at Ancestry, ($), Index
 * 5,268,844 entries


 * at FamilySearch. Index and images. (Free)
 * About 48 of the 102 counties are in this collection. Click to see the coverage table.
 * largest of Family Search Illinois marriage collections (as of June 2014)
 * incomplete, on-going project, over 1 million entries as of May 2013


 * at FamilySearch. (Free)
 * index and some images included
 * does not index a specific set and is not complete for any particular place or region
 * based upon variety of data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah


 * Illinois Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry.com. Index only. (Free /$)
 * electronic transcription of marriage records held by the individual counties in Illinois


 * Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 at Ancestry.com. Index only. (Free /$)
 * compile from county marriage records on microfilm located in the Family History Center in Salt Lake City, Utah
 * compiled by Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research, Orem, Utah


 * Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 at Ancestry.com. Index only. (Free /$)
 * with some noted exceptions source in microfilms of county marriage records at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah
 * FHL microfilm numbers con be accessed from each entry
 * indexed by Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research, Orem, Utah


 * Marriages to 1930 (Catholic) at FamilySearch, Diocese of Belleville Parish Registers. (Free)
 * browsable images of parish registers plus a small number of other Church records


 * Cook County Marriage Licenses at Cook County . (Free index, $ for images)
 * marriages 50 years ago or before
 * not comprehensive, on-going project as of June 2014


 * Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920 at FamilySearch. Index only (Free)
 * For a description, see Illinois, Cook County Marriage Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Over 865,000 entries as of 2012

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. Also check counties that "neighbor" the home county.

To see a coverage map of FamilySearch's holdings of Illinois marriages, click here.

Death Records
Online Death Records


 * Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives. Index only. (Free)
 * incomplete, on-going project
 * IRAD holdings, with instructions on obtain records from them are included
 * a list of Counties and date spans currently included
 * sources include original county clerks' death records
 * Learn more about Illinois Death Records and Indexes at Deathindexes.com.


 * Illinois Death Certificate Database, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives. Index only. (Free)
 * indexes death certificates filed with the Illinois Department of Public Health 1916-1950
 * Information about how to obtain copies of death certificates before 1916 and after 1915 is included.
 * Notice that the "Tips" section at the bottom of their webpage mentions misspellings, incorrect data, erroneous entries, and that some 1936 deaths are listed as occurring in 1935.


 * at FamilySearch. Index only. (Free)
 * indexed from images of original records at the Public Board of Health, Archives, Springfield
 * as of June 2014 still index only. may include images later
 * Learn more about this collection.


 * Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 at Ancestry.com. Index only. (Free /$)
 * original data from FamilySearch Index (immediately above)


 * at FamilySearch. Index only. (Free)
 * Only deaths recorded by the Social Security Administration beginning 1962 are included, so many unrecorded deaths are not in this index.
 * several organizations have purchased this file and posted it to their web sites.
 * Name and birth date were provided by an informant and may be inaccurate; barring data entry error the other information is reliable.


 * Cook County Illinois Historic Vital Records at Cook County. (Free index, $ for certificates)
 * deaths 20 years or more ago


 * Cook County Deaths, 1878-1922 at FamilySearch. Index only. (Free)
 * data from original records in the Cook County Clerk's office
 * deaths for Cook County (excluding the City of Chicago) are missing for the years 1910-1915
 * Learn more about Illinois, Cook County Death Records, 1878-1922 (FamilySearch Historical Records)


 * Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Catholic Parish Records at FamilySearch. (Free)
 * deaths to 1956
 * browsable images, with indexes in some volumes

To see a coverage map of FamilySearch's holdings of Illinois county death records, click here.

Fetal Deaths Parents can request a copy of a "Certificate of Birth Resulting in a Stillbirth." A "Fetal Death Certificate" is issued and you must have a direct connection to the fetus, or written authorization from a family member

Death Records Timeline


 * 1843 Legislation, 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.
 * 1877 The State Board of Health required all deaths to be reported to the county clerk, although many were not reported because compliance was not enforced.
 * 1916 death records were mandated by the state with copies sent to the state capital. Compliance to this law reached 95% by 1919.
 * These may give additional information, such as the city or town of birth, the informant (who may be a close relative), and the length of residence in the state or county.
 * Sometimes burial information, the cause of death, and the names of the physician and mortician are provided.

Divorce Records
In the early 1800s, the legislature, the circuit courts, and city courts granted divorces. Illinois divorce records may indicate the date and place the marriage was dissolved. Circuit or city courts have handled most divorce proceedings. The Superior Court of Cook County in Chicago also has jurisdiction over divorces.

The actual records before and after 1962 are available in the county where the divorce occurred. Contact the county clerk of the circuit court for certified copies of dissolution of marriage records. Click here for a list of the circuit court clerks. For a fee, the Division of Vital Records can verify the dissolution of marriages after 1961 if the husband's last name is known. Some divorce records are also available from the Illinois Regional Archives Depository System (IRAD) and the FamilySearch Catalog.

Adoption Records
As of 11 November 2011, Illinois adoptees born before 1946 now have immediate access to their birth certificates. Those born after 1 Jan 1946 and who are twenty-one or older may file a request to see their birth certificates. Parents of children born after 1946 must file a form if they want to keep their names confidential. If no form is filed, it is assumed that the parents will allow their names to remain on the certificate. For more information, go to the Illinois Department of Public Health website.

In many cases, children were raised by relatives or interested families without a formal adoption taking place and no official adoption records being created.

For more information, see Adoption Research for additional resources and strategies.

Start with Vital Records
It is usually best to start a vital records search using one of the online links listed above. Original records were officially recorded in the county (except for those recorded in Chicago). Links to county pages appear in the box at the end of this article. Statewide vital records are available at the following locations:


 * The Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records (birth and death records)
 * 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. Click here to see what records are available for the county you are searching.
 * The Family History Library (FHL): See the topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog. Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at FamilySearch Centers.
 * Learn how to order IL vital records at GenealogyInc and U.S. National Centers For Disease Control.

Tips

 * Information listed on vital records is given by an informant. Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record. The closer the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) and whether or not the informant was present at the time of the event can help determine the accuracy of the information found on the record.
 * If you are unable to locate vital records recorded by governments, search for church records of christening, marriage, death or burial. A family Bible may have been used to record births, marriages and deaths. Other substitute records.
 * Privacy laws may restrict your access to some vital records. Copies of some vital records recorded in the last 100 years may be unavailable to anyone except a direct relative.

Burned, Lost, or Missing Records


For a list of record loss in Illinois counties see the following:


 * Burned Counties Research in FamilySearch Wiki
 * Michael John Neill, Burned Counties in Family History Circle

Alternative Records
These links will take you to wiki pages describing alternate sources for birth, marriage and death records.


 * Church Records: Depending on the denomination, church records may contain information about birth, marriage and death.
 * Cemetery Records: Cemetery records are a rich source of birth and death information. These records may also reveal family relationships.
 * Census Records: Census records are a valuable source for birth and marriage information. You may also determine approximate time of death when the individual disappear from the census. This is a good place to begin a search.
 * Social Security Death Index (SSDI): The SSDI indexes deaths for those who had social security numbers and the death was reported to the Social Security Administration. Most records start in 1962.
 * Newspapers: Besides obituaries, local newspapers may contain birth and marriage announcements and death notices. Also check newspaper social columns for additional information.
 * Periodicals: Local genealogical and historical societies often publish periodicals which may contain abstracted early birth, marriage and death information.
 * Military Records: Military pension records can give birth, marriage and death information. In addition, soldiers' homes records can included this same information.
 * Probate Records: If no death record exists, probate records may be helpful in estimating when an individual has died. Probate records in the 20th Century often contain the exact death date.
 * History: Local histories, family histories and biographies can all be sources of birth, marriage and death information. Often this information is found in county-level records or in surname searches of the FamilySearch Catalog.

More Online Illinois Vital Records Links

 * USGenWeb.org Illinois Site - Free
 * Illinois databases listed on Rootsweb - Free
 * GenealogyBuff's records from various funeral homes: Northwestern Illinois Obituary and Death Notice Collection from the northwestern counties of Illinois, including Carroll, Whiteside, Jo Daviess, Rock Island and Henry Counties; Northeastern Illinois Obituary and Death Notice Collection from the suburbs of Chicago and Joliet areas; Southern Illinois Obituary and Death Notices Collection from the southern counties of the state of Illinois. - Free
 * German Roots Links for Illinois Birth and Marriage and Death Records - Free/($) This site includes all vital records, not just those of German descent.
 * Linkpendium links for Illinois Vital Records - Free
 * Ancestry databases for Illinois Vital Records and related records - ($)

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

Illinois County Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)