Illinois Online Birth, Marriage, Death Records

United States Illinois  Illinois Online Birth, Marriage, Death Records

Illinois birth, marriage and death records are available online through a variety of state and local libraries, archives, and societies and through genealogy websites, such as FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com.

No single website covers all records for all counties. Some Illinois county clerks (Cook, Champaign, Lake, Kane, Kankakee) have their own genealogy websites with indexes to county records, and the option to purchase official copies.

Not all Illinois birth, marriage and death records have been indexed. An official record may exist, even if not found in the databases mentioned below.

Birth
 How to find births

Search these Illinois collections:  Statewide
 * at FamilySearch. Index only (Free)
 * 1877-1940: Most entries were indexed from microfilmed county records.
 * 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.
 * 28 counties are missing from this index. For a list of counties included, see Coverage Table

Cook County 
 * at FamilySearch. Index only (Free)
 * 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.


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

Marriage
 How to find marriages Search these Illinois collections:


 * Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives. Index only. (Free)
 * at FamilySearch. Index and images. (Free)
 * About 48 of the 102 counties are in this collection. Click to see the coverage table.
 * Over 1 million entries as of May 2013


 * at FamilySearch. Index only (Free)
 * Over 636,000 entries as of 2012


 * Illinois Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry.com. Index only ($)


 * Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 at Ancestry.com. Index only ($)


 * Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 at Ancestry.com. Index only ($)


 * Marriages to 1930 (Catholic) at FamilySearch, Diocese of Belleville Parish Registers. Browse images. (Free)

Cook County and Chicago
 * Cook County at cookcountygenealogy.com. (Free index, $ for images)
 * marriages 50 years ago or before


 * Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920 at FamilySearch. Index only (Free)
 * Over 865,000 entries as of 2012

Death
 How to find deaths Search these Illinois collections:


 * Index and transcription
 * Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 Index and transcription ($)
 * Illinois State Archives, Death Certificate Database, 1916-1950 Index
 * Illinois State Archives Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
 * Cook County Illinois Historic Vital Records
 * deaths 20 years or more ago
 * free index; can order records for a fee
 * Cook County Deaths, 1878-1922
 * Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Catholic Parish Records browse images, deaths to 1956
 * Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Catholic Parish Records browse images, deaths to 1956