Michigan Births - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
These records cover births from 1867 to 1902..

Record Description
County birth records were entered into register books with multiple entries to a page. Pages are preprinted and the entries are handwritten.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in Michigan birth records are:


 * Name of the child
 * Birth date and place
 * If still-born, illegitimate, or twin
 * Sex
 * Color or race
 * Record Number

How to Use the Records
Birth records are the best source after 1867 of birth information. Use the family residence at time of birth to find other records about the family. Use the parents' names to search for information about them and earlier generations

Record History
Clerks of each County Court recorded births that were reported by parents, doctors and midwives beginning in 1867. This information was then sent to the secretary of the state. From 1867 to 1879, about 15% to 20% of the births were recorded; from 1880-1902, coverage increased to about 60% to 70%.

Why This Record Was Created
The state required counties to begin recording births to document the occurrence of a birth and to track public health issues.

Record Reliability
Information on birth records is generally reliable, though there is always the chance of misinformation.

Related Web Sites
This section of the article is incomplete. You can help FamilySearch Wiki by supplying links to related websites here.

Related Wiki Articles
Michigan Vital Records

Known Issues With This Collection
When viewing the images in this collection, the foward and back arrows should move you to the next image, instead you jump more than one image.

To enable the next image in the sequence to be seen, type the next number into the image number box and his enter and you will go to the desired image.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections

Please add sample citations to this article following the format guidelines in the wiki article listed above.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection
"Michigan Births, 1867-1902." index and images, FamilySearch (https://wwwfamilysearch.org: accessed 25 March 2011. entry for James Bler, born 12 June 1877; citing Birth Records, FHL microfilm 4,206,432; Michigan Department of Vital Records, Lansing, Michigan.

Sources of Information for This Collection:
"Michigan Births, 1867-1902," database, FamilySearch; from Michigan Secretary of State. "Birth records, 1867-1902." Michigan Department of Vital Records, Lansing, Michigan. FHL microfilm, 137 reels. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: How to Create Source Citations for FamilySearch Historical Records Collections