Delaware Vital Records

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= Delaware Birth, Marriage &amp; Death Records =

Birth Records
Early 1861-63

1881 - Present

Statewide registration of births began in 1861 but was discontinued in 1863. Registration was resumed in 1881 and was generally complied with by 1921. The following indexes may be helpful:

The Delaware Bureau of Vital Statistics has birth records from the past 72 years. You can obtain copies by writing:

Bureau of Vital Statistics Jesse S. Cooper Memorial Building William Penn Street Dover, DE 19901 Internet: Delaware Public Archives

For records of births that occurred more than 72 years ago, contact the Delaware Public Archives see the Archives and Libraries page.

The current fees for this service are listed in Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces. Copies of this booklet are at the Family History Library and many Family History Centers. You can also contact the Vital Records Section (address given above) for current information.

Adoption Records
closed / open / state statutes

Marriage Records
Early - 1847

State registration of marriages began in 1847 and was generally complied with by 1913. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of the marriage bonds for 1744-1836 and 1855-1861, and licenses for 1889-1894. You can obtain marriage records for the most recent 40 years by writing to the Bureau of Vital Statistics. For marriages recorded more than 40 years ago, contact the Delaware Public Archives.

Delaware counties began keeping marriage records as early as 1832. These records have been transferred from the counties to the Delaware Public Archives. These early county marriage records are not available at the Family History Library; however, the library has records of some pre-1847 marriage bonds.

Marriages of Delaware residents may also be recorded in adjoining states, such as Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Divorce Records
The Delaware Public Archives has a card catalog with names and dates with reference to divorces granted up to about 1890 by Acts of the State Legislature.

Divorce proceedings from 1975 to the present are kept by the family court office in the county where the divorce was recorded. For records before 1975 and dating back to the early 1900s, contact the county prothonotary's office (clerk of the court of common pleas). For pre-1900 records write to the Delaware Public Archives or the:

Delaware Legislative Council Legislative Hall P.O. Box 1401 Dover, DE 19901 Internet: Delaware Public Archives

Death Records
Although some deaths were recorded as early as 1855, state registration of deaths officially began in 1881 and was generally complied with by 1890.

The Delaware Bureau of Vital Statistics has death records for the most recent 40 years. For deaths recorded over forty years ago, contact the Delaware Public Archives.

Substitute Records

 * Delaware Church Records
 * Delaware Cemetery Records
 * Delaware Census Records
 * Delaware History
 * Delaware Newspapers
 * Delaware Military
 * Delaware Periodicals

Birth Records

 * Bureau of Vital Statistics. Index Cards of Delaware . . . Births from 1861 to 1913.


 * Vital Records, Births, 1861-1913.


 * Index Cards of Delaware . . . Baptisms from 1759 to 1890.

Delaware State Birth Records 1861-1908 are available online at Record Search

Marriage Records

 * Index Cards of Delaware . . . Marriages. This is an index of marriages for the years 1680-1850 from information in bonds, licenses, probate records, and church records at the Delaware Public Archives.

Many early marriage license bonds are in the following collection:


 * Gilbert Cope, A List of Marriage License Bonds . . . in New Castle County, Delaware, 1744-1836, also includes a few marriages from other counties in Delaware.

Many early marriage license bonds are in the following collection:


 * Gilbert Cope, A List of Marriage License Bonds . . . in New Castle County, Delaware, 1744-1836, also includes a few marriages from other counties in Delaware.

Death Records

 * Index Cards of Delaware . . . Deaths. Indexes from 1855 to 1888.


 * Vital Records, . . . Deaths, 1855-1910

Archives, Libraries and Societies

 * Delaware Archives and Libraries
 * Delaware Societies