United States Vital Records

Beginners' Corner
What are vital records? What time periods do they cover? What can I find in them? How do I access them? Search strategies

For a more complete beginning introduction to vital records, see U.S. Vital Records Class Handout.

Introduction
The practice of recording vital statistics developed slowly in the United States. Early birth, marriage and death information was sometimes recorded in brief entries in register books until the twentieth century, when it became more common to create certificates. Some town clerks in colonial America (especially New England) recorded vital information, but these records are incomplete. The federal government has not registered vital records, except for Americans born outside the country who were recorded in embassy or consulate records.

Records of marriages were generally the first vital records kept in a locality. In most states, the counties or towns began recording marriages as soon as they were established. Whether the marriage ceremony was performed by a civil or a church authority, local laws required the marriage to be recorded in civil records.

The local health departments of a few large cities began recording births and deaths by the mid-1800s. For example, records exist for Baltimore (from 1875), Boston (from 1639), New Orleans (from 1790), New York (from 1847), and Philadelphia (from 1860). The early records are usually incomplete. Many counties in the East and Midwest were recording births and deaths by the late 1800's.

Each state eventually developed its own laws and created a statewide registration system. Unfortunately, these records do not exist until the early 1900's in most states. Local offices did not always comply immediately with the registration laws. Within 20 years after registration laws were enacted, most states were recording at least 90 percent of the births and deaths. To learn more about the creation of civil records and the regional differences go to the United States Civil Records page.

Why Use Vital Records?
See  in the FamilySearch Learning Center.

Quick Links

 * Archives.com. Service for ordering Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Certificates.
 * Where to write for U.S. vital records
 * Vitalchek.com Expedited service for ordering vital record certificates. Higher fees include overnight shipping.
 * Vital Records Directory of state and county vital records offices.
 * United States Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * United States Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * United States Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records

Locate Death-related records 1st
Why might it be better to look for the death record of an ancestor first?


 * Your ancestor's death is more recent than his birth or marriage. It is usually best to work from recent events backward, from the known to the unknown.
 * The death record usually tells you where your ancestor last lived. Then you can look for other records for that place.
 * The death record may lead you to other documents created in connection with the death, such as the burial and probate of your ancestor. Those records may give new family information.
 * Death records may contain birth, marriage, and burial information as well as death information.
 * Death records exist for many persons born before birth and marriage records began. Death records may contain birth and marriage information not available anywhere else.

Substitute Records
Sometimes the government does not record birth, marriage, and death information for a location until 1900 or later. Use substitute Records to find   birth, marriage, and death information.
 * Birth Information
 * Marriage Information
 * Death Information

Other 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 subjects(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 family births, marriages and deaths.
 * 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.
 * If the survival of a baby was in question, the birth may not have been recorded. If the child survived search for a delayed birth cetificate.

Analyze the record
Ask yourself these questions to use the record effectively:


 * What dates does this record provide?
 * What ages are given?
 * What places are mentioned in this record?
 * Are parents or a spouse named?
 * Are witnesses to the event related to the family?
 * Who provided the information? Was that person someone who knew the family well?
 * Does the death record give the name of the cemetery or funeral home? You may be able to search those records for more information.
 * Does the information from the record fit with what you know about the family from other records? If it does not agree, it may have been miscopied by a clerk. Check your sources.

Why can't I find a vital record?
Some possible reasons are:


 * Your ancestor might have lived in a different place from where you were looking for the birth, marriage, or death.
 * Your ancestor may have used a nickname or a different surname, or the registrar spelled the name wrong. See Name Variations in United States Indexes and Records.
 * Your ancestor might have lived at a slightly different time from the years you were looking.
 * Not every birth, marriage, or death was registered.

You can check:


 * The information you have for possible errors.
 * If your ancestor might have lived in a different place.
 * If your ancestor might have lived at a slightly different time.
 * If your ancestor's name might be recorded under:


 * A different spelling.
 * A nickname.
 * An Americanization of a foreign surname.

Sometimes vital records were not recorded for various reasons, even when required.

For other ideas see:


 * How to Recognize your United States Ancestor
 * Name Variations in United States Indexes and Records
 * How to Locate Your Ancestor in the United States
 * Illegitimacy in the United States

Key Reference Sources

 * Leonard, Barry. Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and DivorcesPublished by DIANE Publishing, 2007. 47 pages. Full text available at Google Books. Worldcat.


 * Szucs, Loretto Dennis, Luebking, Sandra Hargreaves. The source: a guidebook of American genealogy. Edition: 3, illustrated. Published by Ancestry Publishing, 2005. 965 pages. Worldcat Book.

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