How to Find Connecticut Birth Records

How to Find United States Births Connecticut Births

In Connecticut, towns were created starting in the early 1630s. Births were and are recorded by town clerks, starting with the beginning of the town. Statewide registration of births began in 1897 in Connecticut and was generally complied with by 1915. The towns have copies of these records.

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Next Step: When did the birth occur?

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 * Birth Records
 * Choose a time period:


 * Births before 1897
 * 1897 to the Present
 * Birth year unknown


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Births before 1897
Birth records were kept by each town clerk. Early town clerks put birth records in town records and in land records. After about 1850, birth information was only put in town records. Town clerks were usually good at recording birth information. The towns continue to keep birth records. These are described further in Connecticut Town Records.

Following the Revolutionary War to about 1870, records were not always recorded.

In 1870, the State Board of Health established. Record keeping in towns improved.

Connecticut towns are like western townships, so several populated places are in a town's borders. The name of the town is used in official records rather than the name of the populated place.

If you do not find birth information in the town where your ancestor was born, you may need to look at substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place or try the records in a neighboring town.

Step 1 - Check indexes
Most online resources for Connecticut Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index, consult the original record to confirm the information in the index.


 * Discover Your Family History search on FamilySearch.org - Free. Indexes many of the births recorded in town records. The former International Genealogical Index (IGI) is part of this.


 * Barbour Collection by Jane Devlin, hosted by Rootsweb - Free (see also the Wiki article Barbour Collection) Also on Ancestry.com ($), free at Family History Centers and the Family History Library.


 * Connecticut Collections on FamilySearch.org - Free. This is a growing database.


 * Connecticut Databases listed on Rootsweb.com- Free. Arranged by town. Only a few birth lists are currently in the database.

Two film indexes are:


 * Bowman Collection. This is a card index to Connecticut birth, marriage, and death notices in Massachusetts newspapers, 1800 to 1900..


 * Index to the Connecticut Historical Society Bulletin, Vols 1-8.This is an index at the Connecticut State Library and is on microfilm at the Family History Library. . It indexes the names found in the Connecticut Historical Society Bulletin..

Step 2 - Check original records
In Connecticut, the following types of records often have birth information:


 * Land records
 * Town records

Most of the land and town records have been filmed and are available through the FamilySearch site at family history centers, the Connecticut State Library, and the Family History Library.

To find the film numbers:


 * 1) Go to the Family History Library Catalog
 * 2) Do a Place Search for the name of the town.
 * 3) On the list of record types for the town, click Vital Records for a list of the available records, including town records and land records.
 * 4) Click titles with the town clerk or recorder as the author. Though the original records were usually made by town clerk, sometimes the records were made by a court or the registrar of vital statistics.

Step 3 - Check other types of records
You can also search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.

Return to top: Choose another birth year

STEP ONE: Find Birth Information
Limited births maybe found in the following databases. Try each link.

STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate
PART A: You know the exact date of birth

With an exact date (from your records or the index above), you can order a copy of the birth record for a fee from the following locations:

See list of restrictions for ordering birth records

If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.  

PART B: You don't know the exact date of birth

If you do not know the exact date or place of birth: For a fee, the West Virginia Department of Health office will do a 3 year search.

See list of restrictions for ordering birth records

If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.  Return to top: Choose another birth year

Restrictions for Obtaining Birth Records
Restrictions for persons born within the last 100 years: To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 100 years from the government agency, you must be:


 * The person on the certificate
 * The parents and grandparents of person on the certificate
 * The wife or husband of the person on the certificate
 * The children and grandchildren of the person on the certificate
 * The brothers or sisters of the person on the certificate
 * Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate
 * NOTE: A copy of the birth record cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 100 years have passed from the date of the birth.

If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information. Return to top: Choose another birth year

Related Wiki Articles

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 * U.S. Vital Records Overview
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 * Locating United States Vital Records
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