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United States Vital Records: Difference between revisions
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[[Portal:United States of America|Portal:United States of America]] | [[Portal:United States of America|Portal:United States of America]] | ||
Civil governments have created records of births, marriages, and deaths. Records containing this information are commonly called “vital records,” because they refer to critical events in a person's life. These are the most important documents for genealogical research, but the births, marriages, and deaths of many people have never been recorded by civil authorities. | Civil governments have created records of births, marriages, and deaths. Records containing this information are commonly called “vital records,” because they refer to critical events in a person's life. These are the most important documents for genealogical research, but the births, marriages, and deaths of many people have never been recorded by civil authorities. | ||
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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. (See the state research outlines for more information.) | 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. (See the state research outlines for more information.) | ||
=== Record Content and Availability === | |||
The content of the records will vary with the locality and time period. Records may have been recreated when they were damaged or lost. | |||
Birth (Delayed / adoptions/ corrections) | |||
Marriage ( certificate, intension, bonds, applications, licenses, consent papers, contracts, returns, registers, settlements CHURCH) | |||
Death (Church - CIVIL) | |||
Divorce (Church - CIVIL) | |||
'''Availability - WPA inventories''' | |||
=== Regional Differences === | === Regional Differences === | ||
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*Request for a photocopy of the complete original record | *Request for a photocopy of the complete original record | ||
If your request is unsuccessful, search for duplicate records that may have been filed in a city, county, or state office. | If your request is unsuccessful, search for duplicate records that may have been filed in a city, county, or state office. | ||
=== Other Sources === | |||
1900 U.S. Census, 1880 census, Social Security Death Index, mortality schedules, Church | |||
Internet | |||
== Birth Records == | == Birth Records == | ||
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| Alabama 1908 | Alaska 1913 | Arizona 1909 | Arkansas 1914 | California 1905 | Colorado 1907 | Connecticut 1897 | Delaware 1881 | Florida 1915 | Georgia 1919 | Hawaii 1896 | Idaho 1911 | Illinois 1916 | Indiana 1882 | Iowa 1880 | Kansas 1911 | Kentucky 1911 | Louisiana 1914 | Maine 1892 | Maryland 1898 | Massachusetts 1841 | Michigan 1867 | Minnesota 1900 | Mississippi 1912 | Missouri 1910 | Montana 1907 | Nebraska 1905 | Nevada 1911 | New Hampshire 1905 | New Jersey 1848 | New Mexico 1919 | New York 1880 | North Carolina 1913 | North Dakota 1908 | Ohio 1909 | Oklahoma 1908 | Oregon 1903 | Pennsylvania 1906 | Rhode Island 1852 | South Carolina 1915 | South Dakota 1905 | Tennessee 1914 | Texas 1903 | Utah 1905 | Vermont 1857 | Virginia 1912 | Washington 1907 | West Virginia 1917 | Wisconsin 1907 | Wyoming 1909 | | | Alabama 1908 | Alaska 1913 | Arizona 1909 | Arkansas 1914 | California 1905 | Colorado 1907 | Connecticut 1897 | Delaware 1881 | Florida 1915 | Georgia 1919 | Hawaii 1896 | Idaho 1911 | Illinois 1916 | Indiana 1882 | Iowa 1880 | Kansas 1911 | Kentucky 1911 | Louisiana 1914 | Maine 1892 | Maryland 1898 | Massachusetts 1841 | Michigan 1867 | Minnesota 1900 | Mississippi 1912 | Missouri 1910 | Montana 1907 | Nebraska 1905 | Nevada 1911 | New Hampshire 1905 | New Jersey 1848 | New Mexico 1919 | New York 1880 | North Carolina 1913 | North Dakota 1908 | Ohio 1909 | Oklahoma 1908 | Oregon 1903 | Pennsylvania 1906 | Rhode Island 1852 | South Carolina 1915 | South Dakota 1905 | Tennessee 1914 | Texas 1903 | Utah 1905 | Vermont 1857 | Virginia 1912 | Washington 1907 | West Virginia 1917 | Wisconsin 1907 | Wyoming 1909 | | ||
<br> | |||
See also: [[Summary of Births in the United States by State|Summary of Births in the United States by State]] | |||
See also: [[Summary of Births in the United States by State|Summary of Births in the United States by State]] | |||
== Marriage Records == | == Marriage Records == | ||
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'''Personal Records of the Individual Who Performed the Ceremony.''' Before the twentieth century, the information on many marriages was not returned. If evidence of a marriage was not presented to a civil clerk, this information might be found only in the personal journal or other records of the official who performed the marriage. <!--{12092250793590} --> | '''Personal Records of the Individual Who Performed the Ceremony.''' Before the twentieth century, the information on many marriages was not returned. If evidence of a marriage was not presented to a civil clerk, this information might be found only in the personal journal or other records of the official who performed the marriage. <!--{12092250793590} --> | ||
'''Locating a Marriage Records''' | '''Locating a Marriage Records''' | ||
'''Hard to locate marriage records may be found in a Grentna Green.''' | '''Hard to locate marriage records may be found in a Grentna Green.''' | ||
Grentna Green: a place where many eloping couples are married. | Grentna Green: a place where many eloping couples are married. | ||
== Western States Marriage Index == | == Western States Marriage Index == | ||
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Death certificates may be filed in the state where an individual died and the state where he is buried. Funeral home records are discussed in the “[[United States Cemeteries|Cemeteries]]” section of this outline. The death records of men and women who died in the military, or who are buried in military cemeteries are described in the [[United States Military Records|U.S. Military Records Research Outline]]. | Death certificates may be filed in the state where an individual died and the state where he is buried. Funeral home records are discussed in the “[[United States Cemeteries|Cemeteries]]” section of this outline. The death records of men and women who died in the military, or who are buried in military cemeteries are described in the [[United States Military Records|U.S. Military Records Research Outline]]. | ||
The Social Security Death Index contains over fifty million records of deaths reported to the Social Security Administration from 1937 to 1995. The bulk of the records are from 1962 and later. The index provides the deceased person's birth date, social security number, state where the social security card was issued, month and year of death, state of residence at death, zip code, and state where death benefit was sent. | The Social Security Death Index contains over fifty million records of deaths reported to the Social Security Administration from 1937 to 1995. The bulk of the records are from 1962 and later. The index provides the deceased person's birth date, social security number, state where the social security card was issued, month and year of death, state of residence at death, zip code, and state where death benefit was sent. | ||
See also: [[Summary of Death Records in the United States by State|Summary of Death Records in the United States by State]] | See also: [[Summary of Death Records in the United States by State|Summary of Death Records in the United States by State]] | ||
=== Online Death Indexes === | === Online Death Indexes === | ||
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*'''http://www.genlookups.com/marriages/''' <!--{12092212448591} --> | *'''http://www.genlookups.com/marriages/''' <!--{12092212448591} --> | ||
[[Category:Record_Types_of_the_United_States]] | [[Category:Record_Types_of_the_United_States|Record_Types_of_the_United_States]] | ||