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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. For more details see the [[United States Vital Records/old Research Outline content|old United States Vital Records]] page that was originally obtained from the United States Research Outline. | 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. For more details see the [[United States Vital Records/old Research Outline content|old United States Vital Records]] page that was originally obtained from the United States Research Outline. | ||
==Civil Records== | ==Creation of Civil Records== | ||
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. | ||
This section describes the vital records kept by civil governments. (Other sources of vital information are described in Church Records and Town Records pages.) The Family History Library has microfilm copies of the civil vital records of thousands of towns, counties, and states in the United States. | This section describes the vital records kept by civil governments. (Other sources of vital information are described in [[United States Church Records|Church records]] and [[United States Town Records|Town records]] pages.) The [[Family History Library|Family History Library]] has microfilm copies of the civil vital records of thousands of towns, counties, and states in the United States. | ||
To find a | ==To find a Civil Vital Record== | ||
*You will need at least the approximate year and place in which the birth, marriage, divorce, or death occurred. | |||
*You may need to search other records first to find clues about these events, such as family Bibles, genealogies, local histories, biographies, cemetery records, censuses, court records, land records, citizenship applications, pension files, newspaper notices, and probate files. | |||
*For the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries these sources must often be used as substitutes for civil vital records. These other records may not be as accurate, however, as the vital records kept by church authorities and civil governments. | |||
=== Regional Differences === | === Regional Differences === | ||
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'''Midwest'''. Government officials in the midwestern states began files of births and deaths as early as the 1860's in many counties. Statewide registration of births and deaths was initiated between 1880 and 1920. Officials began recording marriage dates as soon as each county was established and generally began statewide registration between 1880 and 1962. | '''Midwest'''. Government officials in the midwestern states began files of births and deaths as early as the 1860's in many counties. Statewide registration of births and deaths was initiated between 1880 and 1920. Officials began recording marriage dates as soon as each county was established and generally began statewide registration between 1880 and 1962. | ||
'''West'''. The western states vary greatly in their registration of vital records due to their different settlement patterns. Most areas began statewide registration of births and deaths between 1903 and 1920. While most counties were keeping marriage records by 1890 or the date the county was created, statewide registration generally began between 1905 and 1978. Hawaii's records of births, marriages, and deaths start as early as the 1840's. | '''West'''. The western states vary greatly in their registration of vital records due to their different settlement patterns. Most areas began statewide registration of births and deaths between 1903 and 1920. While most counties were keeping marriage records by 1890 or the date the county was created, statewide registration generally began between 1905 and 1978. Hawaii's records of births, marriages, and deaths start as early as the 1840's. | ||
==Family History Library Helps== | ==Family History Library Helps== | ||