Iowa Vital Records: Difference between revisions

A few counties in Iowa began to register [http://iagenweb.org/state/research/bmdguide.htm vital statistics] during the 1870s, but most county records began in 1880, when a state law took effect requiring counties to register births and deaths. This law was generally complied with by 1924. In the 1940s, many people applied for delayed birth certificates in order to be eligible for [http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=2;t=searchable;c=1202535 Social Security] benefits.  

The [http://iagenweb.org/state/research/bmdguide.htm Iowa GenWeb page] offers a chart of each Iowa county, and the dates that they began keeping birth, marriage and death records. Many of the counties have transcribed records available at the site if you click on the county name from the chart.  

Birth records contain much information for family historians. Because births are recorded near the time of the event, they are considered a primary source. In birth records, you generally find the date and place of birth; name and sex of the child; name, residence, race, age, birthplace, and occupation of the father and mother; the mother’s maiden name; number of children born to the mother; number of living children; and physician’s certificate. For more information on birth records see the [[United States Birth Records|Birth records]] page.

Death records are also a valuable source. Often, they give: date, place, and cause of death, name, residence, sex, race, marital status, age, occupation and birth place of the deceased, date and place of burial, name and birth place of father, and maiden name and birth place of mother.  

Click [http://www.vitalrec.com here] for current fees and lists of services.  

[http://www.idph.state.ia.us/do/medical_examiner_faq.asp Coroners] investigated deaths that were not attended by a physician and determined the cause of the death. The coroner of each county kept records of his findings. Some of these records began as early as 1855. [http://www.idph.state.ia.us/do/medical_examiner.asp The County Coroner’s Office] was established by the Iowa State Constitution. The coroner’s records may provide the name of the deceased person, his or her age, the cause of death, the parents’ names, and circumstances of the death. Some of these records are available at the  

[[Family History Library|Family History Library]] such as  ''Coroner's Reports, 1855–1959''.  <ref>Clayton County (Iowa). Coroner. ''Coroner's Reports, 1855–1959''. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1990. (On five Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=576360&disp=Coroner%27s+reports%2C+1855%2D1959%20%20&columns=*,0,0 films beginning with 1671795]) </ref>

Iowa county marriage records have been kept since about 1835. These marriage records may provide names, ages, races, residences, occupations, birthplaces, maiden name of wife, marriage date and place, parents’ names, and the name of person who performed the marriage. Some certificates give the number of times the groom has been married. For more information about marriage records see the [[United States Marriage Records|United States Marriage Records]] page.