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Guide to locating birth records, whether church or civil, for ancestry, family history, and genealogy research. | Guide to locating birth records, whether church or civil, for ancestry, family history, and genealogy research. | ||
__TOC__ | __TOC__ | ||
==What Are | ==What Are Birth Records?== | ||
*<span style="color:DarkViolet">'''What can you find in birth records?'''</span> | *<span style="color:DarkViolet">'''What can you find in birth records?'''</span> Birth records are a '''primary source''' used in family history research. '''Finding them is an important research goal.''' In addition to the basic information of '''names of the child and parents, date, and place of the birth''', birth records can give important details about the '''parents’ residence, birth places, occupations, the mother’s maiden name, and in some cases grandparents’ names.''' Other relatives may show up as '''witnesses'''. | ||
*<span style="color:DarkViolet">'''Where are birth records kept?''' </span>Records were kept on a national, state or province, county, town or church parish level, which '''varies by place and time period.''' | *<span style="color:DarkViolet">'''Where are birth records kept?''' </span>Records were kept on a national, state or province, county, town or church parish level, which '''varies by place and time period.''' | ||
**More recent birth records are typically found in '''government records, called "vital records or civil registration"'''. The government records tend to be kept more recently, perhaps beginning in the 1800s and 1900s. In the more western states of the U.S., states did not begin keeping records until the 20th century. | **More recent birth records are typically found in '''government records, called "vital records or civil registration"'''. The government records tend to be kept more recently, perhaps beginning in the 1800s and 1900s. In the more western states of the U.S., states did not begin keeping records until the 20th century. | ||
** | **Birth records are also found in '''church records, as part of the christening or baptism record''' created in religions that practiced infant baptism. '''In countries with a state church, the government often mandated that the church keep these records''' for many years before the government took over. | ||
* <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''How do you find birth records?'''</span> '''Many birth records have been made available online'''. Other records require '''written requests''' to a government registry office, a church, or archives where the records have been stored for safekeeping. In some cases, it may be necessary to hire a professional researcher to visit a parish or archive. | * <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''How do you find birth records?'''</span> '''Many birth records have been made available online'''. Other records require '''written requests''' to a government registry office, a church, or archives where the records have been stored for safekeeping. In some cases, it may be necessary to hire a professional researcher to visit a parish or archive. | ||
* <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''What are privacy restrictions?'''</span> Records often have '''privacy restrictions''', making them available only to the named child and parents during a period of 75 to 100 years after the birth. Often privacy is '''waived for genealogical purposes''' when proof of a close relationship and death of the involved parties can be proven. | * <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''What are privacy restrictions?'''</span> Records often have '''privacy restrictions''', making them available only to the named child and parents during a period of 75 to 100 years after the birth. Often privacy is '''waived for genealogical purposes''' when proof of a close relationship and death of the involved parties can be proven. | ||
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==Using the FamilySearch Research Wiki to Find | ==Using the FamilySearch Research Wiki to Find Birth Records== | ||
<span style="color:DarkViolet">'''The Wiki helps researchers acquire birth records with articles for each locality covering:'''</span> | <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''The Wiki helps researchers acquire birth records with articles for each locality covering:'''</span> | ||
*Links to '''online birth records collections'''. | *Links to '''online birth records collections'''. | ||
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===How-to-Articles=== | ===How-to-Articles=== | ||
Each U.S.state also has a specific article providing details covering '''"How To Find | Each U.S.state also has a specific article providing details covering '''"How To Find Birth Records"'''. Find the link for that article in the '''"Getting Started" section''' of the main page.<br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
{| | {| | ||
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|style="border:solid black 2px; padding:10px"| | |style="border:solid black 2px; padding:10px"| | ||
<center> <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''Find the link to "How To Find | <center> <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''Find the link to "How To Find Birth Records"'''<br> | ||
'''in the "Getting Started" section of each'''<br>''' U.S. state main page.'''</span><center> | '''in the "Getting Started" section of each'''<br>''' U.S. state main page.'''</span><center> | ||
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|style="width:50px; padding:10px"| | |style="width:50px; padding:10px"| | ||
|style="border:solid black 2px; vertical-align:top; padding:10px"| | |style="border:solid black 2px; vertical-align:top; padding:10px"| | ||
<center> <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''A "How To Find | <center> <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''A "How To Find Birth Records for [STATE] article will give links'''<br> '''to any online records that are available for each range of years. '''<br>'''It will also give information on writing for records.''' | ||
</span><center> | </span><center> | ||
[[File:Hoto.png|800px]] | [[File:Hoto.png|800px]] | ||
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<br> | <br> | ||
==Sending For | ==Sending For Birth Records== | ||
===Ordering Records Online=== | ===Ordering Records Online=== | ||
Some countries offer services online for ordering copies of birth records. Many offer online copies of application forms to use in requesting records. Information on fees are also given. | Some countries offer services online for ordering copies of birth records. Many offer online copies of application forms to use in requesting records. Information on fees are also given. | ||
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<span style="color:DarkViolet">'''For other countries, see the "Civil Registration" Wiki article for instructions.''' [https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Category:Civil_Registration '''Links to Civil Registration articles for each country.''']</span> | <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''For other countries, see the "Civil Registration" Wiki article for instructions.''' [https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Category:Civil_Registration '''Links to Civil Registration articles for each country.''']</span> | ||
===Writing Letters to Request | ===Writing Letters to Request Birth Records=== | ||
In some cases, online application forms are not provided. '''Particularly, when looking for church records, you will need to compose a letter.''' If a form is not available, the Wiki article, [[Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy|'''Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy''']], will show how to compose a letter to request a record. | In some cases, online application forms are not provided. '''Particularly, when looking for church records, you will need to compose a letter.''' If a form is not available, the Wiki article, [[Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy|'''Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy''']], will show how to compose a letter to request a record. | ||
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<br> | <br> | ||
==Additional Helps for Non-English | ==Additional Helps for Non-English Birth Records== | ||
===Letter-Writing Guides for Other Languages=== | ===Letter-Writing Guides for Other Languages=== | ||
To aid you in writing letters to request copies of birth records, the Wiki provides several '''"Letter-Writing Guides"'''. Links are found under '''"Research Tools"''' on country main pages. They provide translations into foreign languages for typical phrases you would want to use in letters. | To aid you in writing letters to request copies of birth records, the Wiki provides several '''"Letter-Writing Guides"'''. Links are found under '''"Research Tools"''' on country main pages. They provide translations into foreign languages for typical phrases you would want to use in letters. | ||
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<br> | <br> | ||
===Reading Non-English | ===Reading Non-English Birth Records=== | ||
Genealogical Word Lists | Genealogical Word Lists | ||
You do not have to be fluent in a foreign language in order to successfully read birth records. Only a limited vocabulary is used in these records. '''"Genealogical Word Lists", online lessons, and other helps are available to help you become proficient in reading these records.''' These are listed on each country main page under '''"Research Tools"'''. | You do not have to be fluent in a foreign language in order to successfully read birth records. Only a limited vocabulary is used in these records. '''"Genealogical Word Lists", online lessons, and other helps are available to help you become proficient in reading these records.''' These are listed on each country main page under '''"Research Tools"'''. | ||