Alabama Vital Records: Difference between revisions

Starting in 1881, the State of Alabama required individual counties to register the birth of children. Because most counties were slow to comply, not all births were recorded. In addition, many records from this time period are missing or were destroyed. Birth&nbsp;registers from this time period usually <u>do</u> <u>not</u> list the name of the child. To obtain copies of birth records from this time period, contact the County Court where the birth occurred. (Microfilmed copies of county birth records for some Alabama Counties are also available through [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localityrelated&columns=*%2C0%2C0&subject=356&subject_disp=Alabama FamilySearch].)  

In 1799, a law passed in the Mississippi Territory (including present day Alabama) requiring marriage licenses and bonds to be registered at the Orphans Court in the county of the bride's residence. To obtain copies of original marriage records, contact the Probate Court in the county where the license was issued. Microfilmed copies of county marriage records for most Alabama Counties are also available through [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localityrelated&columns=*%2C0%2C0&subject=356&subject_disp=Alabama FamilySearch].  

Marriage licenses and bonds were registered in the Orphans Court (renamed the Probate Court in 1850) in the county of the bride's residence. Starting in 1888, bonds were only required if the groom was under the age of 21 or the bride was under the age of 18. To obtain copies of original marriage records, contact the Probate Court in the county where the license was issued or the [http://www.archives.alabama.gov/ Alabama Department of Archives and History]. Microfilmed copies of county marriage records for most Alabama Counties are also available through [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localityrelated&columns=*%2C0%2C0&subject=356&subject_disp=Alabama FamilySearch].  

*Alabama. Department of Health. ''Marriage Certificates for 1936–1992; and an Index for 1936–1959''. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1993. (Starting [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C0%2C0&titleno=639205&disp=Marriage+certificates+(Alabama)%3B+i++ FHL Film 1,907,711])  

*''Early Alabama Marriages 1810–1850: Many Continue or End Between 1850 to 1900, a Few Continue Through from 1900–1936''. 44 vols. San Antonio, Texas: Family Adventures, 1991. ([http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/24998145&referer=brief_results WorldCat 24998145]; [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=646192&disp=Early+Alabama+marriages%2C+1810-1850%20%20&columns=*,0,0 FHL 976.1 V22e])  

*''Early Alabama Marriage Records''. Shreveport, Louisiana&nbsp;: J &amp; W Ent., c1991. ([http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/33848720&referer=brief_results WorldCat&nbsp;33848720]; [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=661197&disp=Early+Alabama+marriage+records%20%20&columns=*,0,0 FHL&nbsp;976.1 V2e])  

*Dodd, Jordan R., Norman L. Moyes, and Liahona Research, Inc. ''Alabama Marriages Early to 1825: A Research Tool.'' Bountiful, Utah: Precision Indexing, 1991. ([http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/24915574&referer=brief_results WorldCat&nbsp;24915574]; [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=555935&disp=Alabama+marriages+early+to+1825%20%20&columns=*,0,0 FHL&nbsp;976.1 V2a])  

*Gandrud, Pauline Myra Jones. ''Marriage, Death and Legal Notices from Early Alabama Newspapers, 1819-1893''.&nbsp;Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, c1981. ([http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/11372100&referer=brief_results WorldCat 11372100]; [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=1760&disp=Marriage%2C+death+and+legal+notices+from%20%20&columns=*,0,0 FHL 976.1 V2g])<br>

Starting in 1881, the State of Alabama required individual counties to register deaths. Because most counties were slow to comply, not all deaths were recorded. In addition, many records from this time period are missing or were destroyed. To obtain copies of death records from this time period, contact the County Court where the death occurred. Microfilmed copies of county death records for some Alabama Counties are available through [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localityrelated&columns=*%2C0%2C0&subject=356&subject_disp=Alabama FamilySearch].  

*Alabama. Department of Health. ''Death Records&nbsp;from 1908 to 1974&nbsp;and Death Indexes from 1908 to 1959''.&nbsp;Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1993-2000. (Starting [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C0%2C0&titleno=683729&disp=Alabama+deaths%2C+1908-1974%3B+index+t++ FHL Film 1,909,110]; also available on FamilySearch [http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#c=1307888;p=collectionDetails;t=searchable Record Search]; see also [[Alabama Statewide Death Certificates (FamilySearch Historical Records)|Alabama Statewide Death Certificates]] for information about the database.)<br>