How to Find Delaware Birth Records

How to Find United States Births Delaware Births

Statewide registration of births began in 1861 but was discontinued in 1863. Registration resumed in 1881 and was generally complied with by 1921. The Delaware Bureau of Vital Statistics has birth records from the past 72 years. You can obtain copies by writing:

Next Step: When did the birth occur?	Birth Records Choose a time period: Before 1861 1861 - 1863 1864 - 1880 1881 - Present Birth year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Birth Records

Births before 1861

West Virginia did not exist at this time and was known as the state of Virginia. Before 1853, no births were recorded by the county or state. You must search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.

Records that give birth information:
Death Records Cemetery Records Newspapers	Church Records Census Military Records

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Births 1861 - 1863

If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for birth information in other records.

For births that exist during the time period, try the following databases.

Delaware Births Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images
Try
	1861-1922 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; not a complete list of records. Images are available to view.
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births 1864 - 1880

If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for birth information in other records.

For births that exist during the time period, try the following databases.

Delaware Births Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images
Try
	1861-1922 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; not a complete list of records. Images are available to view.
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births 1881 - Present

STEP ONE: Find Birth Information

Ancestry Database: Includes Index Only
Choose one of the following:
	1861-1922 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; not a complete list of records. Images are available to view.
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

Requesting a Birth Certificate?

The Delaware Public Archives houses birth certificates created since 1913 that are 72 years or older. This means the archives only has birth certificates up through and including 1940.

The Office of Vital Statistics holds Delaware birth certificates from 1939 to the present

To order a birth certificate for an individual select the proper agency below:

Jesse S. Cooper Building
417 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 744-4549

Chopin Building
258 Chapman Rd.
Newark, DE 19702
Phone: (302) 283-7130

Thurman Adams State Service Center
546 S. Bedford Street
Georgetown, DE 19947
Phone: (302) 856-5495

To request a death record for an individual who was born prior to 1904 contact the Delaware Archives.

Delaware Public Archives
121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. North
Dover, DE 19901

If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.

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