How to Find Vermont Birth Records

How to Find United States Births Vermont Vermont Births

In Vermont, towns were created starting about 1760. Births were and still are recorded by town clerks, beginning when the town was formed. Statewide registration of births began in 1857 and was generally complied with by 1919. The towns have copies of these state birth registration records.

Next Step: When did the birth occur?	Birth Records Choose a time period: Births before 1857 1897 to 1918 1919 to the Present Birth year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Birth Records

Births before 1857

Birth records were kept by each town clerk. Early town clerks put birth records in town records and in land records. After about 1850, birth information was only put in town records. Town clerks were usually good at recording birth information. The towns continue to keep birth records. These are described further in Vermont Town Records.

Following the Revolutionary War to about 1870, records were not always recorded.

In 1870, the State Board of Health established. Record keeping in towns improved.

Vermont towns are like western townships, so several populated places are in a town's borders. The name of the town is used in official records rather than the name of the populated place.

If you do not find birth information in the town where your ancestor was born, you may need to look at substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place or try the records in a neighboring town.

Step 1 - Check indexes

Most online resources for Vermont Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index, consult the original record to confirm the information in the index.

• New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors ($), has many Vermont digital records, which can be found through their Digital Catalog. Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center
  

• Discover Your Family History search on FamilySearch.org -Free. Indexes many of the births recorded in town records. The former International Genealogical Index (IGI) is part of this.
  

• Vermont Collections on FamilySearch.org - Free. This is a growing database.
  

• Vermont Databases listed on Rootsweb.com- Free. Arranged by town. Only a few birth lists are currently in the database.

Two film indexes are:

Step 2 - Check original records

In Vermont, the following types of records often have birth information:

• Land records
  
• Town records
  

Most of the land and town records have been filmed and are available through the FamilySearch site at family history centers, the Connecticut State Library, and the Family History Library. Original records are usually at the local health department.

To find the film numbers:

1. Go to the FamilySearch Catalog
   
2. Do a Place Search for the name of the town.
   
3. On the list of record types for the town, click Vital Records for a list of the available records, including town records and land records.
   
4. Click titles with the town clerk or recorder as the author. Though the original records were usually made by town clerk, sometimes the records were made by a court or the registrar of vital statistics.

Step 3 - Check other types of records

You can also search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.

Records that give birth information:
Birth Records Cemetery Records Newspapers Probate (wills, etc) Tax Records	Church Records Census Bible Records Military Records

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births 1857 to 1918

STEP ONE: Find Birth Information

Limited births maybe found in the following databases. Try each link.

Vermont Births Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images
Try 1st:	1649-1906 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; a name index to town birth, baptism and christening records. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and FamilySearch centers. Births_and_Christenings_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records) Description of records.
Try 2nd:	*New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors ($)	Has many Connecticut digital records, which can be found through their Digital Catalog. American Ancestors is Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center
Next try:
Choose one of the following:
	Ancestry	Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center
	Can't access Ancestry?	Go to Step Two: Part B listed below. You may be able to order the birth record for your ancestor from the Connecticut Department of Health, State Vital Records Office.
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

STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate

PART A: You know the exact date of birth

With an exact date (from your records or the index above), you can order a copy of the birth record for a fee from the following locations:

To Order Birth Certificates
From Town of Birth		From CT Deptment of Public Health office
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state	Town websites can be more difficult to use	Offers a search of the state index for an additional fee	May be more expensive than ordering from the town

See list of restrictions for ordering birth records

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

PART B: You don't know the exact date of birth

If you do not know the exact date or place of birth:
Call

See list of restrictions for ordering birth records

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

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births 1919 to the Present

STEP ONE: Find Birth Information

Vermont Births Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images
Try 1st:	Vermont Department of Health
Try 2nd:	New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors ($)	Has many Vermont digital records, which can be found through their Digital Catalog. American Ancestors is Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center

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

Return to top: Choose another birth year

 

 

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Restrictions for Obtaining Birth Records

Restrictions for persons born within the last 100 years:
To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 100 years from the government agency, you must be:

• The person on the certificate and age 18 or older
• The parents, guardian, or grandparents of person on the certificate
• The wife or husband of the person on the certificate
• The children and grandchildren of the person on the certificate and age 18 or older
• Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate

NOTE: A copy of the birth record cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 100 years have passed from the date of the birth.

• For additional information, see the State Vital Records Office.
  

Birth records more than 100 years old:

• Available to any person over 18 years of age

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

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Related Wiki Articles

• Learn more about U.S. birth records
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• United States Record Selection Table
• U.S. Vital Records Overview
• United States Vital Records
• Locating United States Vital Records
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International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free

International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free