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 1760 to 1857 1857 to the Present Birth year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Birth Records

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 today. These are described further in Vermont Town Records.

Following the Revolutionary War until about 1870, records were not always recorded. In 1870, the State Board of Health was established and 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.

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

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Births 1760 to 1857

For births that occurred in this time period try the following databases:

Vermont Births Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images
	1760-2003 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-2003: name index and images of births, marriages and deaths.
Try:	1760-1954 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; a name index and index card images to town birth, marriage and death records.
Try:	1732-2005 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town records, 1732-2005: birth, marriage and death records from town clerk offices, Browse Only
Try:	1627819|1850-2005 - At FamilySearch.org]]	Free; Vermont, twon records, 1850-2005: limited counties, Vermont vital records from various counties and towns, Browse Only
Try:	*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
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

Limited births may be found in the following databases. Try each link.

Vermont Births Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images
Try:	1760-1954 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; a name index and index card images to town birth, marriage and death records.
Try:	*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

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
• How to find U.S. marriage records
• How to find U.S. death records
• United States Record Selection Table
• U.S. Vital Records Overview
• United States Vital Records
• Locating United States Vital Records
• United States Death Records
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