Montana Vital Records: Difference between revisions

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=== County Records of Births and Deaths  ===
| link1=[[United States Genealogy|United States]]
| link2=[[United States Vital Records|U.S. Vital Records]]
| link3=[[Montana, United States Genealogy|Montana]]
| link4=
| link5=[[Montana Vital Records|Vital Records]]
}}


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Some counties began recording births and deaths as early as 1864. These records have been kept by the clerk of the court in each county. The Family History Library does not have copies of these records. A few of the early county records have been transcribed and published, and these are available at the Family History Library.  
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| valign="middle" | <center>'''[[Image:Vital Records Collage.JPG|center|250px|Vital Records Collage.JPG]] '''<br></center>
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=== Vital Records Reference Dates  ===


Montana vital records start the following years:
=== State Records of Births and Deaths  ===


Statewide registration of vital statistics began in [[Portal:Montana|Montana]] in 1907 and was generally complied with by 1920. Delayed registrations of births are included in the indexes maintained by the state office. All of the records are available to relatives by writing to:


{| width="70%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"
=== Montana Vital Records ===
|-
| width="16.6%" align="center" | <br>
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" | [[Nevada Vital Records#Birth_Records|Births]]
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" | [[Nevada Vital Records#Marriage_Records|Marriages]]
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" | [[Nevada Vital Records#Death_Records|Deaths]]
|-
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" | Earliest
| width="16.6%" align="center" | 1878*
| width="16.6%" align="center" | County Formation
| width="16.6%" align="center" | 1884*
|-
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" | Statewide Registration
| width="16.6%" align="center" | 1907
| width="16.6%" align="center" | - 
| width="16.6%" align="center" | 1907
|}
<center></center>
<nowiki>* </nowiki>The Montana Legislative Assembly passed a law in 1895 requiring local physicians and midwives to register births. In addition, the law required clergymen, coroners, sextons, and undertakers were to register deaths. Statewide registration of births and deaths was not required until 1907. Although not required, a few Montana counties kept birth and death records prior to 1895. For instance, Silverbow County has births beginning in 1878, and Yellowstone County has deaths beginning in 1884.<ref>Alice Eichholz, ed. ''Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources'', 3rd ed. (Provo,Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 2004), 399, 406-407.</ref>


== Montana Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online  ==
Office of Vital Statistics <br>Department of Public Health and Human Services <br>111 N Sanders, Room 209 <br>PO BOX 4210 <br>Helena MT 59604 <br>Telephone: 1-888-877-1946<br>Fax: 1-866-696-1912<br>http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/  
===Births===
*'''1830-2011''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=61255 Montana County Births and Deaths, 1830-2011] at Ancestry — index & images ($)
*'''1840-2004''' {{RecordSearch|1930397|Montana County Births and Deaths, 1840-2004}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, County Births and Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images; ''Also at: [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60061 Ancestry]($)''
*'''1870-1986''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=61471 Montana Birth Index, 1870-1986] at Ancestry — index ($)
*'''1897-1988''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61591/ Montana Birth Records, 1897-1988] at Ancestry — index ($)


===Marriages===
The current fees for obtaining copies of the state's vital records are also listed at [http://www.vitalrec.com www.vitalrec.com].  
*'''1600's to 1900's''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/united-states-marriages?state=montana US Marriages - Montana, 1600's to 1900's] at Findmypast — index & images ($)
*'''1863-1960''' [http://www.findmypast.com/articles/world-records/full-list-of-united-states-records/birth-marriage-and-death/montana-marriages-1863-1960 Montana Marriages, 1863-1960] at Findmypast — index ($)
*'''1865-1950''' {{RecordSearch|1609797|Montana County Marriages, 1865-1950}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images; ''Also at: [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60062 Ancestry]($), [http://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-30163/montana-county-marriages-1865-1950?s=218489221 MyHeritage]($), [http://www.findmypast.com/articles/world-records/full-list-of-united-states-records/birth-marriage-and-death/montana-county-marriages-1865-1950 Findmypast]($)''
*'''1865-1987''' [https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=61578 Montana County Marriages, 1865-1987] at Ancestry; index & images ($)
*'''1865-1993''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=61375 Montana County Marriage Records, 1865-1993] at Ancestry; index only ($)
*'''1889-1947''' {{RecordSearch|1675397|Montana Marriages, 1889-1947}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index only; ''Also at: [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60065 Ancestry]($), [http://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-30193/montana-marriages-1889-1947?s=218489221 MyHeritage]($)''
*'''1943-1986''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61478/ Montana Marriage Records, 1943-1986] at Ancestry — index & images ($)
*[http://montanamsgs.org/norskemarriage.html Norske i Montana Marriages] at Montana State Genealogy Society — index,
*{{RecordSearch|1854302|United States Western States Marriage Index}} at FamilySearch — [[United States Western States Marriage Index - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index; ''Also at: [http://abish.byui.edu/Ppe-ialCollections/westernStates/search.cfm BYU Special Collections]''


===Deaths===
'''Marriage and Divorce Records'''  
*'''Pre-2002''' [http://sites.rootsweb.com/~mtmsgs/death_records.htm Montana Death Registry Index, Pre-2002] at Montana State Genealogy Society — index
*'''1830-2011''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=61255 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1830-2011] at Ancestry -  Index and images ($)
*'''1840-2004''' {{RecordSearch|1930397|Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840-2004}} at FamilySearch - [[Montana, County Births and Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images<br>
*'''1860-2007''' {{RecordSearch|1941331|Montana Death Index, 1860-2007}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana Death Index - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index only
*'''1907-2018''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5437 Montana State Deaths, 1907-2018] at Ancestry — index & images ($)
*'''1935-2014''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3693 US Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014] at Ancestry — index ($)
*'''1936-2007''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60901 US Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007] at Ancestry — index ($)
*'''1954-2011''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/montana-death-records Montana Death Records, 1954-2011] at Findmypast — index ($)
*'''1954-Onward''' [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-20631/montana-deaths?s=275764761 Montana Deaths] at MyHeritage; index & images ($)
*'''1962-2014''' {{RecordSearch|1202535|US Social Security Death Index, 1962-2014}} at FamilySearch — [[United States Social Security Death Index - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index only
 
===City & County Databases===
*'''1857-2010''' {{RecordSearch|1986787|Montana Lake County Records, 1857-2010}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Lake County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*'''1865-2009''' {{RecordSearch|2029197|Montana Granite County Records, 1865-2009}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Granite County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*'''1866-2010''' {{RecordSearch|2109937|Montana Sanders County Records, 1866-2010}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Sanders County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*'''1866-2012''' {{RecordSearch|2228169|Montana Meagher County Records, 1866-2012}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Meagher County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*'''1871-2007''' {{RecordSearch|1387035|Montana Flathead County Records, 1871-2007}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Flathead County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*'''1878-2011''' {{RecordSearch|1908714|Montana Rosebud County Records, 1878-2011}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Rosebud County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*'''1881-2011''' {{RecordSearch|2013531|Montana Yellowstone County Records, 1881-2011}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Yellowstone County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*'''1881-2012''' {{RecordSearch|2170641|Montana Teton County Records, 1881-2012}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Teton County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*'''1887-2012''' {{RecordSearch|2110919|Montana Judith Basin County Records, 1887-2012}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Judith Basin County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*'''1910-2012''' {{RecordSearch|2127321|Montana Pondera County Records, 1910-2012}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Pondera County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*'''1913-1960''' {{RecordSearch|2138517|Montana Toole County Records, 1913-1960}} at FamilySearch — [[Montana, Toole County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
 
 
 
=== Divorce Records  ===
*'''1865-1950''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=61254 Montana, County Divorce Records, 1865-1950] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 
=== Obtain Certificates  ===
*'''[http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/ Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services]'''<br>Office of Vital Statistics<br>111 N Sanders, Room 209 <br>Helena, MT 59604 <br>Telephone: 1-888-877-1946<br>Email: [mailto:HHSVitalRecords@mt.gov HHSVitalRecords@mt.gov] (Note: Applications are not accepted via Email.) The current fees for obtaining copies of the state's vital records are also listed at [http://www.vitalrec.com VitalRecords.com].
 
== Birth Records  ==
 
Some counties recorded births prior to 1895. These records have been kept by the clerk of the court in each county. A few of the early county records have been transcribed and published, and these are available at the FamilySearch Library. Statewide registration of vital statistics began in [[Montana Genealogy|Montana]] in 1907 and was generally complied with by 1920. Delayed registrations of births are included in the indexes maintained by the state office.<br>
 
 
== Marriage Records  ==


There is no centralized registration of marriage records. Each county generally began keeping marriage records soon after its organization. Write to the clerk of the district court for copies of marriage and divorce records.  
There is no centralized registration of marriage records. Each county generally began keeping marriage records soon after its organization. Write to the clerk of the district court for copies of marriage and divorce records.  


The State Department of Health has an index to marriages beginning in 1943. This index helps to identify the county in which the marriage occurred. The original records are available only in the county. The FamilySearch Library has microfilm copies of many county marriage records.  
The State Department of Health has an index to marriages beginning in 1943. This index helps to identify the county in which the marriage occurred. The records are available only in the county. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of some county marriage records.  
 
Early marriages for many of the counties are searchable online at no cost on the [[Western States Marriage Index|Western States Marriage Index]].
 
'''[[Gretna Greens in the United States|Gretna Greens]].''' When a Montana couple's marriage is not in their home county, search for it in alternate places like [[Kootenai County, Idaho Genealogy|Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai, Idaho]].<ref name="Eakle1">"Have you searched and searched for a marriage without finding it?" ''Arlene H Eakle's Genealogy Blog'', 19 February 2007 (http://www.arleneeakle.com/wordpress/2007/02/19/have-you-searched-and-searched-for-the-marriage-without-finding-it/: accessed 8 January 2011).</ref>
 
== Death Records  ==
 
[[Image:Montana, County Death (11-0696) DGS 398094 63.jpg|right|400px|Montana, County Death (11-0696) DGS 398094 63.jpg]]
 
The Montana State Genealogical Society maintains the [http://sites.rootsweb.com/~mtmsgs/death_records.htm Montana State Death Registry Index, Pre-1954 1954-2002] online at [http://sites.rootsweb.com/~mtmsgs/death_records.htm Death Records.] Scroll to the bottom of the page to link to the time period you want to search. This database covers over 650 thousand records reported to the State from the 1800s through 2002.<br>
 
 
=== Cause of Death ===
*[[Historical Causes of Death|Causes of Death]] - use this resource when trying to interpret a disease or medical condition listed on a death record or certificate
 
== Substitute Records  ==
 
[[Montana Church Records|Montana Church Records]]
 
[[Montana Cemeteries|Montana Cemetery Records]]
 
[[Montana Census|Montana Census]]
 
[[Montana Newspapers|Montana Newspapers]]
 
[[Montana Obituaries|Montana Obituaries]]
 
[[Montana Military Records|Montana Military Records]]
 
[[Montana Periodicals|Montana Periodicals]]
 
[[Montana History|Montana History]]
 
== Tips  ==
 
*Information listed on vital records is given by an informant. Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record. The closer the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) and whether or not the informant was present at the time of the event can help determine the accuracy of the information found on the record.
*If you're unable to locate vital records recorded by governments, search for church records of christening, marriage, death or burial. A family Bible may have been used to record births, marriages and deaths.
*Privacy laws may restrict your access to some vital records. Copies of some vital records recorded in the last 100 years may be unavailable to anyone except a direct relative.
*Search for Vital records in the FamilySearch Catalog by using a '''Place Search''' and then choosing '''Vital Records'''. Search for '''Montana''' to locate records filed by the State and then search the '''name of the county''' to locate records kept by the county.
 
== Archives, Libraries and Societies  ==
 
[[Montana Archives and Libraries|Montana Archives and Libraries]]
 
Montana Societies


=== Inventory of Vital Records  ===
=== Inventory of Vital Records  ===


More information about the history and availability of vital records is in ''Guide to the Public Vital Statistics in Montana'' <ref name="null">''Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Montana'' (Bozeman, Montana: Historical Records Survey, Montana State College, 1941); FamilySearch Library {{FSC|197151|title-id|disp=book 978.6 V2h; film 1036403 item 7; fiche 6046712}}.</ref>
More information about the history and availability of vital records is in ''Guide to the Public Vital Statistics in Montana'' (Bozeman, Montana: Historical Records Survey, 1941; FHL book 978.6 V2h; film 1036403 item 7; fiche 6046712).  
 
== References  ==
<references />


{{Montana|Montana}} {{U.S. Vital Records}}
'''Online Resources'''


[[Category:Montana_Vital_Records]]
http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/deathrecords.html<br>
<!-- Tidy found serious XHTML errors -->
[[Category:Montana]]

Revision as of 15:12, 27 May 2008

County Records of Births and Deaths[edit | edit source]

Some counties began recording births and deaths as early as 1864. These records have been kept by the clerk of the court in each county. The Family History Library does not have copies of these records. A few of the early county records have been transcribed and published, and these are available at the Family History Library.

State Records of Births and Deaths[edit | edit source]

Statewide registration of vital statistics began in Montana in 1907 and was generally complied with by 1920. Delayed registrations of births are included in the indexes maintained by the state office. All of the records are available to relatives by writing to:

Montana Vital Records[edit | edit source]

Office of Vital Statistics
Department of Public Health and Human Services
111 N Sanders, Room 209
PO BOX 4210
Helena MT 59604
Telephone: 1-888-877-1946
Fax: 1-866-696-1912
http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/

The current fees for obtaining copies of the state's vital records are also listed at www.vitalrec.com.

Marriage and Divorce Records

There is no centralized registration of marriage records. Each county generally began keeping marriage records soon after its organization. Write to the clerk of the district court for copies of marriage and divorce records.

The State Department of Health has an index to marriages beginning in 1943. This index helps to identify the county in which the marriage occurred. The records are available only in the county. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of some county marriage records.

Inventory of Vital Records[edit | edit source]

More information about the history and availability of vital records is in Guide to the Public Vital Statistics in Montana (Bozeman, Montana: Historical Records Survey, 1941; FHL book 978.6 V2h; film 1036403 item 7; fiche 6046712).

Online Resources

http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/deathrecords.html