Iowa Vital Records: Difference between revisions

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'''Tips for Using Vital Records'''<br>
'''Tips for Using Vital Records'''<br>
*Certificate or record is not found:
*Certificate or record is not found:
#Couples often married in the county where bride lived or they may have eloped
#Couples often married in the county where bride lived or they may have eloped.
#Search the towns and cities where the event took place. Also search surrounding counties to locate the document.
#Search the towns and cities where the event took place in New York. Also search surrounding counties to locate the document.
#The record may not exist because of record loss at the the county courthouse. See [[Iowa Vital Records#Burned, Lost, or Missing Records|Burned, Lost, or Missing Records]].
#The record may not exist because of record loss at the the county courthouse. See below.
#The event may not have been recorded by the government at that time. [[Iowa Vital Records#Substitute Records|Substitute Records]].
#The event may not have been recorded by the government at that time. Use substitute records. See below.
*Examine the record to determine accuracy:
*Examine the record to determine accuracy:
#Person providing information may not remember events accurately
#Person providing information may not remember events accurately.
#Informant may not have been present at the time of the event
#Informant may not have been present at the time of the event.
#Informant may give false information to hide age, race, religion, or illegitimacy
#Informant may give false information to hide age, race, religion, or illegitimacy
#Grieving relatives may not have remembered correctly
#Grieving relatives may not have remembered correctly
*Review the informant on the document:
*Review the informant on the document:
#Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record  
#Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record  
#See if records about the informant may have clues about the family  
#See if records about the informant may have clues and evidence for your family  
#Verify vital information with other sources <br>
#Use the information as a clue, not a fact, until verified by other sources
<br>
 
''See also:''<br>
''See also:''<br>
* [[Iowa Research Tips and Strategies]]
* [[Iowa Research Tips and Strategies]]
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* [[United States Research Tips and Strategies]]
* [[United States Research Tips and Strategies]]


===Burned, Lost, or Missing Records===
'''Burned, Lost, or Missing Records?'''<br>
The following counties had record loss.  Click on the county for more information.<br>
The following counties had record loss.  Click on the county for more information.<br>
{| style="width:70%; vertical-align:top;"
{| style="width:70%; vertical-align:top;"
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*[[Union County, Iowa Genealogy#Record Loss|Union]]
*[[Union County, Iowa Genealogy#Record Loss|Union]]
|}
|}
''See also:''
''See also:''
*[[Burned Counties Research|Burned Counties Research]] for strategies to find ancestors in spite of record loss.
*[[Burned Counties Research|Burned Counties Research]] for strategies to find ancestors in spite of record loss.


===Substitute Records===
'''Substitute Records'''<br>
For other records that may give birth, marriage, or death information see:
For other records that may give birth, marriage, or death information see:
*[[Iowa_Substitute Records|Iowa Substitute Records]]
*[[Iowa_Substitute Records|Iowa Substitute Records]]

Revision as of 14:09, 25 April 2025

Iowa Wiki Topics
Iowa flag.png
Beginning Research
Record Types
Iowa Background
Cultural Groups
Local Research Resources

Iowa Vital Records Dates[edit | edit source]

Government Registration Births Marriages Deaths
County/Town* 1880 County Formation 1880
Statewide Registration 1880 1880 1880
General Compliance[1] 1921 1880 1921
*See Iowa GenWeb for county start dates

Online Resources[edit | edit source]

Birth[edit | edit source]

Marriage[edit | edit source]

Death[edit | edit source]

Divorce[edit | edit source]

Get Copies[edit | edit source]

Iowa Department of Public Health and Human Services (IA HHS)
Vital Records Bureau
Lucas State Office Building
321 East 12th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075
Telephone: 515-281-4944
Fax: 515-281-4529
Website

  • Has copies of birth records from July 1880, death records from January 1891, and marriage records from July 1880.
  • Entitled persons (for certified copies) are: the person named on the record or that person’s spouse, children, legal parents, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, or legal representative or guardian[3].
  • How to Request a Certified Record, which includes more recent records than those online (above)

State Historical Society of Iowa (HS of IA)
3rd Floor
West 600 E. Locust St.
Des Moines, IA 50319
Telephone: (515) 281-5111
Website

  • Has available birth, death and marriage records from across the state.
  • Request form to obtain uncertified records from HS of IA

County Records: Local registrars are located in county recorders offices maintain records of birth, death and marriages that have occurred in that county.

  • Certified copies require close relationship.
  • To obtain copies of the original marriage records, contact the clerk of the district court in the county where the license was issued.


County registrars do not have the following records in their physical custody[4]

  • Single-parent births prior to July 1, 1995
  • Adoptions
  • Birth records after a legal change of name through Iowa Code chapter 674
  • Delayed records filed one year or more after the event
  • Any record ordered seal by a court of law
  • Birth, death, and marriage records between the years 1921 to 1941

Coverage and Compliance[edit | edit source]

Births and Deaths: Most counties began in 1880, as required by a state law. This law was generally complied with by 1924.

Marriages: Most counties began keeping marriage records once they were organized. Compliance was high from the outset, although the couple may have married in a neighboring county or may have eloped.

Note: The Iowa State Board of Health was established on July 1, 1880. During the first meeting, they created an Iowa Vital Records system of birth, death, and marriage record keeping. At the same time, registration responsibilities were not well defined, resulting in poor record keeping in some areas of the state.[5]

Information in the Records[edit | edit source]

Birth Records[edit | edit source]

Iowa Birth Records May Include*
Name of Child x
Birth Date/Place x
Sex/Race x
Parents' Names x
Parents' Birthplace x
# of Children Born/Living x
Residence/Occupation x
Midwife/Doctor x
* Early records may have less
   information

A few counties in Iowa began to register births and deaths during the 1870s, but most began in 1880, as required by a state law. Laws and forms over the years changed the information collected.[6]

For more information, see United States Birth Records

Delayed Birth Records
In the 1940s, many adults applied for delayed birth certificates in order to be eligible for Social Security benefits.
See also:

Marriage Records[edit | edit source]

Iowa Marriage Records May Include:*
Names of Bride/Groom** x
Date/Place of Marriage x
Presiding Official x
# of Times Married x
Dates/Places of Birth x
Residences/Race x
Parents' Names x
* Early records may have
   less information
** May be previous married name
     of bride

Iowa county marriage records have been kept since about 1835.

There was no waiting period between the time of issuing a license and the performance of the marriage.

Gretna Greens
Couples from Iowa wishing to elope often went to Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa. It is located on the Mississippi River, making it easily accessible to those using the river as transportation.


See also:

Death Records[edit | edit source]

Iowa Death Records May Include:*
Name of Decedent x
Date/Place of Death x
Sex/Race x
Occupation x
Age/Date of Birth x
State/Country of Birth x
Length of Residence x
Name of Spouse x
Parents' Names x
Birth Places of Parents x
Physician x
Cause of Death x
Informant x
Cemetery x
* Early records may have less
   information

A few counties in Iowa began to register deaths during the 1870s, but most began in 1880, as required by a state law.

For more information, see United States Death Records

See also:


Cause of Death

  • Causes of Death - use this resource when trying to interpret a disease or medical condition listed on a death record or certificate

Additional Information[edit | edit source]

See also:

Strategy[edit | edit source]

Tips for Using Vital Records

  • Certificate or record is not found:
  1. Couples often married in the county where bride lived or they may have eloped.
  2. Search the towns and cities where the event took place in New York. Also search surrounding counties to locate the document.
  3. The record may not exist because of record loss at the the county courthouse. See below.
  4. The event may not have been recorded by the government at that time. Use substitute records. See below.
  • Examine the record to determine accuracy:
  1. Person providing information may not remember events accurately.
  2. Informant may not have been present at the time of the event.
  3. Informant may give false information to hide age, race, religion, or illegitimacy
  4. Grieving relatives may not have remembered correctly
  • Review the informant on the document:
  1. Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record
  2. See if records about the informant may have clues and evidence for your family
  3. Use the information as a clue, not a fact, until verified by other sources

See also:

Burned, Lost, or Missing Records?
The following counties had record loss. Click on the county for more information.

See also:

Substitute Records
For other records that may give birth, marriage, or death information see:

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ State Historical Society of Iowa accessed June 2024
  2. ↑ Iowa. State Department of History and Archives. Iowa Marriages, ca. 1844–1900. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1978. (FamilySearch Library film 1023609 items 11–21.) Images are browsable. Starting image numbers for each county:
      • Buena Vista #698 of 1437 images
      • Chickasaw #717
      • Des Moines #781
      • Floyd #967
      • Fremont #1029
      • Greene #1103
      • Mills #1160
      • Osceola #1258
      • Plymouth #1302
      • Pottawattamie #1332
      • Story #1386
  3. ↑ Iowa Department of Public Health and Human Services. Vital Records - Certified copies are issued only to the person, spouse, children, legal parents, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, or legal representative or guardian.
  4. ↑ Iowa Department of Public Health and Human Services. Vital Records (accessed April 2024)
  5. ↑ Iowa Department of Public Health and Human Services. Vital Records Slide down to General Information
  6. ↑ State Historical Society of Iowa. Researching Iowa Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Records .pdf.

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Places where couples go to elope. See Gretna Greens in the United States for more information.

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