Alabama Vital Records: Difference between revisions

Starting in 1881, the State of Alabama required individual counties to register the birth of children. Because most counties were slow to comply, not all births were recorded. In addition, many records from this time period are missing or were destroyed. Birth registers from this time period usually do not list the name of the child.

To obtain copies of birth records from this time period, contact the County Court where the birth occurred.

To access microfilmed copies of county birth records for some Alabama Counties do a "Place-name Search" of theFamilySearch Catalog for the appropriate county name in the folllowing format: "Alabama, <county name>". (See How to do a Place-name search wiki page.)

1908 to Present[edit | edit source]

The State of Alabama required the registration of births on a state level beginning in 1908. Early registration in this time period was sketchy. Most births were recorded by 1927. Early birth registers and certificates generally do not contain the name of the child but may contain other important information as shown in the table below. It is more common to find the child's name by the 1920's. Birth Certificates are confidential for 125 years following the date of birth. To obtain copies of original birth records, contact the Alabama Department of Public Health. Also see Alabama, United States - Birth - 1908-Present.

Resources for Alabama Birth Records[edit | edit source]

For indexes and other available online records, see Alabama Vital Records Online.

Adoption Records[edit | edit source]

See, Alabama Adoption Research.

Marriage Records[edit | edit source]

1799 - March 3, 1817 Mississippi Territory[edit | edit source]

In 1799, a law passed in the Mississippi Territory (including present day Alabama) requiring marriage licenses and bonds to be registered at the Orphans Court in the county of the bride's residence. To obtain copies of original marriage records, contact the Probate Court in the county where the license was issued.
To access microfilmed copies of county marriage records for some Alabama Counties do a "Place-name Search" of the FamilySearch Catalog for the appropriate county name in the folllowing format: "Alabama, <county name>". (See How to do a Place-name search wiki page.)

1818 - 1957 Alabama Territory/State[edit | edit source]

Marriage licenses and bonds were registered in the Orphans Court (renamed the Probate Court in 1850) in the county of the bride's residence. Starting in 1888, bonds were only required if the groom was under the age of 21 or the bride was under the age of 18. To obtain copies of original marriage records, contact the Probate Court in the county where the license was issued or the Alabama Department of Archives and History.

To access microfilmed copies of county marriage records for some Alabama Counties do a "Place-name Search" of the FamilySearch Catalog for the appropriate county name in the folllowing format: "Alabama, <county name>". (See How to do a Place-name search wiki page.)

FamilySearch provides a name index to Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957. Background information regarding these historical records is available here. Also available for some counties are indexes and images of Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950. (Records are added as they become available.)

1936 - Present[edit | edit source]

Alabama started keeping statewide marriage records in August of 1936. For current fees and instructions for obtaining copies of the State’s records, contact the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Resources for Alabama Marriage Records[edit | edit source]

For indexes and other available online records, see Alabama Vital Records Online.
Alabama. Department of Health. Marriage Certificates for 1936–1992; and an Index for 1936–1959. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1993. FS Library Film 1,907,711 (first of 1,016 films)
Early Alabama Marriages 1810–1850: Many Continue or End Between 1850 to 1900, a Few Continue Through from 1900–1936. 44 vols. San Antonio, Texas: Family Adventures, 1991. At various libraries (WorldCat)FS Library Book 976.1 V22e
Early Alabama Marriage Records. Shreveport, Louisiana : J & W Ent., c1991. At various libraries (WorldCat)FS Library Book 976.1 V2e
Dodd, Jordan R., Norman L. Moyes, and Liahona Research, Inc. Alabama Marriages Early to 1825: A Research Tool. Bountiful, Utah: Precision Indexing, 1991. At various libraries (WorldCat)FS Library Book 976.1 V2a
Gandrud, Pauline Myra Jones. Marriage, Death and Legal Notices from Early Alabama Newspapers, 1819-1893. Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, c1981. At various libraries (WorldCat) FS Library Book 976.1 V2g

Divorce Records[edit | edit source]

Early - 1950[edit | edit source]

Prior to 1950, divorces could be granted by the State Legislature, Circuit Courts, City Courts, and County Chancery Courts. In 1915, the County Chancery Courts were merged with the County Circuit Courts. Divorces finalized by the State Legislature can be found in the published Alabama Legislative Journals. To locate divorce records for this time period, contact the Clerk of Circuit Court in the county where the divorce was granted.

1950 - Present[edit | edit source]

In January 1950, Alabama started keeping statewide divorce records. Contact the Alabama Department of Public Health to obtain divorce records for this time period. Ancestry.com also has an index for divorces granted between 1950 and 1959. ($)

Death Records[edit | edit source]

Before 1881[edit | edit source]

No deaths were recorded by government agencies. See Substitute Records below. Also see Alabama, United States - Death - 1702-1816, Alabama, United States - Death - 1817-1849 and Alabama, United States - Death - 1850-1899

1881 to 1908[edit | edit source]

Starting in 1881, the State of Alabama required individual counties to register deaths. Because most counties were slow to comply, not all deaths were recorded. In addition, many records from this time period are missing or were destroyed.

FamilySearch has a partial index of Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952. Background information (including county names and number of records indexed) is available here.

To obtain copies of death records from this time period, contact the County Court where the death occurred.

To access microfilmed copies of county marriage records for some Alabama Counties do a "Place-name Search" of the FamilySearch Catalog for the appropriate county name in the folllowing format: "Alabama, <county name>". (See How to do a Place-name search wiki page.)

January 1908 - Present[edit | edit source]

Starting in January of 1908, Alabama State Law required the registration of all deaths occuring within the state of Alabama. Copies of death certificates were filed with the Alabama Center for Health Statistics. Information found on a death certificate is reported by an informant (usually a relative) and may or may not be accurate.

FamilySearch provides an index to death certificates from the state of Alabama, 1908-1974. Background information regarding these historical records is available here.

To obtain copies of original death records, contact the Alabama Department of Public Health. Also seeAlabama, United States - Death - 1900-Present.

Fetal Deaths[edit | edit source]

Only parents may request a copy of a "Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth." A "Fetal Death Report" is a statistical report and no certified copies are issued. However, for a period of two years after the event, a non-certified copy may be requested by the parent.^[1]

Cause of Death[edit | edit source]

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

Resources for Alabama Death Records[edit | edit source]

For indexes and other available online records, see Alabama Vital Records Online.
Alabama. Department of Health. Death Records from 1908 to 1974 and Death Indexes from 1908 to 1959. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1993-2000. FS Library Film 1,909,110 (first of 734 films); also available at Name of database; also see the wiki page Alabama Statewide Death Certificates for information about the database.)

Minorities[edit | edit source]

African Americans[edit | edit source]

When searching for birth, marriage, or death records for African Americans after the Civil War, check the record types listed above. Birth, marriage, and death information for African Americans prior to the Civil War can be found in other sources. See Alabama Minorities for more information.

Native Americans[edit | edit source]

In order to find birth, marriage, or death information on Native Americans living in Alabama you must know which tribe the individual belonged to. Indians of Alabama has more specific information about tribes in the State.

Substitute Records[edit | edit source]

Use substitute records to verify and enrich knowledge about an event or where better records do not exist, to establish evidence of the birth, marriage or death of your ancestor.

Cemetery Records : Cemetery records are a rich source of birth and death information. These records may also reveal family relationships.
Federal/State Censuses - some pre-1850 censuses included every name. Census records are a valuable source for birth and marriage information. You may also determine approximate time of death when the individual disappear from the census. This is a good place to begin a search
Church Records: Depending on the denomination, church records may contain information about birth, marriage and death.
Social Security Death Index (SSDI): The SSDI indexes deaths for those who had social security numbers and the death was reported to the Social Security Administration.
Histories: Local histories, family histories and biographies can all be sources of birth, marriage and death information. Often this information is found in county-level records or in surname searches of the FamilySearch Catalog.
Newspapers - look for birth announcements, marriages, reports on divorces, death notices, and Obituaries : Besides obituaries, local newspapers may contain birth and marriage announcements and death notices. Also check newspaper social columns for additional information.
Military Records: Military pension records can give birth, marriage and death information. In addition, soldiers' homes records can included this same information.
Periodicals - search the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) Local genealogical and historical societies often publish periodicals which may contain abstracted early birth, marriage and death information.
Probate Records: If no death record exists, probate records may be helpful in estimating when an individual has died. Probate records in the 20th Century often contain the exact death date.

Lost / Missing Records[edit | edit source]

Some records for a given county or for the state of Alabama may have been burned or lost and may be unavailable. Check Alabama Lost/Missing Records for more information.

Tips[edit | edit source]

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 you determine the accuracy of the information found on the record.
If you are unable to locate vital records recorded by governments, search in church records for christening, marriage, death, or burial records. A family Bible may also have been used to record family births, marriages and deaths.
Records for African Americans are often recorded in separate files with separate indexes.
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 direct descendants and/or ancestors.
If the survival of a baby was questioned, the birth may not have been recorded.
Search for Vital Records in the FamilySearch Catalog by using a Place Search and then choosing Vital Records. Search for Alabama to locate records filed by the State and then search the name of the county to locate records kept by that county.

Archives, Libraries & Societies[edit | edit source]

Statewide Archives, Libraries, Historical Societies and Genealogical Societies as well as County Historical and Genealogical Societies may have collections that can be of great value when doing Alabama research. Contact the specific Archive, Society, or Library for information on what record types are available, if the records are available online, or if copies of records can be obtained for a fee.

Bibliography[edit | edit source]

Alabama Historical Records Survey Project. Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Alabama. 1942. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library - free.
Barefield, Marilyn Davis. Researching in Alabama a Genealogical Guide, Southern Historical Press, 1987. At various libraries (WorldCat) FS Library Book 976.1 D27b
Nancy Dupree, Reference Consultant for Alabama Department of Archives and History. Telephone interview. 14 Jan. 2009.
Alabama Center for Health Statistics - Vital Records.
Davis, Robert S., and Mary Bess Paluzzi. "Alabama" in Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd ed. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 1992. pp. 21-34. At various libraries (WorldCat) FS Library Book 973 D27rb

↑ “United States Fetal Death Records,” Lake Superior Roots, v 29, no 2. (Marquette, Michigan: Marquette County Genealogical Society, 2016), 11.

[1] “United States Fetal Death Records,” Lake Superior Roots, v 29, no 2. (Marquette, Michigan: Marquette County Genealogical Society, 2016), 11.

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