Maryland Vital Records

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Vital Records Overview

Civil governments have created records of births, marriages, and deaths. Records containing this information are commonly called “vital records,” because they refer to critical events in a person's life. These are the most important documents for genealogical research, but the births, marriages, and deaths of many people have never been recorded by civil authorities.

The practice of recording civil vital statistics developed slowly in the United States. Early vital information was sometimes recorded in brief entries in register books until the twentieth century, when it became more common to create certificates. The federal government has not registered vital records.  This responsibility was left to the town/city, county or state agencies.

Maryland Vital Records

Birth Records

Some births were recorded in colonial Maryland but not many survived or where really recorded, until the late 1800s.  In 1875, Baltimore began recording births.  In 1898, counties in Maryland began recording births, although full compliance did not happen until the 1910s.  For more information on Maryland Birth records, click on this link:

Maryland Vital Records: Birth

Records of marriages were generally the first vital records kept in a locality. In most states, the counties or towns began recording marriages as soon as they were established. Whether the marriage ceremony was performed by a civil or a church authority, local laws required the marriage to be recorded in civil records. 

The local health departments of a few large cities began recording births and deaths by the mid-1800s. For example, records exist for Baltimore (from 1875), Boston (from 1639), New Orleans (from 1790), New York (from 1847), and Philadelphia (from 1860). The early records are usually incomplete. Many counties in the East and Midwest were recording births and deaths by the late 1800's.

Each state eventually developed its own laws and created a statewide registration system. Unfortunately, these records do not exist until the early 1900's in most states. Local offices did not always comply immediately with the registration laws. Within 20 years after registration laws were enacted, most states were recording at least 90 percent of the births and deaths. (See the state research outlines for more information.)

Read more about United States Vital Records.

Maryland Vital Records

Maryland Vital Records include, births, marriages, and deaths.  Divorce records are also considered vital records. To learn more about Maryland vital records, choose from the list below:

Maryland Vital Records: Birth

Maryland Vital Records: Marriages

Maryland Vital Records: Death

Maryland Divorce Records