Wisconsin Vital Records: Difference between revisions

A few counties began keeping birth and death records in the 1850s, but most records date from the 1870s or later. These documents often give excellent genealogical information. Search the [http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/vitalrecords/ Wisconsin Genealogy Index] for pre 1907 birth marriage and death references.  

The Family History Library has microfilm copies of the Registrations of Births, ca. 1852 to 1907. <ref>160 Family History Library films beginning with film [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=filmhitlist&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*%2C0%2C0&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;filmno=1306420 1306420] and the Registration of Deaths, ca. 1862–1907 (on 68 films beginning with film [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*%2C0%2C0&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=147746&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Registration+of+deaths++ 1310171]. </ref>Most counties begin in the 1870s. These are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under:  

*''Unedited Index to Registrations of Births, 1852–1907'', arranged alphabetically by surname <ref>38 microfiche, Family History Library fiche [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=234150&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Unedited+index+to+registrations+of+birth%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 6331478]. </ref>This gives the date of birth, the county, and the volume and page number of the original record.  

*''Index to Registrations of Births, 1852–1907'', arranged chronologically by the date of birth. <ref>41 fiche, Family History Library fiche [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=234213&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Wisconsin+birth+registration+index+1852%%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 6331476]. </ref>Use this if you know the approximate date of birth or if the name is not found in the alphabetical index mentioned above.  

*''The Pre-1907 Death Index by Name,'' alphabetically arranged for the entire state. <ref>29 fiche, Family History Library fiche [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=234154&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Wisconsin+pre%2D1907+death+index+by+name%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 6331472]. </ref>Be sure to search for spelling variations of the surname. Also available is the ''Death Records Index, 1959–1984''. <ref>Family History Library fiche [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=516562&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Death+records+index%2C+1959%2D1997%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 6334350]–51. </ref>

*Births, 1854–1911 and index, 1854–1932. <ref>194 films beginning with film [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=388957&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Birth+records%2C+1854%2D1911%2C+indexes%%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 1011972]. </ref>

*Deaths, 1852–1912, and index, 1872–1916. <ref>109 films beginning with film [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=384199&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Deaths+1852%2D1912%3B+index+1872%2D1916+%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 1013185]. </ref>

'''Delayed registrations of births began in 1937.''' These are listed in the Family History Library Catalog as Delayed Births, ca. 1937–1941; Affidavit Delayed Births, ca. 1940–1942. <ref>26 Family History Library films beginning with film [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;titleno=88741&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;disp=Delayed+births%2C+ca%2E+1937%2D1941%2C+a%20%20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;columns=*,0,0 1305612] item 2. </ref>The records to 1942 are located at the Bureau for Health Statistics (see address below). Later records are at the county courthouses.  

Many of the delayed registrations have been included in the Unedited Pre-1907 birth index because the births occurred before statewide registration began.