New Jersey Vital Records: Difference between revisions

Name index to birth, baptism and christening records from the state of New Jersey on FamilySearch Historical Record Collection. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and some FamilySearch Centers. <br><br> '''1848-1878'''. Statewide indexes to births and deaths from 1848 to 1878 at the state archives have been microfilmed. Birth indexes <ref>({{FSC|312728|item|disp=FS Library films 493686-91}} </ref>and death indexes. <ref>FS Library films 493697-701]. </ref>Births from 1848 through 1867 are indexed in the International Genealogical Index (IGI) online at FamilySearch.org. The death index between 1878- 1896 is; online at the [https://wwwnet-dos.state.nj.us/DOS_ArchivesDBPortal/index.aspx#VS New Jersey Department of State] website.  

'''1878-1900'''. Alphabetical statewide birth indexes, 1 June 1878 to 30 June 1890 and 1 July 1890 to 31 December 1900 are on microfilm at the state archives (not available at the Family History Library). However, death records for 1878-1900 are on microfilm at the Family History Library (see below). No index exists for deaths from 1878 to 1900.  

'''1901–'''. Annual indexes to births and deaths, 1901 to 1903, are on microfilm at the state archives (not available at the Family History Library). From 1904 to 1940, the statewide records are arranged alphabetically by year.

'''1848-1878'''. Original birth and death returns from 1 May 1848 to 31 May 1878 are at the state archives, and microfilm copies are there and at the Family History Library. <ref>({{FSC|312728|item}} beginning with film 493702.) </ref>  

'''1878-1900'''. Two sets of records were kept of births and deaths: the original certificates and copies in registers. The state archives has microfilms of both sets; the Family History Library only has microfilms of the registers. <ref>({{FSC|312728|item}} beginning with film 494183). </ref>The registers are arranged according to a July-to-June calendar year by county, then by city, then by the first letter of the surname, and then by the date of filing.  

'''1901-1940'''. Microfilm copies of birth records, 1901 to 1923, and death records, 1901 to 1940, are at the state archives (not available at the Family History Library).  

'''County Marriage Records'''. Marriage certificates were recorded by the county courts of common pleas beginning in 1795. County marriage records rarely provide the names of parents. The original county marriages are usually found at the offices of the county clerks. The state archives has microfilm copies from 1795 to about 1848. The Family History Library has microfilm copies from 1795 to about 1900 (Monmouth County to 1843) for all counties except for Hudson (created in 1840) and Camden (created in 1844). Some marriages for Bergen, Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties are indexed in the 1988 edition of the International Genealogical Index.  

The early county marriages for most counties, often with supplementary marriages from church records, have been transcribed and published and are available at the Family History Library. Justice of the peace records may or may not have been filed with the county and tend to be scattered. Some are in various collections at the state archives; some are available at the county courthouses; and some, such as those for Bergen, are at county historical archives. A large collection of Essex County dockets arranged by the name of the justice of the peace, 1782 to 1911, was filmed at the Essex County courthouse and is available at the state archives. <ref>({{FSC|100619|item}} film 1302538 items 2-6.) </ref>The state archives has the original justice of the peace dockets for some counties.  

Index and images to marriage records from selected counties in the state of New Jersey on FamilySearch Historical Record Collection. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. Counties not available to view: Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Middlesex, Monmouth, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Union, and Warren.<br><br>  

The marriage returns before 1878 give the names of the bride's and groom's parents. The registers after 1878 do not have parents' names, but the marriage certificates do. Marriage returns since 1886 and marriage affidavits have not been microfilmed. The Family History Library has some of the following records, which are also available at the state archives.  

Name index of county marriage records for New Jersey on FamilySearch Historical Record Collection. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. <br><br>

|June 1878 to 1900 (not available at <br>&nbsp;the Family History Library)

|1901 to 1903 (not available at the Family History Library).

However, the records for 1848 to 1900 are on microfilms at the Family History Library.

'''1901-1940'''. The marriage records or certificates from 1904 to 1940 are arranged alphabetically by grooms' names within each year so no index is needed (not available at the Family History Library).  

*The Works Progress Administration (WPA) abstracted some birth and death information onto card indexes known as ''New Jersey W.P.A. Birth and Death Records, Early to 1900.'' These cards primarily index church burial records, but they also index death notices from newspapers, some town clerk births and deaths, cemetery headstones, and sextons' records. They are found at the state archives and on microfilm at the Family History Library. <ref>({{FSC|98769|item}} on 12 films beginning with 820014).</ref>

The New Jersey Biographical Card Index at the New Jersey Historical Society (not available at the Family History Library) is an index to about 75,000 births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, and burials from:  

Matrimonial records, including divorce proceedings, were kept by the court of chancery through 1947. The records at the state archives and at the Family History Library date from 1743 to 1850. They are found in the chancery court case files and enrolled decrees described in the "[[New Jersey Court Records|Court Records]]" page and are indexed. Records of legislative divorces before 1845 are listed in Beth Jones-Reichman's ''Divorces by Legislative Acts, 1778-1844'', ''The Genealogical Magazine of New'' ''Jersey'' 53 (January 1978): 1-10. Most existing copies of divorce petitions are at the state archives.