Alabama Vital Records: Difference between revisions

[[United States Vital Records|Vital Records]] consist of [[United States Birth Records|births]], adoptions, [[United States Marriage Records|marriages]], divorces, and [[United States Death Records|deaths]] recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. [[Locating United States Vital Records|United States Vital Records]] has additional research guidance on researching and using vital records. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the [http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/alabama.htm Alabama Vital Records State Department of Health] or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/RG/frameset_rg.asp?Dest=G1&Aid=&Gid=&Lid=&Sid=&Did=&Juris1=&Event=&Year=&Gloss=&Sub=&Tab=&Entry=&Guide=AL_BMDT3_Statewide_Indexes.ASP#Step Alabama Statewide Indexes and Collections] at the Family History Library.  

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No births were recorded by government agencies prior to 1881. See '''Substitute''' '''Records''' below.<br>  

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&nbsp;registers from this time period usually <u>do</u> <u>not</u> list the name of the child. To obtain copies of birth records from this time period, contact the County Court where the birth occurred. (Microfilmed copies of county birth records for some Alabama Counties are also available through {{FHL|356|subject-id|disp=FamilySearch}}.)  

The [http://www.alabama.gov/portal/secondary.jsp?page=AboutAlabama_Genealogy 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&nbsp;registers and certificates generally do not contain the name of the child but may contain other important information&nbsp;as&nbsp;shown in the&nbsp;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 [http://adph.org/vitalrecords/Default.asp?id=1559 Alabama Department of Public Health].&nbsp;  

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*For indexes and other available online records, see [[Alabama Vital Records Online|Alabama Vital Records Online]].

[http://laws.adoption.com/statutes/alabama-laws.html Alabama adoption law] requires the creation of a new birth certificate after a legal adoption has taken place. The original birth certificate and evidence of adoption are then placed in a sealed file and the new certificate is substituted for the original birth certificate in the [http://adph.org/vitalrecords/ State Department of Vital Statistics] files. Starting August 1, 2000, original birth records (as well as all documents in the sealed file) became available to adoptees once they reached the age of 19. The [http://adph.org/vitalrecords/Default.asp?id=1563 Alabama Department of Public Health] has detailed information about obtaining copies of sealed birth records. See [[Adoption Research]] for more information.  

== Marriage Records  ==

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. Microfilmed copies of county marriage records for most Alabama Counties are also available through {{FHL|356|subject-id|disp=FamilySearch}}.  

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 [http://www.archives.alabama.gov/ Alabama Department of Archives and History]. Microfilmed copies of county marriage records for most Alabama Counties are also available through {{FHL|356|subject-id|disp=FamilySearch}}.  

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 [http://adph.org/vitalrecords/ Alabama Department of Public Health].  

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*For indexes and other available online records, see [[Alabama Vital Records Online|Alabama Vital Records Online]].  

*Gandrud, Pauline Myra Jones. ''Marriage, Death and Legal Notices from Early Alabama Newspapers, 1819-1893''.&nbsp;Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, c1981. ([http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/11372100&referer=brief_results WorldCat 11372100]; {{FHL|1760|title-id|disp=FHL 976.1 V2g}})<br>

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 [http://www.legislature.state.al.us/misc/history/timeline.html Legislative Journals]. To locate divorce records for this time period, contact the [http://www.acadv.org/courts.html Clerk of Circuit Court] in the county where the divorce was granted.  

In January 1950, Alabama started keeping statewide divorce records. Contact the [http://adph.org/vitalrecords/Default.asp?id=1561 Alabama Department of Public Health] to obtain divorce records for this time period. [http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=8976&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 Ancestry.com] also has an index for divorces granted between 1950 and 1959.  

== Death Records  ==

No deaths were recorded by government agencies. See '''Substitute Records''' below.  

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. To obtain copies of death records from this time period, contact the County Court where the death occurred. Microfilmed copies of county death records for some Alabama Counties are available through {{FHL|356|subject-id|disp=FamilySearch}}.  

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 [http://www.adph.org/vitalrecords/ 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. To obtain copies of original&nbsp;death records, contact the [http://adph.org/vitalrecords/Default.asp?id=1560 Alabama Department of Public Health]. <br>  

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*For indexes and other available online records, see [[Alabama Vital Records Online|Alabama Vital Records Online]].  

== Minorities  ==

When searching for birth, marriage, or death records for [[African American Research|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 [[African American Slavery and Bondage|other sources]]. See [[Alabama Minorities|Alabama Minorities]] for more information. <br>  

In order to find birth, marriage, or death information on [[Indians of the United States and Their Records|Native Americans]] living in Alabama you must know which tribe the individual belonged to.&nbsp; [[Indians of Alabama|Indians of Alabama]] has more specific information about tribes in the State.  

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.  

Statewide [[Alabama Archives and Libraries|Archives]], [[Alabama Archives and Libraries|Libraries]], [[Alabama Societies|Historical Societies]] and [[Alabama Societies|Genealogical Societies]] as well as [http://www.archives.state.al.us/referenc/societies.pdf 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.&nbsp;  

== Bibliography  ==

*Nancy Dupree, Reference Consultant for Alabama Department of Archives and History. Telephone interview. 14 Jan. 2009.  

{{Alabama|Alabama}}  

[[Category:Alabama|Birth]] [[Category:Record_Types_of_the_United_States]] [[Category:United_States_Vital_Records]]