Idaho Vital Records

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Introduction to Vital Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. 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 Idaho Vital Records State Department of Health or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also Idaho Statewide Indexes and Collections at the Family History Library.

Marriage Records  Death/Will Records Western States 1911 - 1937

Idaho Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online

The following is a list of online resources useful for locating Idaho Vital Records which consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths. Check Idaho Vital Records Online for more information about the resources listed below. Most online resources for Idaho Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index always consult the original record to confirm the information in the index.

• Idaho Links from fhlfavorites.info - Free
• Idaho Databases listed on Rootsweb.com - Free
• USGenWeb.org Idaho Site - Free
• Search for Idaho Collections on FamilySearch.org under Canada, USA, and Mexico - Free
• The Vital Records Search and Information Directory for Idaho - Free/$
• Wee Monster Links for Idaho Birth & Marriage and Death Records - Free/$
• Linkpendium Links for Idaho Genealogy and History, including individual Counties - Free/$ 
• Progenealogists Links for the United States. Press Ctrl + F on the keyboard to search for Idaho or ID - Free/$
• Search the Idaho Birth, Marriage & Death Records at Ancestry.com - $ 
• Order Idaho Certificates online - $ 

Births

Early - 1911

The first government recorded birth records in Idaho were kept in the 1870s by midwives who sent their reports to county clerks. These are very limited in scope and numbers. Occasionally, delayed birth certificates were issued by the State of Idaho.

The counties were officially required to keep registers of births from 1907 to 1911. The Idaho State Historical Society (PARL) in Boise and the Family History Library have acquired microfilm copies of most of the county recordings from all counties.

1911 - Present

Statewide registration of births began in 1911, and was generally complied with in the western part of Idaho by the early 1920s. Eastern and northern Idaho were much later in compliance.  Delayed birth certificates were occasionally issued to satisfy passport, Social Security and other requirements.

Birth records have a 100 year restriction to public viewing.  Close family members may obtain copies as per state access restrictions.

Information in Idaho Birth Records

Types of Information	early -  1911	1911 - present
Name of Child
Sex
Race
Parents' Names
Midwife/Doctor
Date & Place of Birth
Residence	research &	complete

Idaho Births and Christenings, 1856-1965

Marriages Records

Early - 1947

1947 - Present

The county recorders have marriage records since the date each county was organized.  In addition to the registers most counties will also have the original marriage applications.  These are especially valuable if one or both marriage parties are under legal age as permission from the parent or guardian is included.  The Family History Library has microfilmed most of the pre-1950's registers. 

Brigham Young University-Idaho McKay Library and the Idaho Falls Regional Family History Center has compiled a Western States Marriage Index which is available online. Marriage records from all counties in Idaho, as well as bordering states, are included in this index.  See: Western States Marriage Index Wiki Page.

Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho served eloping couples from Idaho, and Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana. In Coeur d'Alene, there was no paper work or waiting period between the time of issuing a license and the performance of the marriage. Some Idaho couples may have run away to West Wendover, Elko County, Nevada.

Information in Idaho Marriage Records

Types of Information	early - 1958	1958 - present
Name of Bride/Groom
Date of Marriage
Location of Marriage
Presiding Official
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Residence at Time of Marriage	research	& complete

Deaths

Early - 1911

The counties were officially required to keep registers of deaths from 1907 to 1911. The Idaho State Archives in Boise and the Family History Library have acquired microfilm copies of most of the county recordings from all counties. Generally, deaths were recorded less frequently than births.

1911 - Present

After 1911, deaths occurring in Idaho are included in a state wide registration program operated by the State. These records are restricted for a period of fifty years from the time of the individual's death. Close family members may obtain copies of certificates for more recent years as per state access restrictions.

Official copies of these records are available from:

Idaho Department of Vital Statistics and Health Statistics
P. O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0036
Telephone: 208-334-5988
Fax: 208-389-9096
Web page: Birth, Death, Stillbirth, Marriage, Divorce Certificates

State your relationship to the individual you want information about and the reason you want the information. Only family members can obtain the information in these files.  Fees and restrictions on providing copies are available on their website.

Copies of the certificates from 1911-1954 are on microfilm and located at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, BYU-Idaho University Library in Rexburg and several other locations.

A state-wide index to Idaho Deaths, 1911-1956 is available online. Efforts to expand this index to 1960 are underway. 

A valuable non-government listing of death related events in eastern Idaho is the Eastern Idaho Deaths (indexed by the Idaho Falls Regional Family History Center and hosted by Brigham Young University-Idaho).

Another version is Idaho Death Index 1911-1956

Idaho Vital Records Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Idaho Statewide Death Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Information in Idaho Death Records

Types of Information	before - 1911	1911 - present
Name of Deceased
Date of Death
Place of Death
Date of Birth/Age
Place of Birth
Place of Burial
Parents' Names/Maiden
Occupation of Deceased
Marital Status	research	& complete

Adoption Records

open/closed/state statutes

Divorce Records

Divorce records are available from the clerk of the district court in the county where the decree was granted. Decrees may be located in the Judgment or the Miscellaneous register series.

Substitute Records

• Idaho Church Records
• Idaho Cemetery Records
• Idaho Census Records
• Idaho History
• Idaho Military Records
• Idaho Newspapers
• Idaho Periodicals

Tips

• 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 determine the accuracy of the information found on the record.
• If you are unable to locate vital records recorded by governments, search for church records of christening, marriage, death or burial.  A family Bible may have been used to record births, marriages and deaths.
• 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 a direct relation.
• Search for Vital Records in the Family History Library Catalog by using a Place Search and then choosing Vital Records.  Search for Idaho to locate records filed by the State and then search the name of the county to locate records kept by the county

Archives, Libraries and Societies

• Idaho Archives and Libraries
• Idaho Societies

Inventory of Vital Records

You can learn more about the history and the availability of vital records in Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records In Idaho, State and County. or from their website above.