How to Find Birth Information in Utah

United StatesVital Records United States Birth Records How to Find Birth Information in the United States

See also Utah Utah Vital Records

See also United States, How to Use Birth Records

Introduction

Looking for a birth certificate might seem like the first place to start your genealogical research, but no government agencies in Utah were required by law to record birth before 1898. Though not required to do so, Salt Lake City and Ogden began registering births in 1890 and Park City began registering births in 1892.

Birth records are considered confidential for a period of 100 years so access to more recent records may require proof that you are a direct descendant of the person whose record you seek. To obtain more recent birth records in Utah see "Obtaining Birth Records Research Guide" from the Utah State Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records.

Sources for Birth Records

• Family records including Family Bibles and personal histories
• Birth records including city and county civil registrations
• Death records often contain birth information
• Marriage records
• Census records sometimes give ages and in some records tell the month and year of birth
• Church records of births and christenings
• Obituaries often give birth information
• Cemetery records including Tombstonesusually give birth and death dates
• Funeral home records
• Emigration and immigration records
• Military records
• Newspapers often listed new births
• Probate records
• Land and Property records
• Territorial Records
• Court Records