Virtual Records
Virtual Records
Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates
Births, marriages, and deaths records are managed at the state level
Birth Certificates
The practice of keeping birth records in the United States began in different states at various times, reflecting the evolution of vital statistics collection. Here's a brief overview of when states started keeping birth records and the reasons behind this practice.
Efforts to keep vital records, including birth records, increased during the 19th century. Massachusetts began statewide birth registration in 1842, being one of the earliest adopters.
What is a Delayed Birth Certificate?
When a citizen’s birth registration has not been filed within the first year, a different form will have to be submitted along with certain documents that serve as supporting evidence. The form that is filed more than 1 year after a citizen’s birth is known as a Delayed Birth Certificate.
Delayed birth certificates can be filed any time after the established period of 1 year past the citizen’s birth has been exceeded.
Delayed Birth Certificates
Ancestry.com
-
Arkansas 1914-1922
-
Iowa, U.S., Births (series) 1880-1904, 1921-1944 and Delayed Births (series), 1856-1940
-
Massachusetts, U.S.,a Delayed and Corrected Vital Records, 1753-1900
-
New Hampshire, U.S., Birth Records, 1631-1920
-
Oconee County, Georgia, U.S., Probate Court Birth Certificates, 1875-1915
-
South Carolina, U.S., Delayed Birth Records, 1766-1900 and City of Charleston, South Carolina, U.S., Birth Records, 1877-1901
-
Berks County, Pennsylvania Delayed Births
-
Tennessee, U.S., Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909
-
Vermont, U.S., Birth Records, 1909-2008
-
Virginia, U.S., Birth Records, 1912-2015, Delayed Birth Records, 1721-1920
-
Washington, U.S., King County Delayed Births, 1869-1950
-
Web: Montgomery County, Tennessee, U.S., Delayed Birth Certificates, 1868-1954
The recording year of vital records such as births, marriages, and deaths that’s managed at the state level.
Official recording of vital records by US state
State | Birth Records | Marriage Records | Death Records |
---|---|---|---|
Alabama | 1908 | 1936 | 1908 |
Alaska | 1913 | 1913 | 1913 |
Arizona | 1909 | 1909 | 1909 |
Arkansas | 1914 | 1917 | 1914 |
California | 1905 | 1905 | 1905 |
Colorado | 1907 | 1907 | 1907 |
Connecticut | 1897 | 1897 | 1897 |
Delaware | 1861 | 1847 | 1881 |
District of Columbia | 1874 | 1811 | 1874 |
Florida | 1899 | 1927 | 1899 |
Georgia | 1919 | 1952 | 1919 |
Hawaii | 1842 | 1842 | 1859 |
Idaho | 1911 | 1947 | 1911 |
Illinois | 1916 | 1962 | 1916 |
Indiana | 1907 | 1958 | 1899 |
Iowa | 1880 | 1880 | 1880 |
Kansas | 1911 | 1913 | 1911 |
Kentucky | 1911 | 1958 | 1911 |
Louisiana | 1914 | none | 1914 |
Maine | 1892 | 1892 | 1892 |
Maryland | 1898 | 1950 | 1898 |
Massachusetts | 1841 | 1841 | 1841 |
Michigan | 1867 | 1867 | 1867 |
Minnesota | 1900 | 1958 | 1908 |
Mississippi | 1912 | 1926 | 1912 |
Missouri | 1910 | 1881 | 1910 |
Montana | 1907 | 1943 | 1907 |
Nebraska | 1905 | 1909 | 1905 |
Nevada | 1911 | 1968 | 1911 |
New Hampshire | 1901 | 1901 | 1901 |
New Jersey | 1848 | 1848 | 1848 |
New Mexico | 1920 | 1920 | 1920 |
New York State | 1880 | 1880 | 1880 |
North Carolina | 1913 | 1962 | 1913 |
North Dakota | 1907 | 1925 | 1907 |
Ohio | 1908 | 1949 | 1908 |
Oklahoma | 1908 | 1908 | 1908 |
Oregon | 1903 | 1906 | 1903 |
Pennsylvania | 1906 | 1885 | 1906 |
Rhode Island | 1853 | 1853 | 1853 |
South Carolina | 1915 | 1950 | 1915 |
South Dakota | 1905 | 1905 | 1905 |
Tennessee | 1908 | 1945 | 1908 |
Texas | 1903 | 1966 | 1903 |
Utah | 1905 | 1887 | 1905 |
Vermont | 1955 | 1955 | 1955 |
Virginia | 1912 | 1912 | 1912 |
Washington State | 1907 | 1968 | 1907 |
West Virginia | 1917 | 1964 | 1917 |
Wisconsin | 1907 | 1907 | 1907 |
Wyoming | 1909 | 1941 | 1909 |
Birth Returns for Negroes and Mulattoes 1788-1826
Marriage and Cohabitation Records
Cohabitation Records, 1861 – 1872
Cohabitation Records, are documents that list couples, often formerly enslaved, who were living together as husband and wife during slavery. These records became particularly important in the United States after the Civil War.
These records serve as valuable tools for researchers and descendants tracing African American ancestry, as they provide a rare glimpse into the personal lives of enslaved individuals whose experiences and relationships were often not formally documented during the era of slavery.
M1875 – Freedmen’s Bureau
Marriage by States Pre-1900
- Alabama
- Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950 (Listed by Film Numbers)
- Arkansas
Colorado Statewide Marriage Index, 1853-2006 (Listed by Counties)
- Delaware
Delaware Marriage Records, 1913-1954 (Listed by Film Numbers)
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940 (Listed by Film Numbers)
- Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019 (Listed by Counties)
- Kansas County Marriages, 1855-1911 (Listed by Counties)
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
Louisiana Parish Marriages, 1837-1957 (Listed by Film Numbers)
Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949 (Listed by Film Numbers)
- Mississippi
Mississippi, Tippah County Marriages, 1858-1979 (Listed by Colored Marriage Records and Volumes)
- Missouri
Missouri, County Marriage, Naturalization, and Court Records, 1800-1991 (Listed by Counties)
Montana, County Marriages, 1865-1950 (Listed by Film Numbers)
- Nevada County Marriages, 1862-1993 (Listed by Counties)
New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936 (Listed by Counties)
North Carolina, Civil Marriages, 1763-1868 (Listed by Film Numbers)
North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 (Listed by Counties)
- Pennsylvania Civil Marriages, 1677-1950 (Listed by Counties)
Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Collection, 1947-2010 (Marriages and Anniversaries)
Pennsylvania, Church Marriages, 1682-1976 (Listed by Film Numbers)
Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950 (Listed bu Counties)
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Marriage Indexes, 1885-1951 (Listed by Years)
- Tennessee
- Tennessee Church Marriages, 1810-1965 (Listed by Film Numbers)
Tennessee Civil Marriages, 1838-1888 (Listed by Film Numbers)
Tennessee, Putnam County Marriages, 1930-1961 (Listed by Year)
Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 (Listed by Film Numbers)
Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 (Listed by Film Numbers)
Utah, Uintah County Marriage Records, 1888-1939 (Marriage License App and Records Listed by Years)
Utah, Weber County Marriages, 1887-1941 (Marriage Certificate, and Application Listed by Year)
Death Certificates
Similar to birth records, early death records were often maintained by churches rather than government authorities. The practice of keeping death records in the United States, like birth records, developed over time and varied by state.
Death records are critical for tracking mortality rates, identifying causes of death, and monitoring public health trends. They help public health authorities identify outbreaks, track the progression of diseases, and develop interventions to improve population health.
What are the Primary and Secondary Information Found on a Death Certificate
Remember primary information is recorded at or near the event, by a person who has direct knowledge of the event; whereas secondary information is recorded long after the event, by a person who was not present at the event. Also, the usual residence information should lead you to the city census records, directories, census records, newspapers for obituaries, and the cemetery depending upon its location.
Over time, death certificates have come to include military service, and social security numbers, which are records available for research, also, an unusual cause of death (homicide) may lead you to the court records surrounding the event.
Why is this Primary Information? This is because the death is the main subject of the document, and information regarding the deceased’s passing is testified to by a doctor or other individual who was there, and who can make an accurate, eyewitness statement.
Full Name of deceased
Place of death
Last Address
Burial, cremation, or removal
Date of burial
Place: Burial or cremation
Signature of funeral director
P.O. address
Date received local registrar
Registrar's signature
Medical Certification
- Date of death
- Dates attended to the deceased
- Last day saw her alive
- Time of death
- Immediate cause of death
Why is this Secondary Information? This may or may not be trustworthy, depending upon who the informant was. In most cases, the information was not present at the time of the deceased's birth and thus the information could be considered hearsay. The accuracy of this information is directly dependent upon the informant, and their relationship to the deceased.
Sex
Color or race
Spouse's name (if married/window)
Birthdate or age in years, months, and day
Age Years
Birthplace
Occupation
Father's Name
Mother's Name
Informant's signature
Information's address or P.O. Box
If Veteran
Social Security
When someone dies and the family wants to divide their property, they must go through probate. If the person left behind a will, they could file it. Many people die without wills, which is when the family needs to follow the rules of the state. The property usually goes to the individual's spouse and their kids if they don't have a spouse. Probate records show you who received the property and list any family members involved in the process. You'll also see how long the probate took and who administered the estate.
Legal name of descendant
Marital status
Parent(s) names(s)
Parent’s birthplaces
Date and place of birth and death
Who verified death
Funeral home that handled remains
Cemetery
Verification of social security number
A Genealogy Guide
Online Searchable Death Indexes and Records
This website is a directory of links to websites with online death indexes, listed by state and county. Included are death records, death certificate indexes, death notices and registers, obituaries, wills and probate records, and cemetery burials. You can also find information here about searching the Social Security Death Index online.
Finding the Hidden Codes on Early Death Certificates
The cause of death is particularly hard to decipher. Look for a number on the death certificate that's usually circled, in a box or written in the area of Medical Certification. This often-overlooked number comes from the International Classification of Disease (ICD), or the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems as it is now known in full - and is currently maintained and updated by the World Health Organization.
Because updates were/are made to the database about every 10 years you will need to access the correct revision. Information can change dramatically from revision to revision, so making sure you have the correct one is very important.
Example of ICD Code on Death Certificate
Coroner's Inquest
Coroner’s inquests are held in cases of sudden, unexplained or suspicious deaths. The inquest would be held in the district where the death occurred.
Local Archives: Most records of inquests from the mid-18th century onwards are held at local archives. It's important to identify the specific local archive that corresponds to the area where the inquest took place.
Coroner's Office: For records of deaths that occurred less than 75 years ago, you may need to contact the coroner's office directly. These records are often retained by the office and may not yet be transferred to an archive.
What are in these records?
The content of the records varies over time. Each file may contain:
- The Coroner’s verdict on the cause of death
- Names of the jurors
- Jury reports
- Depositions of evidence given by witnesses called
- A copy of the Police report
- Pathology reports
- Necrology reports
- Toxicology reports
- Testimony offered at the inquest
- exhibits, photographs, copies of autopsy reports and other medical reports (these are more common from the 1950s onwards).
Coroners & Medical Examiners » Locality Specific: United States
- Coroner’s inquest (Orange County, North Carolina), 1785-1911
- Coroner’s inquests and reports, 1822-1967
- Coroner’s inquest records, 1841-1929
- Coroner’s inquest packets, 1842-1907
- Coroners inquests, 1849-1873
- Coroners Inquest, Butte County, California, 1851-1963
- Inquest files, 1882-1949
Coroner’s register, 1889-1943; inquest records, ca. 1867-1950
- Coroner’s record of inquest, 1893-1915
- Coroners inquests, 1896-1946
- Coroner’s inquest record, 1898-1921
- Coroner’s inquest, Jan. 1901-Mar. 1906
- Coroner’s inquests, 1904-1934
- Alaska, coroner’s inquests, 1904-1959
- Coroner’s inquest, 1905-1916
Coroner’s inquest: inventory and description of body, 1917-1922
- Coroner’s records, Waterbury District, 1917-1931
- Coroner’s inquest (Harnett County, North Carolina)
Review Burned Counties
Locations or repositories (like archives, libraries, or record offices) that have experienced the loss of a significant portion of their historical records. This loss can be due to a variety of reasons, each leading to the destruction or disappearance of valuable historical documents and records.
Such losses are significant because historical records are crucial for understanding our past, including family histories, cultural heritage, and societal development. When these records are lost, a part of history is essentially erased, often leaving gaps that are difficult or impossible to fill.
What would falls under the category of a Burned Counties?
Water damage from flooding can ruin paper records, books, and other materials, making them illegible or causing them to disintegrate.
Fires can completely destroy records, leaving no trace of the documents that once existed.
Conflicts often result in the intentional or collateral destruction of cultural and historical records.
Important documents can be stolen, either for their monetary value or to suppress information.
The high winds and debris from tornadoes can damage or disperse records.
The physical upheaval caused by earthquakes can destroy buildings housing records.
Similar to floods, hurricanes can cause water damage and also bring strong winds that damage structures holding records.
The massive waves of a tsunami can flood areas, leading to water damage of records.
Infestations can lead to the physical destruction of paper and other materials.
In damp conditions, mold can grow on paper and other materials, rendering them unusable or illegible.
Failing to properly care for records can lead to their deterioration over time.
Intentional removal or disposal of records deemed unnecessary or irrelevant can result in loss.
This refers to the age-related spots and browning seen on old paper documents, which can make them hard to read.
This is a more general category that covers any other reasons for the disappearance of records, which might not be specifically identified.