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Vital Records

Researching Genealogy in the Digital Age

What Are Vital Records?

Virtual records are digitized or transcribed documents that allow genealogists to access vital information online, even when the original files are stored in courthouses or archives. For African American family history, these records are essential. They provide rare insights into births, deaths, and community life, filling the gaps left by slavery, segregation, and inconsistent state recordkeeping.

This page introduces the major categories of vital records available online and highlights special record sets created during emancipation and gradual abolition.

Birth Records

Birth certificates document a child’s date and place of birth, parents’ names, and sometimes additional details such as occupation or place of residence. In most U.S. states, statewide birth registration did not begin until the early 20th century. Researchers often must rely on delayed records, church registers, or county-level filings.

Delayed Birth Certificates

Delayed birth certificates were issued for individuals born before state registration laws took effect, often in the early 1900s when Social Security applications required proof of birth. They are a valuable substitute for standard birth records.

📌 Learn more about delayed birth certificates on FamilySearch.

Delayed Birth Certificate?

State-level recording year of vital records

Note: Earlier records may be found at the local county or parish level.

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)

Between 1788 and 1826, several states passed laws requiring the registration of births of children born to enslaved mothers or to free Black families. Known as “Birth Returns for Negroes and Mulattoes,” these records served multiple purposes: documenting gradual emancipation, proving free status, and monitoring the growth of free Black communities.

Key Features of These Records:

State Resources and Access Points

➡️ These resources are essential for anyone tracing African American ancestors in the early national period. They document names and family connections decades before federal census records listed Black individuals in detail.

Delaware - Birth Returns for Negroes and Mulattoes
Register of Births and Deaths Slavery Papers
Delaware Laws Of 1829

Death Records

Death Certificates

Death certificates usually record the name of the deceased, date and place of death, age, occupation, cause of death, and parents’ names (when known). For African Americans, they can be especially valuable as they sometimes include information about the formerly enslaved generation.

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

  1. Date of death
  2. Dates attended to the deceased
  3. Last day saw her alive
  4. Time of death
  5. 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

Finding the Hidden Codes on Early Death Certificates

Researchers should pay close attention to “medical” codes and categories. Terms like “consumption,” “dropsy,” or “apoplexy” may indicate tuberculosis, heart failure, or stroke. Understanding these terms helps place ancestors in the context of community health and living conditions.

Historical death certificate with highlighted ICD codes for African American genealogy research and vital records analysis

Online Searchable Indexes & Tools

Online searchable indexes and tools make it possible to locate vital records from the comfort of your home. Many state archives, genealogical societies, and large databases such as Ancestry and USGenWeb provide access to birth, marriage, death, and coroner records. These collections often include digitized certificates, transcriptions, and even images of original documents. For African American genealogy, they are especially important because they bring together fragmented records from multiple jurisdictions and time periods, making it easier to trace families across generations.

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