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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.

birth-and-death-certificates

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

 

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

  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

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).

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.