Birth, Marriage, and Death Records

Civil vital records—for births, deaths, and marriages—mark the milestones of our lives, and are the foundation of family history research. Chronicling the personal moments of our lives through the objective perspective of the public record, vital records can offer details often found through no other genealogical resource. They can be useful in proving or disproving other sources, give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find clues to earlier life events.

With this in mind, you can gain access to information regarding your ancestor's lives, such as the locations and causes of their deaths, the names of children or parents, their wedding dates and locations, and the many other details that help us record and remember the important moments in the lives of our families.

Types of Records

Birth, Marriage, & Death Records online reference a variety of records. This section explains some of the types of records you might find:

Birth

Birth records usually show the name of the child, gender, date and place born, parents' names, and sometimes other data, such as parents' birthplaces.

Marriage

Marriage records usually show names of the bride and groom, date and place married, and sometimes other information, such as ages.

Death

In addition to the name of the person, death records usually provide marital status (single, married, widowed, or divorced), cause of death, date and place of death and burial, and sometimes the occupation, date and place of birth, age, parents' names and their birthplaces (usually county or country), and other useful information. The more recent the death record, the more information you will find.

Church

Church records contain information about baptisms, marriages, burials, and membership. In addition to the name of the person, church records often provide information about family members.

Cemetery

Some of the cemetery records included are tombstone inscriptions, burial permits, and death indexes. These records usually show names, birth and death dates; sometimes, they include information on surviving family members.

Search the Birth, marriage & Death Database

FAQ

Q: How can I obtain a birth or death record for an individual I found on ?

A: The cost and process associated with obtaining birth and death certificates tend to vary. Please click on the sidebar link (Ordering BMD records)that will detail down contact details for the General Records Office (plus County offices) for an explanation of the exact process for obtaining copies of birth and death certificates.

Q: Are there any tips for finding adoption or orphanage records?

A: Searching for adoption or orphanage records is, at best, overwhelming. The first piece of real evidence you need is a birth certificate. That should give names of mother and father with, perhaps, an address and parents' birthplaces. Once you find the hospital or another location of the record, the most effective way to progress is to go there, personally, to discuss what is available. If this is not possible, the next best thing is for a friend or relative to visit. When you (or they) get there, you can contact hospitals and look for birth announcements in newspapers.