Guide to Obtaining U.S. Vital Records

Vital records are one of the best sources for family tree information.  These records are issued by state and local governments when a major life events happens (birth, marriage, death, etc.).  In addition to describing the event, these records typically reveal other information too - like who the person's parents or next of kin, when and where they were born, etc.   All these little pieces of information will help you piece together the larger picture ... that is, your family tree.

Due to privacy reasons, however, these records generally aren't readily available to the public.  Your best source of vital records is to ask members in your own family for copies.  I've been working the last couple of years to borrow every vital record (and photograph) I can get my hands on so I can scan them into my computer.  Of course, I always take good care of the originals and give them back to the owner.

I've often been asked why I want the original, and not a copy. The simple answer is that originals scan better (especially if there is color ink on them).  Scan a copy produces a another degraded copy, whereas, scanning the original results in the best copy possible.  The other advantage is that after scanning the original in, I can print good (and often color) copies for my notebook and then put the original document into a fireproof box for safe-keeping. 

Once you've obtained all the vital records you can from family members, you'll have to get the rest from county offices.  That is, you'll have to make a formal request (by application) for a certified copy of the vital record you want from the office that issued it. And there is usually a fee involved (typically $12-25 per record).   For this reason, most people don't order copies of a lot of vital records.  Doesn't take long before the fees start adding up.

You will be able to find some vital records on the internet. I've found several death certificates on FamilySearch.org for free. I consider those finds little treasures in my family tree chest.   Some states also offer some records online for free.

For more information on how to obtain vital records in the U.S., click here.