What is a Vital Record?
A vital record is a document created, issued, and filed by an institution of civil or religious authority that records the data related to a vital act.
Marriage Certificate of Frederick Douglass, Library of Congress
Information Recorded in Vital Records
- Full names, including maiden names
- Names of relations, including parents, spouses, and sometimes children
- Dates of vital acts
- Birthdays
- Cemetery where person is located
- Addresses
- Places of birth
Databases
- Thousands of birth, marriage and death records for each state, for example:
- Pennsylvania, County Slave Records 1780-1834
- U.S., Freedmen’s Bureau Marriage Records, 1846-1867
- New York State, Birth Index, 1881-1942
- 10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813-1850
- Massachusetts, Compiled Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1700-1850
- Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1965
- Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009
- New York, New York, Index to Marriage Licenses, 1908-1910, 1938-1940
- HeritageQuest
This genealogical database allows researchers to search U.S. Federal Census records, digitized family and local history books, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files and the Freedman's Bank Records (1865-1874), maps, and a wealth of other historical collections and research guides. **Patrons should read the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy of this resource before searching.**
Types of Vital Records
- Birth certificates
- Death certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Divorce records
- Baptisms