In the U.S., most states did not track vital records until the early 1900s. Vital records usually contain the full name of the individual involved in the event, the date of the event, and the county, state, or town where the event took place. Many vital records contain much more information including the parent's full names, the name of the baby, the date of the birth, and county where the birth took place, marriage records often record the names and birthplaces of each individual's parents. Divorce records usually list the names of the couple's children. Death certificates often mention where the individual will be buried, and also give the name of the individual who reported the death, and death certificate number.

The chart below lists by state, the year births and deaths were first recorded.

STATE*	YEAR STATE FIRST RECORDED BIRTHS	YEAR STATE FIRST RECORDED DEATHS

Alabama	1908	1908
Alaska	1913	1913
Arizona	1909	1909
Arkansas	1914	1914
California	1905	1905
Colorado	1910	1900
Connecticut	1897	1897
Delaware	1930	1962
District of Columbia	1871	1855 ^#
Florida	1915	1915
Georgia	1919	1919
Hawaii	1896	1896
Idaho	1911	1911
Illinois	1916	1916
Indiana	1882	1882
Iowa	1880	1880
Kansas	1911	1911
Kentucky	1911	1911
Louisiana	1914	1914
Maine	1892	1892
Maryland	1898	1898
Massachusetts	1841	1841
Michigan	1867	1867
Minnesota	1900	1908
Mississippi	1912	1912
Missouri	1910	1910
Montana	1907	1907
Nebraska	1904	1904
Nevada	1911	1911
New Hampshire	1905	1905
New Jersey	1878	1878
New Mexico	1920	1920
New York	1880	1880
New York City	1910	1949
North Carolina	1913	1946
North Dakota	1908	1908
Ohio	1908	1944
Oklahoma	1908	1908
Oregon	1903	1903
Pennsylvania	1906	1906
Puerto Rico	1931	1931
Rhode Island	1852	1852
South Carolina	1915	1915
South Dakota	1905	1905
Tennessee	1914	1914
Texas	1903	1903
Utah	1905	1905
Vermont	1857	1857
Virginia	1912	1912
Washington	1907	1907
West Virginia	1917	1917
Wisconsin	1907	1907
Wyoming	1919	1919

*Always check with town or county because they may also have the records of birth, marriages and deaths before the state began recording them.

#No death records kept during Civil War years.