Vital Records in the United States
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.