Most birth records are maintained by the vital statistics offices in the cities, counties, or states where a person was born. Typically, these records are public and are available for free to anyone.
Using the internet, searching for birth and death records in the United States is easier than ever.
Free
In general, birth records are a valuable resource for genealogists. They can provide vital information about family members, including their date of death and place of birth. Unlike other records, these documents were typically created near the time of the event, making them more accurate. Moreover, they can provide clues about other relatives. These records are also very reliable, as they are compiled locally, meaning they are more likely to reflect actual events.
Although some states may have laws prohibiting access to certain records, most birth records are open to the public. For instance, birth records in New York are available to anyone who provides proof of relationship and identity. However, some states keep birth records private for 75 years after the event. In these cases, you can still request a copy of the certificate if you are a direct line descendant.
So how to find birth records online? To search for a specific name, enter your ancestor’s surname and the year. If you are searching for a female relative, remember that she was most likely recorded under her married name. As such, you should look for her maiden name and her husband’s. In addition, it is common for registrars to abbreviate names.
Easy
Whether searching for a birth, marriage, or death certificate, online records searches are an easy way to find the information you need. They are also quick and convenient and can be done anytime, day or night. You can pay for a search using most major credit and debit cards.
A search by name will return a list of all the registrations that match that name. Knowing more details about the person can help narrow your search and locate the record you seek. For example, if you know the mother’s maiden name, you can exclude records registered under her husband’s name. You can also narrow your search to a specific year range if you still determine the event date.
Many older records were recorded by hand, and sometimes, the writing could be easier to read. This can make spelling variations difficult to detect. In addition, registrars often used abbreviations, such as Jno for John, Jas for James, and Saml for Samuel.
During the early stages of your research, try to collect as much information as possible. This will help you focus your efforts and prevent you from being distracted by other details. Tracing your family history is a rewarding experience, but it can be time-consuming and requires patience. As you begin to uncover new details about your family, make sure that you keep a record of what you have found.
Convenient
If you know your family tree well, a birth or death record search is a convenient way to verify information. This will also allow you to locate other members of the same family. It is common for individuals to be registered using different dates, which may affect a search result. If this happens, you can use other details, such as the mother’s maiden name and the expected year range, to narrow the search results.
Using as much information as possible when conducting an online birth or death record search is a good idea. This will help ensure you get the most accurate and precise result. Also, handwriting has changed, making reading older records difficult. In addition, some registries will only search for records that meet specific criteria such as the name and sex. Therefore, it is best to include as much information as possible on your application to increase the likelihood of success.
Speed
The ability to search online for birth records is a valuable tool when researching family history. A search can help verify whether an ancestor is yours and reduce the number of required searches. Knowing the mother’s maiden name can also help narrow the number of potential searches.
In older records, it is common for the registrar to abbreviate names. Jno for John, Jas for James, and Saml for Samuel are some of the more common abbreviations.
Using the mother’s maiden name can also help search for female relatives as married women will be recorded with their surname at birth. This information can be helpful if you search for a woman who has been recorded as a foundling and whose birth has not been registered.
Time-Saving
You can save time by avoiding visiting a Registry Office in person to make your request. You can also avoid waiting to be served at peak times. Using online services is a convenient and practical way of conducting searches of birth certificates and death records.
Having an idea of your family tree can help you find potential relatives and reduce the number of records searched for you. Knowing the mother’s maiden name can be especially helpful as it is quite common for families to record their children using both the given forename and a shortened version of the forename. Knowing whether a nickname or a middle name knew the child is also helpful. It is impossible to photocopy Birth Register originals as they are handwritten ledgers, and the ink has faded over time.
