Vital records are legal documents of important events, including birth, marriage, divorce, and death. While originally intended for census and other vital statistics only, these records have now become official records of Counties and States, typically reside in the public domain, and are used for identification and a host of other proof-related usage.
Searching and getting copies of these records can, however really become difficult and they usually will cost you a small fee from a County of State office. Is there vital record information that is available for free? And where can I do an address search or get free vital record information if I am trying to find a person?
Even though these documents are considered in the public domain, they are still the physical property of the state and local governments and must be accessed through those offices. Each state and government agency has its own procedure and fee schedule for vital records official copy requests. However, some states will provide limited free information online for those vital records that are deemed “public record.”
Thankfully, tracking down the right agency to contact can be easy if you know where to look. If you know the specific agency you need, you can start by looking at the free resource located at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm. Here you can locate for free the specific agency for each vital record for every state in the U.S.
If you are attempting to locate these kinds of records on a target person with limited success or don’t know which State or County office to target, you can start with the more general online sources. One online resource is Archives.com. They have access to over a billion records and you can browse through networks of records including family history and related birth and death data.
They do charge a small fee but fortunately they have a trial use period for seven days, during which you can decide if their service is worth the fee. Use your free 7-day trial to search for your own records, your living relatives, or even your ancestors. If you find that the service is worthwhile, your subscription will automatically begin after 7 days if you do not cancel.
If you are searching for proof of birth or death but don’t actually need a copy of the birth or death certificate there are other resources that will tell you this without providing the document. Another free search engine is at www.ancestorhunt.com. This free search engine can help you find records by using specific surnames or state, and it provides additional genealogy help. A search could turn up digital copies of your ancestors’ records, including property deeds, marriage bonds, and other certificates.
If you use your wits a little bit, you can locate and obtain vital records – often for free. Try these free resources to get you started and with the right information you can get the records you need.
In the final event, you may need to pay a small fee and use the services of a people finder.