Vital Records in the United States

Vital records are records that are used to prove identity, and can be used for many things. For instance, they may be used to apply for and obtain a Social Security card, work visa for another country, or even a passport. Once compiled, they outline major events of a person’s life. These kinds of records are very important, so they are kept under government watch at all times. Vital records in the United States can include birth records, death records, adoption records, marriage records and divorce records. In areas where marriage to the same sex partner is legal, vital records can also include those regarding civil unions or domestic partnerships.

Vital records in the United States are maintained on the state level. However, many counties will also include copies of vital records for its citizens as well. Vital record keeping started in the 1800s, but there was not one standardized system for handling these records and many were lost. Additionally, records were not stored in fireproof vaults like they are today, and courthouse fires caused vital record loss as well.

Each vital record will contain the full name of the individual concerned, as well as the date of birth. Death records will have the date of death, the physical description of the deceased, survivor’s names and the cause of death. Birth records will list the names of the parents, physical description (birth weight and length), time of birth and place of birth, along with the attending doctor. Marriage records will list the place where the marriage occurred, the full names of both parties, as well as the presiding official over the wedding ceremony. Divorce records will list the date the divorce was finalized, the date the marriage occurred and birth dates of any children resulting from the marriage.