Vital Records and Finding Relatives on Genealogy Websites

These days, genealogy websites provide an easy way to uncover information about one’s ancestors. You can learn the names of ancestors, their dates of birth and death, who they married, and where they lived. Vital statistics are required to identify the appropriate people and records. Some of the information is the same found in a birth certificate copy, but further research may be required to obtain other vital details.

What Are Vital Records?

Vital records are documents containing information such as birth dates, death dates, marriage information, and names of family members. Over time, states began to develop laws on registration. Statewide systems were created but, in most cases, a systematic method of maintaining records was not in place until the early 1900s. At that time, it became common practice to create birth, marriage, and death certificates.

Prior to that, vital records were managed according to a locality’s laws. Vital information was recorded in colonial New England, while eastern urban health departments were reporting births and deaths by the mid-1800s. There are still regional differences in how civil records are managed, but you can use them to find pertinent details on family members, just as you can to obtain a replacement birth certificate.
 
How to Find Vital Records

Before you can use a genealogy website, you need to find vital information on the person in question. Resources include FamilySearch, where you can search vital records across the United States. You can also review state records but, if that doesn’t work, you can use substitutes such as church, cemetery, census, newspaper, probate, or military records.
 
Ancestry.com isn’t the only site where you’ll find vital records, but it does contain several types of records collections. To aid in your search, the site provides resources that enable you to:
 

• Access state vital records agencies.
• Find images of vital records.
• Request a record of an ancestor.
• Find database items within larger indexes.

 
These records can include any milestone in the life of an ancestor. Details include their name, occupational, marriage dates, residence, and date and cause of death. Such records are often accurate since they were created close to the time of a key life event. Searches can be simplified by estimating birth dates using census information. You can also check the age/birthplace of a first child to narrow a marriage records search.
 
Ancestry.com is famous for its family trees and DNA testing resources. Its search tools are also notable and include U.S. city directories in which data going back to 1822 are kept for citizens of U.S. cities and counties. A family tree can uncover valuable clues, including but not limited to birth and death dates and familial relationships.

This information is valuable if you’re looking to obtain a loved one’s birth certificate. For online birth certificate replacement without hassle, you can turn to FastBirthCertificates.com. Fill out our order form, which considers all state and other requirements, and obtain your birth certificate copy today. You can learn more and begin your application on our site