United States Vital Records – Access Genealogy

United States vital records, as its name suggests, is connected with central life events occurring within the United States: birth, marriage, and death. These records are prime sources of genealogical information, but, unfortunately, official records (those maintained by county and state governments), are available only for relatively recent time periods.

There are numerous aids for locating vital records. Most towns and counties have indexes to birth, marriage and death records. Even if the indexes are not complete, they can facilitate research. Many genealogical societies and online websites have published birth, marriage and death records.

When researching records, always check for duplicate copies at the various government levels. Many counties kept records before the states did. After state registration began, counties and cities continued to maintain their own registers of vital events. If one set of records is lost or incomplete, make sure to check the other.

For more recent births and deaths, an invaluable resource is the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). The Death Master File (DMF) from the Social Security Administration (SSA) currently contains over 89 million records and is updated weekly. The file is created from internal SSA records of deceased persons possessing social security numbers and whose deaths were reported to the SSA. Often this was done in connection with filing for death benefits by a family member, an attorney, a mortuary, etc. Each update of the DMF includes corrections to old data as well as additional names. Many websites provide access to the data, most of them free access.

The following pages provide addresses and information concerning the purchase of vital records from the various state agencies, and links to the variety of data available online for searching.

United States Vital Records Information

Recent Vital Records

Vital records of Stratham, New Hampshire, 1700-1867

In 1934, Priscilla Hammond compiled vital records from Stratham, New Hampshire, covering the years 1700 to 1867, based on original town records. This compilation, transcribed with imperfect typing, was privately published and distributed to libraries and societies. The records are presented largely as found, with family members often grouped together. An index is included to assist in locating individual records. Users should be cautious with dates, especially those before 1752, as it is unclear if old dates were converted.
Acton Massachusetts Vital Records

Alphabetical indexes to the vital records of Acton, Massachusetts, up to the year 1850. The Town of Acton, Middlesex County, wasestablished July 3, 1735, from a part of Concord called The Village or New Grant, together with Willard’s Farms. These vital records start about that time and run up to the year 1850. They include transcriptions taken in the early 1900s of the Woodlawn and North Acton cemeteries in Acton and the Mount Hope Cemetery in West Acton. Baptisms, marriages, and burials were also extracted from the First Congregational and the Evangelical Congregational churches in Acton as well as twelve…
Abington Massachusetts Marriage and Death Records

Volume 2 of the Abington, Massachusetts vital records compiles marriage and death records up to 1850, complementing Volume 1, which contains birth records. Established in 1712, Abington’s boundaries have shifted, affecting historical jurisdiction. Extensive research from town records, cemeteries, and family Bibles ensured comprehensive documentation, including the identification of Black families recorded by given names. The volume is organized alphabetically by marriages and deaths.
Abington Massachusetts Birth Records

Volume 1 of the Abington, Massachusetts vital records details births recorded in the town up to 1850, featuring comprehensive research from town records, cemeteries, and church documents. Established in 1712, Abington’s jurisdictional changes may affect genealogical searches. The records also include separate listings for Black families, primarily by given names. Additionally, various surnames are cataloged, emphasizing the need to consider alternate spellings. For marriages and deaths, researchers should consult Volume 2.
Vital Records of Sheffield Massachusetts, 1733-1792

The vital records of Sheffield, Massachusetts from 1733 to 1792 detail the town’s historical births, marriages, and deaths. While names and dates are transcribed accurately, some wording has been abbreviated for clarity. Marriage records often specify the union of couples, while birth records typically include parental names. Notably, some families lack marriage entries, starting instead with a child’s birth. The records also document a few out-of-wedlock births, emphasizing lineage through parental names, even in adult death records.
Vital Records of Alford Massachusetts

Alphabetical indexes to the vital records of Alford, Massachusetts, up to the year 1850. The Town of Alford, Berkshire County, was established as the District of Alford, February 16, 1773, from a part of Great Barrington and certain common lands. These vital records start about that time and run up to the year 1850. Free PDF to read or download.
History of Bedford, New Hampshire

This volume, titled History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737, was compiled by Peter P. Woodbury, Thomas Savage, and William Patten. It was published in Concord, N.H., by The Rumford Printing Co. in 1903. The primary objective of this edition was to incorporate all facts from the predecessor’s work, along with additional details and events that occurred since its publication, documenting the town’s history up to the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of its incorporation on May 15, 1900. A significant portion of the work is dedicated to Genealogies of 157 families, furnished largely by family representatives…
Vital Records of Bellingham, Massachusetts

Alphabetical indexes to the vital records of Bellingham, Massachusetts, up to the year 1850, supplemented by information from bible records, church registers, cemetery inscriptions and other private sources to include the diary kept by Samuel Wight and his daughters.
Death records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts

The death records of Dartmouth Massachusetts are alphabetical indexes to the manuscript records of the town of Dartmouth, supplemented by information from family bible records, church registers, and other sources, showing the deaths and burials of the town inhabitants from its earliest dates to 1850.
Marriage records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts

The marriage records of Dartmouth Massachusetts are alphabetical indexes to the manuscript records of the town of Dartmouth, supplemented by information from family bible records, church registers, and other sources, showing the marriage records of the town inhabitants from its earliest dates to 1850.
Birth records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts

The birth records of Dartmouth Massachusetts are alphabetical indexes to the manuscript records of the town of Dartmouth, supplemented by information from family bible records, church registers, and other sources, showing the birth records of the town inhabitants from its earliest dates to 1850.
Medway Massachusetts vital records

Alphabetical indexes to the vital records of Medway, Massachusetts, up to the year 1850, supplemented by information from church registers, cemetery inscriptions and other private sources to include Rev. Dr. Jacob Ide’s account of Marriages and Deaths, 1814-1849.
Vital Records of Coventry Connecticut 1711-1844

This volume brings together the vital records of Coventry, Connecticut, covering the years 1711 to 1844. The opening section outlines the early history of Coventry’s settlement, beginning with the land grant from Joshua, son of Uncas, chief of the Mohegans, and the subsequent action by the General Assembly to organize and name the town. The main body of the work arranges the records alphabetically by surname, listing names, dates, and family relationships, with occasional notes on illegitimacy, prior residence, or military service. Together, these records preserve key details of the town’s earliest generations. Included are entries drawn from both town…
Vital Records of Mansfield Connecticut 1703-1850

This volume contains a carefully prepared transcription of the vital records of Mansfield, Connecticut, covering the years 1703 to 1850. Compiled by Susan W. Dimock, its purpose is to preserve and make accessible the town’s early historical data. That information includes lists of births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths drawn from both town and church records. The introductory section outlines Mansfield’s early history, beginning with its origins in land once held by a Mohegan chief. The main body of the work arranges the records alphabetically by surname, listing names, dates, and family relationships, with occasional notes on illegitimacy, prior residence, or…
Guilford Church Record of Marriages, 1834-1923

This is a typewritten copy of the marriage records as abstracted from the register of the Guilford Reformed Dutch Church in Guilford New York by K. E. Hasbrouk in 1950. Guilford was a hamlet in the township of Gardiner, Ulster County, New York. This manuscript is separated into three sections. The first section provides marriages from 1834-1871 before the pastorate of Rev. Calvin E. Lasher. The second section, starting on page 8, are marriages conducted by Rev. Lasher containing the years 1874-1923. There is a period, between 17 Mar 1871 and 4 Feb 1874 where no marriages were recorded in…
Records of the Dutch Reformed Church, Sleepy Hollow, New York, 1785-1836

In 1931, the Tarrytown Historical Society transcribed and indexed the fragile volume called the “First English Record Book” which was actually the Second Record Book of the Dutch Reformed Church in Sleepy Hollow (what would become Tarrytown, New York), the first having been fully in Dutch. The transcription includes a list of memberships from 1785-1817, 351 marriage records from 1787-1836, and 1338 baptisms from 1785-1836. Free to read and download.
Records of the Dutch Reformed Church, Sleepy Hollow, New York, 1697-1785

The Dutch Reformed Church records from Sleepy Hollow, dating from 1697 to 1836, are preserved, with the first volume translated and published in 1901. This initial record, encompassing membership, baptisms, and marriages from 1697 through the Revolutionary War, laid the groundwork for future documentation. Rev. David Cole’s translation and index of the Dutch records in 1901 made a century of member lists, consistories, baptisms, and marriages available to descendants of Sleepy Hollow’s early tenants for the first time. Read or download the free PDF.
Deaths and Marriage in Dutchess County NY 1778-1825

This volume, compiled by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds and published by the Dutchess County Historical Society in 1930, presents approximately 4,000 marriage and death notices drawn primarily from newspapers printed at Poughkeepsie, New York, between 1778 and 1825.
Marriage and Baptismal Records of Rev. James Dempster

The Dempster Records (1778–1803), curated by historian Robert M. Hartley, document the marriages and baptisms officiated by Rev. James Dempster, an early Methodist minister in Montgomery County, New York. These records not only provide valuable genealogical information but also highlight Dempster’s role in establishing Methodism in the area following the Revolutionary War.
Marriage Records of Montgomery County, NY, 1795-1876

This volume compiles marriage records from Montgomery County, NY, between 1795 and 1876, documenting ceremonies conducted by Rev. Elijah Herrick, Rev. Calvin Herrick, and Rev. John Calvin Toll. It features 502 marriages by Elijah Herrick from 1796-1844, 192 by his son Calvin from 1834-1876, and 246 by John Calvin Toll from 1803-1844. The records reflect the early Baptist and Reformed Dutch communities, with each entry preserving the original spelling and including an alphabetical index for researchers’ convenience.

United States Vital Records Information

Recent Vital Records

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