District of Columbia Vital Records
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District of Columbia Birth, Marriage and Death Records[edit | edit source]
Introduction to Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. United States Vital Records has additional research guidance on researching and using vital records.
 Vital Records Reference Dates[edit | edit source]The District of Columbia's civil records start the following years:
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District of Columbia Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online[edit | edit source]
The following is a list of online resources useful for locating District of Columbia Vital Records which consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths. Most online resources for District of Columbia Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index always consult the original record to confirm the information in the index.
- District of Columbia Births and Christenings, 1830-1955 - Free, courtesy: FamilySearch. Description
- District of Columbia Deaths and Burials, 1840-1964 - Free, courtesy: FamilySearch. Description
- District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1959 - Free, courtesy: FamilySearch. Description
- United States Marriages – District of Columbia, 1802-1964 ($) index
- District of Columbia, Marriage Records, 1810-1953 ($)
- District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950 - Free, courtesy: FamilySearch. Description
- District of Columbia Marriages, 1830-1921 - Free, courtesy: FamilySearch. Description
- Search the District of Columbia Birth, Marriage & Death Records at Ancestry.com ($)
- Where to write for District of Columbia Vital Records ($)
Courtesy of the Gallaudet University Library Deaf Collections and Archives: 19 indexes of birth, marriage, and death records derived from various Deaf publications:
- Alumni Cards: 1866-1961
- Columbia Institution Statistics: 1857-1897
- Columbia Institution Statistics: 1898-1950
- Faculty/Staff Cards: 1910-1944
- Fay Marriage Index
- Pennsylvania School for the Deaf Applications: 1824-1938
- Vital Records
Birth and Death Records[edit | edit source]
Registration of vital statistics began in 1874 for the District of Columbia and was generally complied with by 1915 for births and 1880 for deaths. You can obtain copies of these records by writing to:
- Department of Human Services
- Vital Records Division
- 800 9th Street S.W.
- Washington, DC 20024
- Telephone: 202-645-5962
- Internet: Department of Health
Birth records more than 125 years old and death records more than 75 years old are considered public record and no approval is needed for requested records. A law passed in 2018 now requires that requests for records that are too recent to be open to the public must go through the DC Superior Court. The current fees for obtaining copies of the District's birth and death records are found at the DC Dept. of Health online.
Some earlier records of deaths exist from 1855-1860, and 1865-1949. They can be obtained from the above address. The Family History Library has copies of some of the District's births, 1874-1897 starting on (FHL Collection Film 2020343). Deaths for 1855-1949 begin on ( FHL Collection Film 1994618).
To research birth certificates from 1874-1894 and/or death certificates from 1874-1932 in person, an appointment must be made in advance with the District of Columbia Archives.
To make an appointment, email the archives at archives@dc.gov at least a week in advance of your trip. In your initial email provide the archive with the date of your arrival and the detailed specifics of your research as follows:
- Birth certificates
- Are only publicly available from 1874 to 1894
- First and last name of child
- Complete date of birth
- First and last names of parents
- Death certificates
- Are only publicly available from 1874 to 1932
- First and last name
- Date of death
Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:
- District of Columbia Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records
- District of Columbia, Birth Returns - FamilySearch Historical Records
- District of Columbia Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records
- District of Columbia Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records
Marriage Records[edit | edit source]
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Registration of marriages began in 1811. Some of the early marriages for the years 1811 to 1858 have been transcribed by the DAR and are on microfilm at the Family History Library, see: FHL Film 845766. Easier-to-use versions of these records include:
- DC marriage records 1811-1950; indexes, 1811-1986 FHL Film 2079252.
- Alexandria (DC) marriage certificates returned 1801-1850 FHL Film 1902941 item 3.
- DC marriage registers 1811-1870 FHL Book 975.3 V28p. Early registers only contain the name of the bride and groom and the date of marriage.
- DC marriage returns, 1874-1902, 1907-1923; consents, 1896-Dec. 1950 FHL Film 2070925. These records may provide the name of the bride and groom, and their age, residence, color, occupation, birthplace and number of marriages.
- DC newspaper marriage notices 1800-1850 FHL Film 929472.
- Fay Marriage Index (Marriages of the Deaf) courtesy of the Gallaudet University Library of Deaf Collections and Archives
You can obtain marriage records from 1811 to the present by writing to:
- Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Marriage License Bureau
500 Indiana Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
Telephone: 202-879-4840
- Marriages more than 100 years old are considered public record and no approval is needed to apply for a record copy.
To research marriage records from 1870 to 1919 in-person start at the District of Columbia Archives website and then email an appointment request with the specific research information included in the message.
Online Databases[edit | edit source]
- 1802-1964 - District of Columbia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:
Divorce Records[edit | edit source]
An index to divorce proceedings prior to September 1956 are available from:
- Clerk of the U.S. District Court
3rd and Constitution Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
Telephone: 202-273-0555
Old divorce records 1803-1863 are housed at the National Archived in Record Group 21 (Entries 16 and 23). Records after 1863 and previous to September 16, 1956 are maintained at the Washington National Records Center, Suitland, Maryland. Reseachers must know the divorce case number found in the index housed at the U.S. District Court as listed above. To access divorce cases, an appointment must be made with the Washington National Records Center at least 24 hours prior to the review appointment. Personal identification is required to enter the Washington National Records Center. Please see Researching and Accessing Court Records at the Washington National Records Center.
Divorce documents filed since September 16, 1956 are at:
- Clerk of the Superior Court
Family Division
500 Indiana Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
Telephone: 202-879-1418
The Family History Library has no District of Columbia divorce records.
Adoption Records[edit | edit source]
There are no provisions for receiving information, whether identifying or non-identifying from adoption files. All adoption records are sealed and cannot be opened without petitioning the court for "good cause." An adopted adult must petition the court in which the adoption was finalized.[1]
Additional Helps[edit | edit source]
Tips[edit | edit source]
- Information listed on vital records is given by an informant. Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record. The closer the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) and whether or not the informant was present at the time of the event can help determine the accuracy of the information found on the record.
- If you are unable to locate vital records recorded by governments, search for church records of christening, marriage, death or burial. A family Bible may have been used to record births, marriages and deaths.
- Search for Vital Records in the FamilySearch Catalog by using a Place Search and then choosing Vital Records. Search for District of Columbia to locate records filed by the State and then search the name of the county to locate records kept by the county.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
Washington National Records Center, Suitland, MD Services for the Public
Lost and Missing Records[edit | edit source]
Death records 1861-1865, the Civil War years, are missing.
Substitute Records[edit | edit source]
These links will take you to wiki pages describing alternate sources for birth, marriage and death records.
- Church Records: Depending on the denomination, church records may contain information about birth, marriage and death.
- Cemetery Records: Cemetery records are a rich source of birth and death information. These records may also reveal family relationships.
- Census: Census records are a valuable source for birth and marriage information. You may also determine approximate time of death when the individual disappear from the census. This is a good place to begin a search.
- Newspapers: Besides obituaries, local newspapers may contain birth and marriage announcements and death notices. Also check newspaper social columns for additional information.
- Periodicals: Local genealogical and historical societies often publish periodicals which may contain abstracted early birth, marriage and death information.
- Military Records: Military pension records can give birth, marriage and death information, In addtion, soldiers' homes records can included this same information.
- Probate Records: If no death record exists, probate records may be helpful in estimating when an individual has died. Probate records in the 20th Century often contain the exact death date.
- History: Local histories, family histories and biographies can all be sources of birth, marriage and death information. Often this information is found in county-level records or in surname searches of the FamilySearch Catalog.
More District of Columbia Vital Records Online Links[edit | edit source]
- District of Columbia Databases listed on Rootsweb.org Free
- USGenweb.org site for Washington D.C. or District of Columbia - Free
- Vitalcheck.com ($) Express ordering of vital record certificates
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Adoption.com District of Columbia Laws
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