How to Find Maryland Birth Records
- A very few births were recorded in colonial Maryland but not many survived.
- Birth registration started in 1865.
- 1875 Baltimore City began recording births.
- 1898 All counties in Maryland began recording births, although full compliance did not happen until about 1910.
- Birth records are restricted for 100 years to immediate family members.
Next Step: When did the birth occur? [edit | edit source] |
|
---|
Births 1654 thru 1693[edit | edit source]
Births were to be recorded by the clerk of the county court. Very few records exist.
- Charles County Court 1654-1706
- Somerset County Court 1649-1720
- Talbot County Court 1657-1691
STEP ONE: Find Birth Information [edit | edit source]
Maryland Birth Index Only | ||||
Try: 1st | ||||
Maryland, Births and Christenings, 1650-1995 online at FamilySearch |
Free; name index,incomplete | |||
Try 2nd: | ||||
Ancestry Database - Choose one of the following: | ||||
1622-1911 - use Ancestry Institution at FamilySearch Centers/Libraries | Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center | |||
1622-1911 - use your Ancestry subscription | $, To obtain a subscription to Ancestry; Ancestry is often available for free through your local public library | |||
Can't find your ancestor in the online index? | Tips for searching online indexes | |||
No birth record for your ancestor? | Other records with death information |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Record[edit | edit source]
Copies Birth records may be available from the Maryland State Archives.
To Order Birth Records | |||
You know the birth date from the index | You do not know the birth date | ||
Maryland State Archives | Maryland State Archives | ||
Request a copy | The archives will search for one name in one index, and provide one document for their fee |
Some records may also be available at your local FamilySearch Center. Use the FamilySearch Catalog to see what is available.
- Search the FamilySearch Catalog by county or city, then vital records
- Select the topic Vital Records.
- Some microfilm may be available to view at a local Family Search Center.
Births 1694 thru 1864[edit | edit source]
- No government records were kept.
- In 1694 the Clerks of the Protestant Episcopal Church were required to keep record of all births, regardless of the family's membership.
- Other denominations kept their own records of births.
Copies of Church birth records may be available from the Maryland State Archives or in the FamilySearch Catalog.
Church Birth Records | |||
Maryland State Archives | FamilySearch Catalog | ||
The archives will search for one name in one index, and provide one document for their fee | Search for the town where the church was located |
Use substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.
Records that give birth information: | ||
Births from 1865 thru 1897[edit | edit source]
- 1865 - Maryland law required county circuit courts to record births
- Low compliance with the law
- List of counties which kept some records during this time period
- If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for birth information in church records.
For births that exist during the time period, try the following databases.
STEP ONE: Find Birth Information [edit | edit source]
Maryland Birth Index Only | ||||
Try: 1st | ||||
Maryland, Births and Christenings, 1650-1995 online at FamilySearch |
Free; name index,incomplete | |||
Try 2nd: | ||||
Ancestry Database - Choose one of the following: | ||||
1622-1911 - use Ancestry Institution at FamilySearch Centers/Libraries | Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center | |||
1622-1911 - use your Ancestry subscription | $, To obtain a subscription to Ancestry; Ancestry is often available for free through your local public library | |||
Can't find your ancestor in the online index? | Tips for searching online indexes | |||
No birth record for your ancestor? | Other records with death information |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Record[edit | edit source]
Copies Birth records may be available from the Maryland State Archives.
To Order Birth Records | |||
You know the birth date from the index | You do not know the birth date | ||
Maryland State Archives | Maryland State Archives | ||
Request a copy | The archives will search for one name in one index, and provide one document for their fee |
.
Some records may also be available at your local FamilySearch Center. Use the FamilySearch Catalog to see what is available.
- Search the FamilySearch Catalog by Maryland and the county name.
- Select the topic Vital Records.
- Some microfilm may be available to view at a local Family Search Center.
Births from 1875 thru 1972, Baltimore City[edit | edit source]
- Limited births maybe found in the following databases. Try each link.
- If you do not find your ancestor's birth or if you want order a copy of the certificate, then contact the Maryland State Archives in Step 2.
- If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for birth information in church records.
STEP ONE: Find Birth Information[edit | edit source]
Maryland Birth Index Only | ||||
Try: 1st | ||||
Maryland, Births and Christenings, 1650-1995 online at FamilySearch |
Free; name index,incomplete | |||
Try 2nd: | ||||
Ancestry Database - Choose one of the following: | ||||
1622-1911 - use Ancestry Institution at FamilySearch Centers/Libraries | Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center | |||
1622-1911 - use your Ancestry subscription | $, To obtain a subscription to Ancestry; Ancestry is often available for free through your local public library | |||
Can't find your ancestor in the online index? | Tips for searching online indexes | |||
No birth record for your ancestor? | Other records with death information |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Record[edit | edit source]
Copies Birth records may be available from the Maryland State Archives.
To Order Birth Records | |||
You know the birth date from the index | You do not know the birth date | ||
Maryland State Archives | Maryland State Archives | ||
Request a copy | The archives will search for one name in one index, and provide one document for their fee |
.
Some records may also be available at your local FamilySearch Center. Use the FamilySearch Catalog to see what is available.
- Search the FamilySearch Catalog by Maryland, Baltimore City.
- Select the topic Vital Records.
- Some microfilm may be available to view at a local Family Search Center.
Births from 1898 thru 1972[edit | edit source]
- Limited births maybe found in the following databases. Try each link.
- If you do not find your ancestor's birth or if you want order a copy of the certificate, then see below how to order from the Maryland State Archives. :*Births less than 100 years old are restricted.
- If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for birth information in church records.
STEP ONE: Find Birth Information[edit | edit source]
Maryland Birth Index Only | ||||
Try: 1st | ||||
Maryland, Births and Christenings, 1650-1995 online at FamilySearch |
Free; name index,incomplete | |||
Try 2nd: | ||||
Ancestry Database - Choose one of the following: | ||||
1622-1911 - use Ancestry Institution at FamilySearch Centers/Libraries | Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center | |||
1622-1911 - use your Ancestry subscription | $, To obtain a subscription to Ancestry; Ancestry is often available for free through your local public library | |||
Can't find your ancestor in the online index? | Tips for searching online indexes | |||
No birth record for your ancestor? | Other records with death information |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Record[edit | edit source]
Copies Birth records may be available from the Maryland State Archives.
To Order Birth Records | |||
You know the birth date from the index | You do not know the birth date | ||
Maryland State Archives | Maryland State Archives | ||
Request a copy | The archives will search for one name in one index, and provide one document for their fee |
- You may also order certificates since 1940 from the birth county. See below.
Some records may also be available at your local FamilySearch Center. Use the FamilySearch Catalog to see what is available.
- You may also order certificates since 1940 from the birth county. See below.
- Search the FamilySearch Catalog by Maryland and the county name.
- Select the topic Vital Records.
- Some microfilm may be available to view at a local Family Search Center.
Births from 1940 thru present[edit | edit source]
Locating a birth record
You can order a copy of the birth record for a fee from the following locations if you are the person on the certificate, a parent, legal guardian or surviving spouse:
To Order Birth Certificates | |||
County of Birth | From MD Dept of Health and Hygiene | ||
Cons | Cons | Pros | Pros |
May be more expensive and faster than ordering from the state | County websites can be more difficult to use | Offers a search of the state index | May be less expensive than ordering from the county |
- After locating the county website, search for the Department of Health and Administrative or Vital Records.
- Baltimore City births are combined with county records after 1972.
- The Maryland State Archives has indexes and birth records up to 1978, but they are restricted.
- See list of restrictions for ordering birth records
If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.
Restrictions for Obtaining Birth Records[edit | edit source]
Restrictions for persons born within the last 100 years:
To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 100 years from the government agency, you must be:
- The person on the certificate
- The parents of the person on the certificate.
- Surviving spouse.
- Someone with documented legal custody of the person on the certificate.
- NOTE: A copy of the birth record cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 100 years have passed from the date of the birth.
If you do not want to order the birth record, you can search other records with birth information.
Related Wiki Articles[edit | edit source]
- Learn more about U.S. birth records
- How to find U.S. birth records
- How to find U.S. marriage records
- How to find U.S. death records
- United States Record Finder
- U.S. Vital Records Overview
- United States Vital Records
- Locating United States Vital Records
- United States Death Records
- United States Marriage Records