Vermont Vital Records

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U.S. Vital Records

Vermont

Vital Records

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. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Vermont Vital Records State Department of Health for records for the last five years, Vermont General Service Center since 1857 or the Town Clerk's office where the event occurred for early records through current time

Vital Records Reference Dates Vermont's vital records start the following years:   Birth, Marriage, and Death Records Towns: abt. 1760 Statewide: 1857 Law for town clerks Centralized Registration: 1919

Online Birth, Marriage and Death Records

Vital Records - Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes

• 1720-1908 Vermont, Vital Records, 1720-1908 ($)
• 1732-2005 Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005 at FamilySearch - Images only.
• 1760-1954 Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-1954 at FamilySearch - Index and Images.
• 1760-2008 Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-2008 at FamilySearch - index/images
• 1850-2005 Vermont, Town Records, 1850-2005 at FamilySearch - Images only.
  

Birth Records

• 1765-1908 Vermont, Births and Christenings, 1765-1908 at FamilySearch - Index.
• 1909-2008 Vermont Birth Records, 1909-2008 at Ancestry.com ($) - index and images ($)
• 1981-2001 Vermont Births, 1981-2001 at Ancestry.com ($)
  

Marriage Records

• to 1700 U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 at Ancestry.com ($) - index and images ($)
• 1718-1940 United States Marriages – Vermont, 1718-1940 ($) index and images
• 1791-1974 Vermont, Marriages, 1791-1974 at FamilySearch - Index only.
• 1909-2008 Vermont Marriage Records, 1909-2008 at Ancestry.com ($)
• 1981-2001 Vermont Marriage Index, 1981-1984 and 1989-2001 at Ancestry.com ($)
  

Death Records

• 1600s-2017: United States Obituary Notices at FindMyPast ($)
• 1909-2008 Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008 at Ancestry.com ($)
• 1981-2001 Vermont Death Index, 1981-2001 at Ancestry.com ($)
• 1871-1965 Vermont, Deaths and Burials, 1871-1965 at FamilySearch - Index.

Vermont Vital Records

Vital records were first kept in Vermont from the earliest permanent settlement, about 1760. All original records are maintained by the town or city and can be viewed at the town or city clerk’s office. The present vital registration law was enacted in 1857. This statute required that all vital events be recorded in the town where they occurred. A centralized registration system was established in 1919.

• 1732-2005 - Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005 at FamilySearch — index and images
  
• 1850-2005 - Vermont, Town Records, 1850-2005 at FamilySearch — index and images

The central registration of birth, marriage, death, and divorce records have been divided into the responsibilities of two state agencies. For vital records from 1760 to 5 years ago, contact:

• Vermont State Archives & Records Administration
  Office of the Secretary of State
  1078 Route 2, Middlesex
  Montpelier, Vt. 05633-7701
  Phone: (802) 828-3700
  Internet: Vermont State Archives
  
  For Vital Records for the 5 most recent years, contact:

Department of Health and Vital Statistics
108 Cherry St., P.O. Box 70
Burlington, VT 05402
Telephone: 802-863-7275
Internet: Vermont Health Department

• VitalRec.com ($)
  

Birth Records

Birth records usually show the name and sex of the child, and the names of parents, with the mother’s maiden name. The birth records may also show the birth places and ages of the parents, mother’s maiden name, occupation of the father, and number of children born to the mother. A year by year search may reveal other children born to the couple. Birth records of adopted children may give the birth parents but have frequently been amended to show only the adoptive parents.

• FamilySearch Historical Records. Vermont, Births and Christenings, 1765-1908, with a description of the collection.

Marriage Records

Marriage records usually mention the names of the bride and groom, the date and place of the marriage, and the home town of both the bride and groom. They also may show the names of the parents of each of them.

Gretna Greens. When an eloping Vermont couple's marriage is not in their home county, search for it in alternate places like Niagara Falls, NY, Elkton, Cecil, Maryland, or Prince William County, Virginia Genealogy.Niagara Falls was the closest, so probably most eloping couples would go there.

• FamilySearch Historical Records. Vermont, Marriages, 1791-1974, with a description of the collection.

Death Records

Death records usually give information about the deceased, such as name, age, birth date, state or country of birth. They also may include the names of parents, the date and place of death, as well as the cause of death. The informant may be a close relative and the names of the physician and mortician may be provided.

• FamilySearch Historical Records. Vermont, Deaths and Burials, 1871-1965, with a description of the collection.

Obituaries

• 1899-2012 - United States, Obituaries, American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1899-2012 at FamilySearch — index and images

Divorce Records

Divorce Certificates are available through the Department of Health for the last 5 years. By clicking the Department of Health link this will take you to the form to fill out. For certificates prior to the last five years you would need to contact the State Archives and Records Administration. By following this link it will take you to the genealogy page, give you the information you need, and a form to fill out.

Since vital records were kept from the founding of a town, search the town records also for the original information. See the “Town Records” page for details.

• Vermont Divorce Index 1925-2003 ($)

Vital Records Indexes

• Vermont. Secretary of State. General Index to Vital Records of Vermont, Early to 1870. This index includes births, deaths, marriages, and most gravestones. They are arranged alphabetically within the year. Some cards are filmed out of sequence.
  

• Vermont. Secretary of State. General Index to Vital Records of Vermont, 1871–1908. This index includes births, deaths, and marriages. They are arranged alphabetically by surname. Some cards are filmed out of sequence. Re-filmed cards are on the end of some rolls.
  

• Vermont. Secretary of State. State Records of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1909–1942. They are arranged alphabetically by surname.
  

• Vermont. Secretary of State. State Records of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1942–1954. They are arranged alphabetically by surname.

Additional helps

Substitute Records

Vermont Church Records

Vermont Cemetery Records

Vermont Census

Vermont Newspapers

Vermont Periodicals

Vermont Military Records

Tips

• 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.
• Privacy laws may restrict your access to some vital records.  Copies of some vital records recorded in the last 100 years may be unavailable to anyone except a direct relative.
• Search for Vital Records in the FamilySearch Catalog by using a Place Search and then choosing Vital Records.  Search for Vermont to locate records filed by the State and then search the name of the county to locate records kept by the county.

References

Wiki articles describing these collections are found at:

• Vermont Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records
• Vermont Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records
• Vermont Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records
• Vermont Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
  
• Vermont, Town Records - FamilySearch Historical Records[[Category:Adoptio...]

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