What are Vital Records?

Every
important milestone in your life creates a record. Such events may be
birth, marriage, divorce, and death, each having its own documented
record kept on file in hospitals and courts. These are known as vital
records, and they provide a legal documentation of these important
events.
Vital records are important in a number of ways. Below is a list of
each vital record, what is included, and why they are useful.
Birth Certificates
A birth certificate gives a recorded document of the day, time, and
location of an individual’s birth. If the birth occurred at a hospital
or medical facility, the birth certificate is usually issued by that
facility and certified by the attending physician. Otherwise, a
standard birth certificate form can be easily obtained by the state
registrar and certified by a doctor, midwife, doula, or other
state-approved certifier. The typical U.S. birth certificate form has
been standardized by the U.S. Public Health Service, but states are
free to issue their own form. On the form, you will find the following:
• Child’s Information – Including name, date and time of birth, sex,
city and county of birth, and the specific place of birth (hospital,
residence, etc.)
• Certifier/Attendant – Must be an approved certifier by the state
• Mother’s Information
• Father’s Information
• Other Demographic Information – Such as race, pregnancy history,
marriage status of mother, etc.
This document is important for a number of reasons. First, the document
is kept in the registrar’s office in each state for important census
information. Also, your certified copy of your birth certificate is
used for:
• A verifiable source of identification
• Obtaining a driver’s license
• Obtaining a passport
• Obtaining a social security number
• Documentation of a family history or genealogy search
Marriage Certificate A marriage license, or marriage certificate, is
also issued and kept at the state level. The certificate is a legal
documentation of the marriage between two people recognized by the
state as being eligible for marriage.
A marriage certificate is signed by both parties of the marriage and an
officiant, and it is also filed with a state government agency, which
is usually a registrar or county clerk. The information includes the
date and county that the marriage took place. Marriage certificates can
be useful for:
• Verifying a marital union
• Verifying a family history
• Obtaining spousal insurance Divorce Records
Divorce records are legal documents usually written by attorneys and
filed in county courts. These documents are vital for legalizing the
dissolution of a marriage and stating specific duties by each spouse
for dividing marital assets and paying child or spousal support.
There is no standard form for a divorce document, since each divorce is
unique to each married couple. Included will be the names of the
parties, when and where the marriage took place, and the date the
divorce was finalized in the court and signed by a judge. Divorce
documents may also contain sensitive information such as tax records,
income records, criminal records, and lists of assets.
Divorce records can be used for:
• Determining the divorce status of an individual
• Revealing criminal history of an individual
• Verifying family history for a genealogy search
• Verifying the last known address of an individual
Death Certificate
Death certificates, like birth certificates, are also important for
keeping public health and morbidity information on file. When a death
occurs, a certificate of death is issued by a coroner, or other
government official. The certificate explains the approximate date,
time, location, and cause of death.
Death certificates are important to be used for:
• Verifying the death of an individual
• Verifying family history or genealogy search
• Use in estate probate
• Verification of life insurance claim