Birth records provide a record of some of the most important events in our lives.

Birth records represent one of the key primary sources for family information, typically being issued within days of a birth and containing the parents' names at a minimum. Many times they contain additional parental details including places of birth, ages, and number of children. Prior to children being born in hospitals, home addresses were noted which is an important fact to understanding where they lived.

Birth records usually show the name of the child, gender, date and place born, parents' names, and sometimes other data, such as parents' birthplaces .

Official birth certificates were not issued by most states until 1910 or later

Here are some links to birth records and birth record databases and information on how to obtain a copies of birth certificates.