In general, birth records go as far back as the early 1900s. Before that, vital records were not compiled. Birth records are issued by the state and local government where the person was born. Take note no nationwide database for birth records exists. Every state maintains its own birth records database , so they have their own search engine. Because of this, it's generally easy to complete the process of finding such records.

Usefulness of Birth Records

As already mentioned, you can collect a lot of valuable information on a person just by looking at that person's birth records. Birth records are especially useful when you're into genealogy and you're trying to research on the births of your ancestors and relatives. Birth records are also useful for people who have been adopted and are trying to look for their birth parents. Birth records can also be used as "primary source" records when you're trying to locate another person.

Retrieving Birth Records

You can obtain birth records from a state or local vital records office. When you visit the vital records office, you need to have on hand a written request and the fee in order to obtain a copy of an individual's birth records. That is, if you come armed with enough information to locate the right individual.

For the address of the vital records office in your state or town, contact the National Center for Health Statistics. You can either phone NCHS at (301) 458-4636 or visit the site at www.cdc.gov/nchs

At the state or local vital records office, make sure you have the following information when requesting a person's (you or someone else's) birth records:

• individual's full name

• sex

• mother's name and father's name

• mother's maiden name

• city of birth

• reason for wanting to obtain the individual's birth record

The search (and your wait) is going to be easier and quicker if you have as much information with you about the individual for which you're requesting birth records. You'll have to pay a small fee to cover the administrative costs of performing a birth record search and for printing a copy of the document.

Online Databases are Convenient

All 50 states now maintain online database for birth records and other vital records. Because of this, it's become easy, quick, and convenient for anyone to find birth records online. Note, though, that you'll still need to drop by tour state or local vital records office to get your paper copy of the birth records you requested online.

You'll also find a number of online databases that let individuals do searches for birth records in other countries. So if you're trying to find information on your ancestors from another country, these sites make it easy and convenient for you.