FootNote
The new kid on the block, FootNote is known for digitizing historical
documents... many of which are genealogical gems. With naturalizations,
city directories, war records, newspapers, town records, etc... this new
kid is quickly being recognized as an alternative to Ancestry.
Vital records, as their name
suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and
death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of
genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are
available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their
recent creation in the United States, are critically important in
genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back
into the nineteenth century.
The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy,
by Loretto Szucs and Sandra Luebking.
Birth Records
Birth Records Available:
The Alabama Center for Health Statistics began filing birth
certificates in 1908 for persons born in Alabama.
Restrictions: By
Alabama law, birth certificates are confidential records with
restricted access for 125 years from the date of birth. They may obtained
by the following persons, upon payment of the proper fee:
Person Named on the Certificate
Mother/Father (or Legal Guardian)
Husband/Wife of Person Named on
Certificate
Son/Daughter of Person Named on
Certificate
Sister/Brother of Person Named on
Certificate
Legal Representative of an Authorized
Person
Cost: The fee to search for a birth
certificate is $12.00, which includes one certified copy of the birth
certificate or "Certificate of Failure to Find." For each
additional copy of the certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is
$4.00. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to "Vital
Records." Please do not send cash. Fees are not refundable.
Additional fees are required for expedited service.
Information Required: Please provide
as much of the following information as possible for us to locate the birth
certificate:
Full name of person as listed on the
certificate
Date of birth
Sex
County (or city) of birth
Hospital of birth - if not in a hospital
state "home"
Full maiden name of mother
Full name of father
Your name
Your signature
Your relationship to the person whose
certificate you are requesting
Address where the certificate is to be
mailed
Your daytime phone number
Send To: Send the above information and the
appropriate fee to:
Alabama Vital Records
P. O. Box 5625
Montgomery, Al 36103-5625
In Alabama? You may also go to any
county health department in the State of Alabama to obtain a certified
copy of a birth certificate. Most birth certificates can be issued while
you wait.
Questions: If you have questions
or would like information on expediting a certified copy of a birth
certificate, please call (334) 206-5418.
Records Available:
The Alabama Center for Health Statistics began filing death certificates
in 1908 for persons who died in Alabama.
Restrictions: By
Alabama law, death certificates are confidential records with restricted
access for 25 years from the date of death. Death certificates less than
25 years old may obtained by the following persons, upon payment of the
proper fee:
Mother/Father of Person
Named on Certificate
Husband/Wife of Person
Named on Certificate
Son/Daughter of Person
Named on Certificate
Sister/Brother of Person
Named on Certificate
Legal Representative of
Family or Estate
Informant Listed on
Death Certificate as Providing Information
Death certificates more than 25 years old
may be obtained by anyone upon payment of the proper fee.
Cost: The fee to search for a
death certificate is $12.00, which includes one certified copy of the
death certificate or "Certificate of Failure to Find." For
each additional copy of the certificate ordered at the same time, the
fee is $4.00. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to
"Vital Records." Please do not send cash. Fees are not
refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service.
Information Required: Please
provide as much of the following information as possible for us to
locate the death certificate:
Full
legal name of deceased
Date
of death
County
(or city) of death
Sex
Social
Security number
Date
of birth or age at death
Race
Name
of spouse
Names
of parents
Your
name
Your
signature
Your
relationship to the person whose certificate you are requesting
Address
where the certificate is to be mailed
Your
daytime phone number
Send To: Send the above
information and the appropriate fee to:
Alabama Vital Records
P. O. Box 5625
Montgomery, Al 36103-5625
Records Available: The Alabama
Center for Health Statistics began filing marriage certificates in
August 1936 for marriages that occurred in Alabama. (Information for
marriages prior to 1936 must be obtained from the probate office in
the county where the marriage license was issued.)
Restrictions: None. By Alabama
law, marriage certificates are not confidential and may be obtained by
any individual upon payment of the proper fee.
Cost: The fee to search for a
marriage certificate is $12.00, which includes one certified copy of
the marriage certificate or "Certificate of Failure to
Find." For each additional copy of the certificate ordered at the
same time, the fee is $4.00. Checks or Money Orders should be made
payable to "Vital Records." Please do not send cash. Fees
are non refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited
service.
Information Required: Please
provide as much of the following information as possible for us to
locate the marriage certificate:
Full name of husband
Full maiden name of wife
Date of marriage
County where marriage license was
issued
Your name
Your signature
Address where the certificate is to
be mailed
Your daytime phone number
Send To: Send the above
information and the appropriate fee to:
Alabama Vital Records
P. O. Box 5625
Montgomery, Al 36103-5625
Questions: If you have
questions or would like information on expediting a certified copy
of a marriage certificate, please call (334) 206-5418.
In Alabama? You may also go to
any county health department in the State of Alabama to obtain a
certified copy of a marriage certificate.
Divorce Records
Records Available: The Alabama
Center for Health Statistics began filing divorce certificates in
1950 for divorces that occurred in Alabama. (Information for
divorces prior to 1950 must be obtained from the circuit court in
the county where the divorce was granted.)
Restrictions: None. By Alabama
law, divorce certificates are not confidential and may be obtained
by any individual upon payment of the proper fee.
Cost: The fee to search for a divorce certificate is $12.00, which
includes one certified copy of the divorce certificate or
"Certificate of Failure to Find." For each additional copy
of the certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is $4.00.
Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to "Vital
Records." Please do not send cash. Fees are not refundable.
Additional fees are required for expedited service.
Information Required: Please
provide as much of the following information as possible for us to
locate the divorce certificate:
Full name of husband
Full maiden name of wife
Date of divorce
County where divorce was granted
Your name
Your signature
Address where the certificate is
to be mailed
Your daytime phone number
Send To: Send the above
information and the appropriate fee to:
Alabama Vital
Records
P. O. Box 5625
Montgomery, Al 36103-5625
