A birth certificate is an offical legal document which records birth information for an individual, usually including the date and place of birth, the full name and sex of the individual, and the names of the parents, including the maiden name of the mother. Privacy laws often make birth certificates the most difficult vital record to obtain.
Record Type:
Birth certificate, birth registration, delayed birth certificate or amended birth certificate
Location:
All over the world
Time Period:
Varies by location
Best For:
Birth certificates, when available, are generally the most reliable source for an individual's date of birth. Birth certificates are also a good source for learning the names of an individual's parents, especially the mother's maiden name.
What You Can Learn From a Birth Certificate:
Birth certificates and birth registrations are considered primary source records for the date of birth, because they are completed at, or close to, the time of birth by someone who was present at the birth. In other words, they are fairly reliable.
The type and quantity of information a birth certificate provides can vary widely by location and time period. A birth certificate will usually contain:
- name of child
- race and gender of child
- date and place of birth
- mother's name (sometimes including maiden name)
- father's name
- mother's age, race, occupation and/or place of birth
- father's age, race, occupation and/or place of birth
- number of children in the family
- witnesses to the birth
