Vital records are invaluable for genealogical research, offering more than just the name of the individual they pertain to. These documents can reveal a plethora of details. For instance, birth records typically include, but are not limited to, information such as: the child’s name, place of birth, birth date, gender, hospital, and birth time; the father’s name, ethnicity, place of birth, age, and job; and the mother’s name, ethnicity, place of birth, age, job, home address, duration of residence in the community, length of pregnancy, marital status, number of living children, number of deceased children, and number of stillbirths.
Since the early 20th century, state governments have been responsible for maintaining birth records. These documents are crucial for accurate genealogical studies, yet many researchers overlook the need to acquire certificates, relying instead on information from family sources. This oversight can lead to incomplete or incorrect family histories. Modern certificates, which vary by state, generally contain a broader range of information than older versions, despite the variations among states.
Kentucky State Vital Records Office
Office of Vital Statistics
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40621
(502) 564-4212
Fax: (502) 227-0032
Kentucky Birth Records
While adherence was not fully consistent, Kentucky’s birth recordkeeping commenced in 1852 with the initial introduction of registration requirements. This mandate lasted a mere decade. Records of some births and deaths were sporadically documented during periods (1874-79, 1892-1910). It wasn’t until 1 January 1911 that birth and death registration was implemented across the state, with general compliance achieved by 1920.
Since Jan 1911 Order Form Some records are available before 1911 for the cities of Louisville, Lexington, Covington and Newport.
Kentucky, U.S., Birth Index, 1911-1999 $
This database is an index to over 5.9 million births recorded in Kentucky between 1911 and 1999. Information contained in this index includes the following: child’s name child’s gender birth date birth county mother’s name registered date volume year volume number birth certificate number Note: Not all entries will contain all of this information. There is a small bug in the data and records from Rowan County are misindexed as Breathitt County. Researchers may want to search both counties, and be cautious in the interpretation of these records.
Death
While adherence was not fully consistent, Kentucky’s death recordkeeping commenced in 1852 with the initial introduction of registration requirements. This mandate lasted a mere decade. Records of some births and deaths were sporadically documented during periods (1874-79, 1892-1910). It wasn’t until 1 January 1911 that birth and death registration was implemented across the state, with general compliance achieved by 1920.
Since Jan 1911 – Order Form Some records are available before 1911 for the cities of Louisville, Lexington, Covington and Newport.
Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852-1965 $
This database contains the following Kentucky death records: death certificates, 1911-1965 mortuary records, registers of deaths, and death certificates for Newport, Louisville, Lexington, Covington, and Jefferson county, up to 1911 returns of death, 1852-1910 (not all years are extant for each county) the information available for an individual will depend upon the record type listed above. generally, the information available includes: name of deceased race age at time of death gender death date death place birthplace birth date residence parents’ names parents’ birthplaces additional information, such as occupation, cause of death, and date and place of burial, may be available on the original record and can be obtained by viewing the image.
Newport Vital records, 1884-1928
Includes Newport, Kentucky area births & deaths. Deaths include those whose last residence is shown as Cincinnati, Ohio (across the river).
Marriage
The most complete and accessible vital statistics records in the communities of Kentucky are the marriage records. These always have been kept as a separate records series, and although their form and substance have changed from the old marriage registers, for the most part showing only the names of the parties and the dates of marriage, to the present system of licenses, registers, bonds, and indexes, they will be found in most instances covering the entire history of the county, unless they have been lost through some such circumstance as fire or flood.
Marriage records in Kentucky often start around the time a county was established, or shortly thereafter. However, there are instances where records predate the official formation of a county. For example, Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln counties boast marriage records dating back to 1785. The local county clerk is responsible for overseeing these records. Starting in 1958, Kentucky implemented a statewide mandate for the registration of marriages. The original documents are kept at the county level, while copies can be found at the Office of Vital Statistics. This office also maintains an index of marriage records beginning from 1958. It’s worth noting that marriage licenses and bonds might be stored separately from the actual marriage certificates.
Marriage records since June 1958 – Order Form
If the records are not available at the State office, they should be available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the license was issued. Fees vary.
Kentucky, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1783-1965 $
This collection consists of county marriage records from various counties in Kentucky. Details vary, but may include the following information for both the bride and groom: name, age at marriage, marriage date, marriage place, and parents’ names.
Kentucky, U.S., Marriage Index, 1973-1999 $
This database is an index to about 2.3 million individuals who were married in the state of Kentucky between 1973 and 1999. Information that may be found in this database for each entry includes the following: groom’s name groom’s age groom’s county of residence groom’s marital status (never married; last marriage ended by death; last marriage ended by divorce; or last marriage ended by annulment) groom’s race bride’s name bride’s age bride’s county of residence bride’s race marriage date marriage county county of marriage license marriage certificate number volume number volume year.
Carroll County, Kentucky, Marriages 1838-1920 $
Located in northern Kentucky, Carroll County was formed in 1838 from Gallatin, Henry and Trimble Counties. This database is an index of marriage records from the county between 1838 to 1920. Taken from the original records housed at the county offices, it reveals the names of both bride and groom. Additionally, racial information, year of marriage, and volume and page number of the original record is provided. It includes the names of nearly 17,000 men and women. For those researchers seeking ancestors from northern Kentucky, this index can be a useful source of information. (Requires Ancestry.com Membership)
Divorce
Divorce records have been kept in a different records series in Kentucky. Such cases always have been within the exclusive jurisdiction of the circuit court, and the papers pertaining to these cases have been filed along with and among the papers of the other cases tried by that court. The divorce decrees will be found throughout the civil orders of that court, and although it has long been the law that a general cross-index be kept of those papers, such an index will usually show only the style and not the character of the case.
Since June 1958 – Order Form
Kentucky, U.S., Divorce Records, 1962-2005 $
This database is an index to nearly 516 thousand divorces that took place in the state of Kentucky between 1962 and 2005. Information that may be found in this database includes: full name, spouse’s full name, date of divorce, and place of divorce.
If the records are not available at the State office, they should be available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the divorce was granted. Fees vary.