View source for Arizona Vital Records

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| link5=[[Arizona Birth, Marriage and Death Records|Birth, Marriage and Death Records]]
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[[File:800px-Saguaro ArizonaSunset.jpg|right|thumb|<center>Saguaro Arizona Sunset<center>]]
==Online Resources== 
<center><span style="color: #cc9999">'''''Births'''''</span></center> 

*[http://genealogy.az.gov/ Arizona Genealogy Birth Certificates, 1800-1946] Index and images
*{{RecordSearch|3740251|Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930}} at [https://familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — index and images
*{{RecordSearch|1674580|Arizona, Births and Christenings, 1909-1917}} Index only.
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60001 Arizona, Select Births and Christenings, 1909-1917], index only, ($)
*'''1887-1935''' - [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10001/arizona-birth-certificates-1887-1935?s=275764761 Arizona Birth Certificates, 1887 - 1935] at MyHeritage - index and images
*'''1909-1917''' - {{RecordSearch|2373790|Arizona, Birth Certificates, 1909-1917}} at [https://www.familysearch.org/search/ FamilySearch], index - [[Arizona, Birth Certificates - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]
<center><span style="color: #cc9999">'''''Marriages'''''</span></center> 

*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/united-states-marriages?state=arizona United States Marriages – Arizona, 1833-1949] ($) index
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7847 Arizona Marriage Collection, 1864-1982] ($)
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60236 Arizona, Select Marriages, 1888-1908] ($)
*[http://abish.byui.edu/specialCollections/westernStates/search.cfm Western States Marriage Index]
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=70016 Web: Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011] ($)
*{{RecordSearch|1674679|Arizona Marriages, 1865-1949}}
*{{RecordSearch|2185173|Arizona, County Marriages, 1871-1964}}, index and images
*{{RecordSearch|1854302|United States Western States Marriage Index}} at [https://familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — index
<center><span style="color: #cc9999">'''''Deaths'''''</span></center> 

*[http://www.deathindexes.com/arizona/index.html Online Arizona Death Records &amp; Indexes]
*[http://genealogy.az.gov/ Arizona Genealogy Death Certificates, 1800-1971] Index and images.
*{{RecordSearch|1534450|Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951}} Index and images.
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60002 Arizona, Select Deaths and Burials, 1910-1911, 1933-1994], index only, ($)
*{{RecordSearch|1674678|Arizona, Deaths and Burials, 1910-1911; 1933-1994}} Index only.
*{{RecordSearch|1202535|United States Social Security Death Index}}
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3693 U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014] ($)
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60901 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007], incomplete, ($).
*'''1870-1963''' - [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10334/arizona-death-certificates-1870-1963?s=275764761 Arizona Death Certificates, 1870 - 1963] at MyHeritage ($) - index and images

<br>
'''Introduction to Vital Records'''   
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[[United States Vital Records|Vital Records]] consist of [[United States Birth Records|births]], adoptions, [[United States Marriage Records|marriages]], divorces, and [[United States Death Records|deaths]] recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. [[Locating United States Vital Records|United States Vital Records]] has additional research guidance&nbsp;on researching and using vital records. A copy or an extract of most original records can be&nbsp;purchased from&nbsp;the [http://www.azdhs.gov/vitalrcd/birth_index.htm Arizona Department of Health Services] or the&nbsp;[http://www.azdhs.gov/licensing/vital-records/index.php#fees-home County Clerk's Office] of the county where the event occurred. 
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| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" | -
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |Births
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |'''Marriages'''&nbsp;
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |Deaths
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| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |Earliest
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" | -
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |&nbsp;-
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" | -
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| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |Statewide Registration
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |1909
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |1909
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |1909
|-
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |General Compliance
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |1926
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |&nbsp; -
| valign="middle" height="35" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" |1926
|}

==Birth Records==

Check [http://genealogy.az.gov/ Arizona Genealogy Birth and Death Certificates] for records of births that occurred from 1855 to at least 75 years ago.&nbsp;Arizona is one of the few states that has online free access to birth and death records. 

Check the following FamilySearch article for addition birth records, with explanation<br>[[Arizona Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records]]

For birth records less than 75 years ago, [[Arizona Genealogy|Arizona]] is a "closed record" state which means [[United States Vital Records|vital records]] are not public records. Only immediate family and selected others may obtain certified copies of vital records.<ref>Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records. [http://www.azdhs.gov/licensing/vital-records/index.php Vital Records]. Accessed 28 May 2011. </ref> 

Genealogists may obtain copies of certificates if all of the following criteria are met: 

*The applicant establishes a relationship to the individual whose record they are requesting
*Acceptable types of credible documentation to establish relationship: Birth certificate, Death certificate, Marriage certificate.
*Non-acceptable types of documentation to establish relationship: Pedigree charts, Lineage charts, Family trees.
*The applicant submits a signed application.
*The applicant provides valid government issued identification or notarized signature on the application. *The application submits the appropriate fee(s).

'''A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:''' 

[[Arizona Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records]] 

===1909—1988===

Statewide registration of vital records in [[Arizona Genealogy|Arizona]] began July, 1909 and was generally complied with by 1926. Because county clerks sent copies to the Arizona Department of Health Services, vital records are available at both the [http://www.azdhs.gov/licensing/vital-records/index.php#fees home county] and [http://www.azdhs.gov/vital-records/index.htm State Department of Health] offices. Birth records are also searchable for 1855 - 1939 statewide at [http://genealogy.az.gov/ Arizona Genealogy Birth and Death Certificates]. This database includes many original scanned images.

===1989—Present===

You may obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate for a birth that occurred in Arizona after 1989, at the [http://www.azdhs.gov/licensing/vital-records/index.php#fees home County Health Department] in the county where the birth occurred. 

==Marriage Records==

An 1864 territorial law required county recorders to keep marriage and divorce records. From 1891 to 1912, clerks of probate courts issued marriage licenses. Marriage and divorce records in Arizona are maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the event occurred. They are not available from the Office of Vital Records. There is no statewide registration of marriages in Arizona. 

Many of the early marriages for the state are searchable online at no cost in the [[Western States Marriage Index]]. 

Yuma, Yuma County, Arizona served many eloping couples from Arizona, southern California and New Mexico. In Yuma there was no waiting period between the time of issuing a license and the performance of the marriage. 

'''[[Gretna Greens in the United States|Gretna Greens]].''' When an Arizona couple's marriage is not in their home county, search for it in alternate places, such as [[Clark County, Nevada Genealogy|Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada]], or [[Yuma County, Arizona Genealogy|Yuma, Yuma, Arizona]].<ref name="Eakle1">Arlene H. Eakle, [http://www.arleneeakle.com/wordpress/2007/02/19/have-you-searched-and-searched-for-the-marriage-without-finding-it/ "Have you searched and searched for a marriage without finding it?"] accessed 8 January 2011.</ref> 

'''A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:''' 

[[Arizona Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records|Arizona Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records]] <br> 


==Divorce Records==

The earliest divorce records were granted by the territorial legislature and are found in the published territorial statutes. Later divorce proceedings were kept by the district court of each county until 1912, when the superior court was given this jurisdiction. 

<br> 

==Death Records==

Check [http://genealogy.az.gov/ Arizona Genealogy Birth and Death Certificates] for&nbsp;records of a&nbsp;death that occurred from 1844 to at least 50 years ago.&nbsp;Arizona is one of the few states that has online free access to birth and death records. 

'''A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:''' 

*[[Arizona Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records]]
*[[Arizona Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records]]

To obtain copies of Death records for dates not currently online write to: 

Vital Records Section<br>Arizona Department of Health Services<br>P.O. Box 3887<br>Phoenix, AZ 85030<br>Telephone: 602-255-3260 <br>Internet: [http://www.azdhs.gov/ Arizona Department of Health Services] 

Also check [http://www.vitalrec.com/ VitalRecords.com]&nbsp;$&nbsp;for current fees and latest information to obtain copies of Arizona state records.

'''Fetal Deaths'''
Only parents may request a copy of a "Certificate of Birth Resulting in a Stillbirth."  A "Fetal Death Certificate" may be requested by the parents or another person with written authorization from the parents.<ref>“United States Fetal Death Records,” ''Lake Superior Roots, v 29, no 2.''  (Marquette, Michigan:  Marquette County Genealogical Society, 2016), 11.</ref>

=== Cause of Death ===
*[[Historical Causes of Death|Causes of Death]] - use this resource when trying to interpret a disease or medical condition listed on a death record or certificate

==Minorities==

===African American Research===

When searching for birth, marriage, or death records for [[African American Research|African Americans]]&nbsp; in Arizona, check the record types listed above. Other sources have [[African American Slavery and Bondage|historical informatio...]] for African American research. 

===Arizona Indian Research===

To locate birth, marriage, or death information on [[Indians of the United States and Their Records|Native Americans]] living in Arizona you must know which tribe the individual belonged to.&nbsp; [[Indians of Arizona|Indians of Arizona...]] has more specific information about Indian tribes in Arizona. 

==Online Arizona Birth, Marriage and Death Records==

The following is a list of online resources useful for locating Arizona vital records. Check [[Arizona Vital Records Online|Arizona Vital Records Online...]] for more information about the resources listed below. Most online resources for Arizona Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index always consult the original record to [[Contradictions and discrepancies|confirm the informatio...] in the index. 

*[http://genealogy.az.gov/ Images] of Birth 1855 to 75 yeas ago &amp; Death Certificates 1844 to 50 years ago
*[http://abish.byui.edu/specialCollections/westernStates/Search.cfm Western States Marriage Index]&nbsp;
*[http://www.ancestorhunt.com/arizona_newspaper_obituaries.htm Arizona Newspaper Obituaries] - Locate old or current obituaries. - Free
*[http://www.genealogybuff.com/az/state/webbbs_config.pl State of Arizona Obituary and Death Notices Collections] - from GenealogyBuff.com] - Free
*[http://www.ancestorhunt.com/arizona-vital-records.htm Arizona Vital Records] - Free guide to locating AZ vital records at AncestorHunt.com.
*USGenWeb.org [http://usgenwebsites.org/AZGenWeb/ Arizona Site] - Free
*Search for Arizona Collections on [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/location/10?region=United+States+of+America&englishRegion=United+States+of+America FamilySearch.org] - Free
*The Vital Records Search and Information Directory for [http://www.daddezio.com/records/room/RR-AZ-NDX.html Arizona] - Free/$
*Wee Monster Links for Arizona [http://www.germanroots.com/vitalrecords.html#Arizona Birth & Marriages] and [http://www.germanroots.com/deathrecords.html Death] Records - Links to free and $ websites
*Linkpendium Links for [http://www.linkpendium.com/genealogy/USA/AZ/ Arizona Genealogy and History pages including individual Counties] - Links to free and $ websites
*Search the [http://www.ancestry.com/search/locality/dbpage.aspx?i=d&tp=2&p=5&cj=1&o_xid=0000252276&o_lid=0000252276&categoryFilterID=34&showPaging=true Arizona Birth, Marriage & Death] Records at Ancestry.com - $
*Order [http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/Arizona.htm Arizona Certificates] online
*Obtain services of [http://www.azcourts.gov/cld/ConfidentialIntermediaryProgram.aspx Confidential Intermediary Program] - use to find information about parents/children lost through adoption
*'''1871 - 1964''' - {{RecordSearch|2185173|Arizona, County Marriages, 1871-1964}} at [https://www.familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — index and images
*'''1948 - 2008''' - {{RecordSearch|2351020|Arizona Payson Obituaries 1948-2008}} at [https://www.familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — index and images

===Alternative Records===

Check substitute records to either verify information already found or to locate birth, marriage, death and other information when government records do not exist. 

*[[Arizona Church Records|Arizona Church Records]]:&nbsp;&nbsp;Depending on the denomination, church records may contain information about birth, marriage and death.
*[[Arizona Census|Arizona Census&nbsp;Records]]&nbsp;:Census records are a valuable source for birth and marriage information. You may also determine approximate time of death when the individual disappear from the census. This is a good place to begin a search.
*[[Arizona Cemeteries|Arizona Cemetery Records]]: Cemetery records are a rich source of birth and death information. These records may also reveal family relationships.
*[[Social Security Death Index (SSDI)|Social Security Death Index (SSDI)]]: The SSDI indexes deaths for those who had social security numbers and the death was reported to the Social Security Administration. Most records start in 1962.
*[[Arizona History|Arizona History]]: Local histories, family histories and biographies can all be sources of birth, marriage and death information. Often this information is found in county-level records or in surname searches of the FamilySearch Catalog.
*[[Arizona Newspapers|Arizona Newspapers]]:&nbsp;Besides obituaries, local newspapers may contain birth and marriage announcements and death notices. Also check newspaper social columns for additional information. <br>Periodicals: Local genealogical and historical societies often publish periodicals which may contain abstracted early birth, marriage and death information&nbsp;
*[[Arizona Military Records|Arizona Military Records]] Military pension records can give birth, marriage and death information. In addition, soldiers' homes records can included this same information: &nbsp;
*[[Arizona Periodicals|Arizona Periodicals]]:&nbsp;&nbsp;Local genealogical and historical societies often publish periodicals which may contain abstracted early birth, marriage and death information.

==Archives, Libraries &amp; Societies==

Statewide archives, libraries, historical and genealogical societies of Arizona have collections that can be of great value in Arizona research. Individual counties usually have historical and genealogical societies as well. Contact the Arizona&nbsp;Archives, Societies and Libraries listed below for specific information on availability of records and how to access their collections online, in person or through a local agent that will search the records for a fee. 

*[[Arizona Archives and Libraries|Arizona Archives and Libraries]]

==Tips==

*The information given on a birth or death certificate is given by an informant.&nbsp; Learn the relationship of the informant to determine the accuracy of the record.
*If you are unable to locate&nbsp;vital records recorded by governments; search for a church record of christening, marriage, death or burial.&nbsp; A family Bible may have been used to record family births, marriages and deaths.
*'''Privacy laws may '''restrict your access to some vital records.&nbsp; Copies of vital records recorded in the last 100 years may be unavailable to anyone except a direct relative.
*If the survival of a baby was in question, the birth may not have been recorded. Search for a delayed birth record&nbsp;if the child survived.
*Search for Vital Records in the FamilySearch Catalog by using a '''Place Search '''and then choosing '''Vital Records'''.&nbsp; Search for '''Arizona''' to locate records filed by the State and then search the '''name of the county '''to locate records kept by the county.

==References==

<references /> 

{{Arizona|Arizona}} {{U.S. Vital Records}} 

[[Category:Arizona_Vital_Records]] 
[[Category:Adoption]]