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Pennsylvania Vital Records

Search free Pennsylvania vital records online, including, birth, marriage and death records and information on how and where to obtain copies.


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Pennsylvania Vital Records Information

The Pennsylvania Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries is the official custodian of vital records dating back to 1906 for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. By statute, birth and death records were to be recorded and maintained at the various county courthouses from 1893 to 1906. Birth and death registers were to be kept by the Register of Wills in the various county courthouses from 1852 to 1855. Before January 1, 1906, only scattered records exist in the various county courthouses.

Since September 30, 1885, marriage licenses have been required in Pennsylvania and are maintained by the Marriage License Clerk in the county courthouse of the county issuing the license. Before September 30, 1885 the issuing of licenses was not obligatory, but was intended for those cases where the banns were not published or the marriage in church was dispensed with. For these earlier marriages, church records and newspapers may provide information.



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