Pennsylvania Vital Records
Vital records are produced by federal and state government authorities to prove the legitimacy of important events for example births, marriages, divorces, and deaths. The individual or people named within the Pennsylvania vital record can obtain certified copies of it through the issuing authority as long as they follow the request process. Occasionally, a copy of a vital record is accessible by a 3rd party, however, there has to be a valid reason for the request. It is the citizen’s legal right to obtain copies of these records, that are identified as certificates, and they could be used to verify the legitimacy of names, locations, dates, marriage history, and more.
Pennsylvania Vital Record Source – https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/certificates/Pages/Vital%20Records.aspx
Pennsylvania Vital Record Departments By County (Counties ordered by population)
Philadelphia County – Philadelphia
Vital Records – https://www.phmc.pa.gov/Archives/Research-Online/Pages/Vital-Statistics.aspx
Marriage and Divorce Records – http://www.adamscounty.us/Dept/ClerkofOrphans/Pages/PlanningtoMarry.aspx
Allegheny County – Pittsburgh
Vital Records – https://www.alleghenycounty.us/court-records/wills/birth-and-death-records.aspx
Marriage Records – https://dcr.alleghenycounty.us/Marriage/Search/MarriageLicenseSearch.aspx?Welcome=true
Montgomery County – Norristown
Vital Records – https://www.montcopa.org/418/Archival-Record-Retrieval
Marriage and Divorce Records – https://www.montcopa.org/204/Obtaining-a-Marriage-Record
Bucks County – Doylestown
Vital Records – http://www.buckscounty.org/government/RowOfficers/Prothonotary/BirthCertificates
Marriage and Divorce Records – http://www.buckscounty.org/government/RowOfficers/RegisterofWills/MarriageLicenses
Delaware County – Media
Vital Records – https://www.delcopa.gov/row/birth.html
Marriage and Divorce Records – https://www.delcopa.gov/row/howtogetmarliccopy.html
Lancaster County – Lancaster
Vital Records – https://co.lancaster.pa.us/194/Requesting-Records
Marriage and Divorce Records – https://co.lancaster.pa.us/278/Marriage-Licenses
Chester County – West Chester
Vital Records – https://www.chesco.org/1685/Birth-Death-Certificates
Marriage and Divorce Records – https://www.chesco.org/1166/Births-Deaths-Marriages
York County – York
Vital Records – https://yorkcountypa.gov/courts-criminal-justice/court-courtrelated-offices/clerkorphanscourt/birth-death-certificate-information.html
Berks County – Reading
Vital Records – https://www.co.berks.pa.us/Dept/RegWills/Pages/Genealogy.aspx
Westmoreland County – Greensburg
Vital Records – https://www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/336/Record-Information
Lehigh County – Allentown
Vital Records – https://www.lccpa.org/orphans/birthdeath.nex
Luzerne County – Wilkes-Barre
Vital Records – https://www.luzernecounty.org/423/Documents-That-Do-Not-Require-a-Request
Northampton County – Easton
Vital Records – https://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/GeneralPublic/VitalRecords/Pages/default.aspx
Erie County – Erie
Vital Records – https://eriecountypa.gov/departments/clerk-of-records/register-of-wills-estate-records/record-information/
Dauphin County – Harrisburg
Vital Records – https://countyfusion3.kofiletech.us/countyweb/login.do?countyname=DauphinWills
Cumberland County – Carlisle
Vital Records – https://www.ccpa.net/3289/Prothonotary-Resources-Links
Lackawanna County – Scranton
Vital Records – https://www.lackawannacounty.org/index.php/departmentsagencies/county-government/register-of-wills
Washington County – Washington
Vital Records – https://www.co.washington.pa.us/Faq.aspx?QID=122
Butler County – Butler
Vital Records – https://www.butlercountypa.gov/291/Register-of-Wills-Orphans-Court
Beaver County – Beaver
Vital Records – http://www.beavercountypa.gov/Depts/RegWills/Pages/Birth-Death-Records.aspx
Monroe County – Stroudsburg
Vital Records – http://www.monroecountypa.gov/Dept/Prothonotary/Pages/default.aspx
Centre County – Bellefonte
Vital Records – http://centrecountypa.gov/185/Records-Management
Franklin County – Chambersburg
Vital Records – https://franklincountypa.gov/index.php?section=archives_genealogy
Schuylkill County – Pottsville
Vital Records – https://www.co.schuylkill.pa.us/Offices/RecorderOfDeeds/RecorderOfDeeds.asp
Cambria County – Ebensburg
Vital Records – https://www.cambriacountypa.gov/register-of-wills-clerk-of-the-orphans-court-ofice.aspx
Fayette County – Uniontown
Vital Records – https://www.fayettecountypa.org/513/Birth-Death-Certificates
Lebanon County – Lebanon
Vital Records – http://www.lebcounty.org/depts/Register_of_Wills/Pages/InformationAvailable.aspx
Blair County – Hollidaysburg
Vital Records – http://www.blairco.org/Dept/OrphansCourt/Pages/default.aspx
Mercer County – Mercer
Vital Records – https://www.health.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Lycoming County – Williamsport
Vital Records – http://www.lyco.org/Elected-Officials/Register-and-Recorders-Office
Adams County – Gettysburg
Vital Records – http://www.adamscounty.us/Dept/ClerkofOrphans/Pages/BirthandDeathCertificates.aspx
Pennsylvania Birth Records
Having a certificate of birth, a government bureau acknowledges your complete given name, birth date, location of birth, ethnic background, gender, and parents. From the dob, interested individuals have proof of your age. These documents prove critical for drivers licenses, voting rights, the chance to enter into legal agreements, and to be eligible for youth sports teams. The Pennsylvania birth certificate is an initial step in receiving a child’s Social Security Number. The listing of parents affects who a child might inherit and also who will be accountable for the support of the child.
Pennsylvania Marriage Records
Institution of marriage, considered to be an agreement and union involving two individuals keeps its sanctity, whether being an agreement, marriage bond, license, or proclamation. Documentation of marriage in Pennsylvania, or license, is the primary qualifier of an established marriage bond in most states, with the license acquired in the clerk’s office from the area in which the marriage occurs.
Pennsylvania Divorce Records
A final divorce decree implies an end to marriage as outlined by a court’s closing order. The process leading up to the decree varies by state and local legal guidelines, but many require a period of time to pass to allow for a potential reaffirmation of the marriage. The Pennsylvania decree declares the individual’s legal rights and obligations consisting of custody, supporting your children, spousal support if applicable, property division, and monetary responsibilities of each party. When the court signs the decree, it indicates a binding dissolution of the marriage.
Pennsylvania Death Records
In a death certificate, there is a date, place, and root cause of death. Insurance companies depend on this info to decide if beneficiaries will obtain proceeds from the life insurance policy. As an example, insurance coverage typically leaves out coverage for suicides or deaths due to combat. An accidental death may trigger double indemnity advantages. Pennsylvania death certificates may serve as real estate records, for the title to property passes at death to heirs or beneficiaries of wills. The surviving spouse could need death records to claim retirement benefits or other survivor advantages.
Pennsylvania Adoption Records
Records put together to document the adoption will contain any particulars linked to the adoption process. These details may include the child’s medical and social story, correspondence from legal professionals, adoption decree, details from the birth family, and details about others who have been linked to the adoption. Photographs and the person’s primary certificate of birth may also be included in the adoption record.