One of the main goals for genealogists is finding birth, marriage, and death (BMD) information about their ancestors.
Over the past few decades, thanks to volunteers, librarians and archivists (as well as the largest of them all - FamilySearch), a great number of indexes to birth, marriage, and death collections have been provided for free online. These searchable indexes provide specific BMD information, and sometimes scanned images of the actual birth, marriage, and death certificates themselves. These free online collections have hundreds of millions of records in them in total.
There are a great number of online and offline collections that may include birth, marriage, and death information that are not included in the lists below. For example, newspapers, draft registration files, naturalization records, etc. have BMD info. To find out which types of other records may include BMD information, please see:
- 27 Ways to Find Ancestor Birth Information
- 22 Ways to Find Ancestors Marriage Information
- 21 Ways to Find Ancestors Death Information
The lists below are specific birth, marriage, and death indexes and record collections that are available for free online for the state of Delaware.
Note 1: Many of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. In many cases there is a link to the digital collection in the middle of the page, but also near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. Please also note that I have listed below only BMD databases that are accessible digitally from your computer (or tablet/phone)
Note 2: I have included links to Free Ancestry records and indexes. You do not need a subscription, but do need an Ancestry account. Without a subscription you can view indexes. If there is an image associated with a record, in most cases you will need a subscription, but the index does include very usable information.
(Updated July, 2019; recently added links are in BOLD)
General U.S.
- United States Births and Christenings, 1867-1931
- United States Deaths and Burials, 1867-1961
- United States Korean War Battle Deaths, 1950-1957
- United States Marriages, 1733-1990
- United States Social Security Death Index
- United States, Freedmen's Bureau Marriages, 1861-1872
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Delaware
- Delaware Baptisms 1697-1886
- Delaware Birth Records, pre-1913 (1861-1912) - 1923
- Delaware Births and Christenings, 1710-1896
- Delaware Church Deaths, 1750-1886
- Delaware Death Records, 1855-1961
- Delaware Deaths and Burials, 1815-1955
- Delaware Marriage Records, 1913-1954
- Delaware Marriages and Marriage Licenses, 1713-1894
- Delaware Marriages, 1713-1919
- Delaware Marriages, Baptisms, Births and Deaths Index Cards ca. 1680-ca. 1934
- Delaware Mortality Schedules; persons who died during the [census] year, 1850-1880
- Delaware Public Archives Death Registers
- Delaware State Birth Records, 1861-1922
- Delaware Vital Records, 1650-1974
- Delaware Birth Records (Certificates and Returns) 1861-1913
- Delaware Death Records, 1855-1910
- Delaware Death Records, 1910-1955
- Delaware Marriage Records, pre-1913 (1865-Jan 1913) and 1913 - 1954
- Delaware, Bible Record Collection, ca. 1680-2000
- Delaware, Birth Certificates, 1921-1929; Birth Index Cards, 1913-1930
- Delaware, Birth Index, 1650-1942; Birth and Baptism Index, 1650-1913, 1650-1942
- Delaware, Births-Baptisms Index, ca. 1700-1960
- Delaware, Cemeteries-Tombstones, ca. 1700-1960
- Delaware, Death Certificates and Card File Index, 1650-1974
- Delaware, Death-Burial Index, ca. 1700-1960
- Delaware, Index to Marriage Records, ca. 1650-1960
- Delaware, Marriage Index cards, 1913-1962
- Delaware, Marriage Index, 1650-1974
- Delaware, Marriage Records, ca. 1650-1980
- Delaware, Vital Record Index Cards, 1680-1934
- Delaware, Vital Records, 1680-1971
- Hearn Marriages after 1850
- Hearn Marriages prior to 1850
- Kent County Early Marriages and Births from
- Kent County, Tatnall Tombstone Collection, ca. 1650-1960
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- New Castle County Marriage License Bonds 1744-1802
- New Castle County Registration of Deaths 1919-1924
- New Castle County, Coroners' Inquisitions, 1761-1835
- New Castle County, Marriage Records, 1911-1967
- New Castle County, Tatnall Tombstone Collection Card File Index, 1650-1935
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
- Polish American Marriage Database
- Portsville, Sussex County Book of Memorandum of Births, Marriages & Deaths (1798-1844)
- Sussex and Kent County Registry of Wills, Letters of Administration, Marriages, etc. 1683- 1695
- Sussex County - Miscellaneous Records
- Sussex County Early Marriages
- Sussex County Prince George's Church Births
- Sussex County Sound Church Marriages
- Sussex County, Coroner's Inquests, 1757-1891
- Sussex County, Marriage Records, 1911-1965
- Sussex County, Tatnall Tombstone Collection Card File Index, ca. 1650-1960
- Vital Records for Wilmington, Delaware and Vicinity
- Wilmington Birth Records, 1881-1919; Index, 1881-1918
- Wilmington Catholic Diocese Burials (Includes Death Dates)
- Wilmington Death Records, 1847-1954; Index, 1881-1914
- Wilmington Death Register
- Wilmington Marriage Records, 1881-1954
- Wilmington Vital Records, 1847-1954
- Wilmington Registrations of Deaths out of city 1919-1922
Check out the links for other states on the BMD Records page.
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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