Source: thempfa.org
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 often 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:
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
Alaska
- Alaska, Vital Records, 1816-1959
- Alaska Deaths Index
- Western States Marriage Index
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Arizona
- Arizona Births and Christenings, 1909-1917
- Arizona Deaths and Burials, 1910-1911; 1933-1994
- Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951
- Arizona Marriages, 1865-1949
- Arizona, County Marriages, 1871-1964
- Arizona Birth and Death Certificates
- Western States Historical Marriage Records Index
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
California
- California Birth Index, 1905-1995
- California Births and Christenings, 1812-1988
- California County Marriages, 1843-1918
- California Death Index, 1905-1939
- California Death Index, 1940-1997
- California Marriage Index, 1960-1985
- California Marriages, 1850-1945
- California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994
- California, County Marriages, 1850-1952
- Butte County Vital Records 1854-1897
- Early California Population Project
- San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1835-1979
- San Francisco Call Index
- San Mateo County Birth, Death, and Marriages Index, 1853-1948
- Tulare County Marriages
- Western States Historical Marriage Records Index
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Colorado
- Colorado Statewide Marriage Index, 1853-2006
- Colorado, County Marriages, 1864-1995
- Colorado DPA Vital Records
- Colorado Marriage Indexes 1858-1939
- Aspen Marriages 1882-1930
- Douglas County Marriages 1800-2000
- Grand County Marriages 1874-1974
- Jefferson County Marriage Index
- Larimer County Marriages 1858-1910
- Park County Marriages 1881-1950
- Western States Marriage Index
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Hawaii
- Hawaii Births and Christenings, 1852-1933
- Hawaii Deaths and Burials, 1862-1919
- Hawaii Marriages, 1826-1922
- Hawaii Marriages, 1826-1954
- Hawaiian Electronic Library Marriages and Deaths 1826-1929
- Vital Statistics Collection, 1826-1929 - Hawaii, Kauai, Molokai, and Niihau
- Vital Statistics Collection, 1826-1929 - Maui
- Vital Statistics Collection, 1826-1929 - Oahu
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Idaho
- Idaho Births and Christenings, 1856-1965
- Idaho Church Marriages, 1864-1976
- Idaho Death Certificates, 1911-1937
- Idaho Death Certificates, 1938-1961
- Idaho Deaths and Burials, 1907-1965
- Idaho State Death Index 1911-1951
- Idaho Marriage Index, 1947-1961
- Idaho Marriages, 1878-1898; 1903-1942
- Idaho, Birth Index, 1861-1911
- Idaho, County Birth and Death Records, 1883-1929
- Idaho, County Marriages, 1864-1950
- Idaho State Death Records Index, 1911-1951
- Cassia County Vital Records, 1879-1989
- Clark County Records, 1884-1998
- Lemhi County Records, 1868-1964
- Lincoln County Vital Records, 1886-1972
- Minidoka County Records, 1913-1961
- Teton County Records, 1900-1988
- Twin Falls County Vital Records, 1906-1988
- Eastern Idaho Death Records
- Western States Marriage Index
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Montana
- Montana Death Index, 1860-2007
- Montana Marriages, 1889-1947
- Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840-2004
- Montana, County Marriages, 1865-1950
- Norske Montana Marriages
- Western Marriage Index
- Beaverhead County Vital Records, 1862-2009
- Big Horn County Vital Records, 1884-2011
- Cascade County Vital Records, 1880-2009
- Chouteau County Vital Records,1876-2011
- Flathead County Vital Records, 1871-1981
- Granite County Vital Records, 1865-2009
- Judith Basin County Vital Records, 1887-2012
- Lake County Vital Records, 1857-2010
- Meagher County Vital Records, 1866-2012
- Pondera County Vital Records, 1910-2012
- Rosebud County Vital Records, 1878-2011
- Sanders County Vital Records, 1866-2010
- Sweet Grass County Vital Records, 1887-2011
- Teton County Vital Records, 1881-2012
- Toole County Vital Records, 1913-1960
- Yellowstone County Vital Records, 1881-2011
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Nevada
- Nevada County Birth and Death Records, 1871-1992
- Nevada County Marriages, 1862-1993
- Nevada Marriage Index, 1956-2005
- Western States Marriage Index
- Carson City Marriage Records
- Carson City Birth and Death Records
- Churchill County Genealogy Index
- Clark County Marriages
- Mineral County Deaths
- Storey County Genealogical Records
- Washoe County Marriages Index
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
New Mexico
- New Mexico Births and Christenings, 1726-1918
- New Mexico Deaths and Burials, 1788-1798; 1838-1955
- New Mexico Deaths, 1889-1945
- New Mexico Marriages, 1751-1918
- New Mexico, County Death Records, 1907-1952
- New Mexico, County Marriages, 1885-1954
- New Mexico Roots Ltd. Diligencias Matrimoniales (1678-1869)
- New Mexico Death Index (1899-1949)
- Western States Marriage Index
- Chaves County Births and Deaths 1903-1908
- Dona Ana County Marriage Index
- Eddy County Marriages
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Oregon
- Oregon Historical Records (BMD) Index
- Oregon Births and Christenings, 1868-1929
- Oregon Births, 1860-1952
- Oregon Death Index, 1903-1998
- Oregon Deaths and Burials, 1903-1947
- Oregon Deaths, 1877-1952
- Oregon Marriage Records, 1849-1952
- Oregon Marriages, 1853-1935
- Oregon, County Marriages, 1851-1975
- Genealogical Forum of Oregon - Vital Records
- Miscellaneous County Marriage Records - 1848-1925
- Western States Marriage Index
- Baker County Vital Records, 1862-1950
- Benton County Vital Records, 1856-1984
- Columbia County Vital Records, 1854-1958
- Deschutes County Vital Records, 1871-1985
- Douglas County Vital Records, 1850-1983
- Grant County Vital Records, 1851-1992
- Harney County Vital Records, 1870-1991
- Jackson County Genealogy Library Vital Records
- Marion County Vital Records, 1849-1976
- Multnomah County Marriage Index 1855-1974
- Polk County Vital Records, 1857-1972
- Tillamook County Vital Records, 1854-1967
- Wasco County Vital Records, 1854-1960
- Yamhill County Vital Records, 1857-1963
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Utah
- Utah Births and Christenings, 1892-1941
- Utah Death Certificates, 1904-1964
- Utah Deaths and Burials, 1888-1946
- Utah Marriages, 1887-1935
- Utah, Birth Certificates, 1903-1914
- Utah, County Marriages, 1887-1940
- Utah Death Certificate Index, 1905-1965
- Utah Birth Certificate Index
- Western States Marriage Index
- Beaver County Birth Registers. 1897-1905
- Beaver County Death Registers. 1900-1905
- Box Elder County Vital Records, 1856-1960
- Cache County Vital Records, 1861-1955
- Cache County Birth Registers. 1898-1905
- Carbon County Birth Registers. 1898-1905
- Davis County Birth Register. 1898-1905
- Davis County Vital Records, 1869-1953
- Emery County Birth Registers. 1898-1905
- Eureka and Payson, Births and Deaths, 1898-1903
- Grand County Birth Registers. 1898-1905
- Iron County Birth Registers. 1898-1905
- Juab County Vital Records, 1847-1948
- Kane County Birth Registers. 1900-1905
- Ogden Birth Register, 1890-1905
- Piute County Birth Register. 1898
- Rich County Birth Registers. 1989-1905
- Salt Lake County Birth Records, 1890-1915
- Salt Lake County Death Records, 1849-1949
- Salt Lake County Birth Registers. 1898-1905
- Sanpete County Birth Register, 1898-1905
- Sanpete County Death Register, 1898-1905
- Tooele County Vital Records, 1855-1956
- Uintah County Marriage Records, 1888-1939
- Uintah County Birth Registers. 1898-1905
- Utah County Vital Records, 1850-1962
- Weber County Marriages, 1887-1941
- Weber County Birth Register. 1898-1905
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Washington
- Washington Archives - Birth, Marriage and Death Records
- Washington Archives Death Records, 1907-1960, 1965-2014
- Washington Archives, Marriage Records by County
- Washington Archives, Death Records by County
- Washington Archives, Birth Records by County
- Washington Birth Records, 1869-1950
- Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960
- Washington Death Index, 1965-2014
- Washington Marriage Index, 1969-2014
- Washington, County Deaths, 1891-1907
- Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008
- Washington, County Vital Records, 1803-2010
- King County Delayed Births, 1941-1942
- King County Marriages
- Pierce County Marriage Returns, 1891-1938
- Pierce County Marriages
- Western States Marriage Index
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Wyoming
- Wyoming Marriages, 1869-1923
- Wyoming Marriages, 1877-1920
- Wyoming Death Certificate Database
- Western States Marriage Index
- Campbell County Index to Births, Deaths, & Marriages
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
Happy Hunting!
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