Tips When Requesting For Vital Statistics in Illinois

Illinois vital records are relatively easier to research than in some other states since two online tools will either let you know where the original records may be found or provide great genealogical data. The first website is a refinement on what the Illinois Public Health Department's Vital Statistics Office has to offer. The second kinds are great supplements for state records that were developed at a much later time than county newspaper archives.

Look for Vital Records in Illinois at the State Archives

Looking for IL vital records has been made much easier with the creation of IRAD or Illinois Regional Archives Depository. Managed by the Illinois State Archives, it provides the index of the records found at the State Public Health Department's Vital Statistics Office from 1916 to 1950.

However, Illinois has state laws that curb access to certain public records. For example, all officers of the state are barred from providing certified/uncertified copies of death certificates for a period of 20 years.

The Illinois State Archives online database is the result of efforts to expand the service of the repository's Reference Room. Access it here.

5 Troubleshooting Tips

1. Remember that a spelling error may occur anywhere as the index was made from an original, sometimes handwritten, document.
2. Try an alternative spelling if you cannot find what you are looking for.
3. Try to vary the vowels in a name (e.g., Radcliffe could be misspelled as Redcliffe).
4. The most efficient way to search may be to type in just the first letters.
5. Try varying the spacing for names with a prefix (e.g., Mc Govern, McGovern, Mac Govern).

Look for IL Vital Records at County Libraries

Vital records in Illinois may also be found at county libraries, such as the Wheaton Public Library (http://wpl.wheaton.lib.il.us:81/). The Library's database contains an index to news items on births, marriages, and deaths that were published in county newspapers from as far back as 1885.

3 Troubleshooting Tips

To save time you must know that county library databases are usually searchable by three methods:

1. By location or event – Look among published births, marriages, and deaths in a place.
2. By name – Search by the name of the person on record or by the relatives named.
3. Use the soundex – A sound index or “soundex” is based on the sound a name makes.

 

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Don't want to take the long route when it comes to searching for that Illinois vital record you want? For time-efficient, hassle-free records searching, give online vital records search service providers a try!
 
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