Birth Records and Family History

In most cases, the birth of a child is a joyous occasion and a blessing from God. It carries the hope of a better tomorrow and the assurance our family lineage will continue. It also brings documentation for you to analyze and add to your family tree. When reviewing a birth certificate take the time to read every box and all the information from top to bottom.

Each state began officially recording births at different times. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission website states, “Registrations of births at the state level began in 1903” and goes on to say, “it was as late as the 1930s before births were consistently recorded.” This lets you know, you may never find a birth certificate for your ancestor. Look for a family bible with birth information or other methods.

Birth certificates of today contain far more information than in the past. However, older birth certificates can reveal much needed data. In genealogy whenever you have conflicting birth dates, use the date on the birth certificate. The general rule is, the document issued on or closest to the date of any event is usually the most accurate. People change their birthdates for many reasons.

Start at the top of the document by taking note of the county, city and address in which they were born. When people move away from small towns, they sometimes list the closest large city as their birthplace and spouses may not know their actual birth place.

A name for the child should be listed. However, it’s not uncommon to see a child listed as Baby Boy Smith or Infant of John Smith (the father). For various reasons, some families wait a while to name a child.

Next to the sex of the child is a section listed twin, triplet or other, followed by a box which asks what number is this child in the birth order for multiple births. Look to see if it was a multiple birth. This could explain why you have two children with the same age. It’s also a great clue as to whether or not multiple births run in your family. The box marked legitimate indicates if the parents were married.

The date section provides the month, day and year of the birth. Take special care to record the date accurately. When noting any date, it’s best to spell out the month. Otherwise, the date and month can easily be transposed down the road.

The document moves on to list the parents. It gives the name of the father, place of residence, race, age, birthplace and occupation.

The same information is supplied for the mother, as well her maiden name. Always check the race to be sure you have the correct family. If you’ve been unable to find birth information for the parents, this may be the only place it’s noted.

The next line asks how many children born to the mother including this birth and how many children are living. Compare the list of children you have against these numbers. You may be missing a child or have a child listed who has passed away.

The bottom half of the document states who provided the information. It’s normally a doctor or midwife, however in some cases it may be a family member. The time of birth and if the child was alive or stillborn is also provided.

Take special note of the date the document is filed. In some cases, the midwife only goes into town once a month to report births. During winter months, it could be longer. This can affect information on the birth certificate. The midwife could misread or misremember and list the name as Henry instead of Howard. Or, she could recall the child was born near Christmas, so the birthdate is listed as December 25. A few days or weeks one way or the other was not always important at the time.

A delayed birth certificate is often requested by those with no birth certificate. A delayed birth certificate involves the applicant providing a family bible listing their birth, school records, marriage records, or any official document containing their name and age. Many times, the oldest living family member would be asked to verify the information and all parties were required to sign the document in the presence of a notary.

If you believe you descend from the 435 Freedmen who migrated from South Carolina to Marlin, please contact us. Sharon at Sharon.kay@sbcglobal. net or Angela at honey_ be_2001@yahoo.com.