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District of Columbia Public Records
| How
To Search Public and Vital Records -
Vital records are records of life events important enough that
some level of government acquires, organizes, and preserves
them. While the term "vital records" is often applied
to a wide variety of life events... Read
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Washington D.C. Vital Records
Birth records from the year 1874 (and some beginning in 1872) and
death records from 1855 may be obtained for a fee by writing the Department
of Human Services. While the public may not examine vital records
in person, District of Columbia law states that when 100 years have
elapsed after the date of birth or fifty years after the date of death,
those documents become public records and anyone may obtain a copy
upon submitting a proper application. Death records do not exist for
the Civil War years, 1861–65. Marriage records date from December
1811 and continue to the present, though are only available from the
Superior Court.
Vital Records Division, State Center for Health Statistics,
800 9th Street, S.W., 1st Floor, Washington, DC 20024-2480,
Tel: (202) 645-5962, (800) 669-8309 (Credit Card Customers),
URL: http://www.ci.washington.dc.us/HEALTH/schs.htm
For birth records from 1874 and death records from
1855, write:
District of Columbia Dept. of Human Services, Vital Records Branch,
613 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 727-9281
For marriage records from 1811, write:
Marriage Bureau, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, 500
Indiana Avenue, NW, Room 4485, Washington, DC 20001-2131
Washington D.C. Land Records
District of Columbia land transactions that took place prior to
1792 are found among records for Prince George's and Montgomery
counties, Maryland, and in Alexandria County, Virginia. Microfilm
copies of Alexandria County, Virginia, deeds from 1783 to 1865 are
available at the FHL, along with Maryland Circuit Court deeds for
Prince George's County from 1696 to 1884 and Montgomery County from
1777 to 1863. It is also advisable to research the deeds of Fairfax
County, Virginia, when other routes have proved unsuccessful. Deeds
(or an index to them) from 1792 to the present are located at the
Recorder of Deeds for Washington, DC. The earliest deeds (1792–1869)
are at the National Archives, but a search of the index at the recorder's
office will be helpful first. Those for the period 1792 to 1886
and accompanying index volumes have been microfilmed and are available
through the FHL. Of interest to those tracing slave ancestors is
the presence of manumission records among the deeds. Also see:
Gahn, Bessie Wilmarth. Original Patentees of Land at Washington
Prior to 1700. 1836. Reprint. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing
Co., 1969. (Lists the earlier landowners a century before the District
of Columbia was created.) Recorder of Deeds
515 D Street, NW
Washington DC 20001
Washington D.C. Court Records
Court records include probate records (which include wills), guardianship,
naturalization, and a wide variety of other sources, ranging from
criminal trials to simple road orders. All contain information about
individuals within the area. It should be remembered that there
are different levels of jurisdiction for courts in the United States,
all of which should be considered for research under various circumstances.
Court of Common Pleas, Orphan's Court, Probate Court, District Court,
Superior Court, Supreme Court, and other titles are among those
encountered. To study more about court records in general, see "Research
in Court Records," by Arlene H. Eakle, in: Szucs, Loretto Dennis,
and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, eds. The Source: A Guidebook of
American Genealogy. Rev. ed. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1997.
Washington D.C. Military Records
Military records for those living in the District of Columbia are
included in the National Archives publication Military Service Records:
A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications, (Washington,
DC: National Archives and Records Service, 1985). The District of
Columbia maintained its own militia, as found in Frederick P. Todd,
"Militia and Volunteers of the District of Columbia, 1783–1820,"
Records of the Columbia Historical Society 50 (1948): 387–88,
published by the society. Also see the following resources: Neagles,
James C. U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources.
Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1994.
Ely, Selden M. "The District of Columbia in the American Revolution
and Patriots of the Revolutionary Period Who Are Interred in the
District or in Arlington." Records of the Columbia Historical
Society 21. Washington, DC: Columbia Historical Society, 1918.
Additional Sources
Cook, Eleanor M. V. Guide to the Records of Your District of Columbia
Ancestors. Silver Spring, MD: Family Line Publications, 1987. A
Guide to Genealogical Research in the Nation's Capitol. 7th ed.:
Annandale Stake, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1989.
Angevine, Erma Miller. "Genealogical Research on Families of
the District of Columbia." National Genealogical Society Quarterly
78 (March 1990): 15–32. Proctor, John Clagett. Washington,
Past and Present: A History. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing
Co., 1930.
District of Columbia
Vital Records:
Event: Birth or death
Cost of copy: $12.00
Address:
Vital Records Branch
825 North Capitol Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
Remarks: Office has had death records since 1855
and birth records since 1874 but no death records were filed during
the Civil War.
Cashiers check or money order should be made payable
to DC Treasurer. To verify current fees, the telephone number is
(202) 442-9009. This will be a recorded message.
Search All District of Columbia Records
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Event: Marriage
Cost of copy: $10.00
Address:
Marriage Bureau
515 5th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
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Event: Divorce (court)
Cost of copy: $2.00
Address:
Clerk, Superior Court for the District of Columbia
Family Division
500 Indiana Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Remarks: Records since September 16, 1956.
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Event: Divorce (court)
Cost of copy: Varies
Address:
Clerk, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Washington, DC 20001
Remarks: Records before September 16, 1956.
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