Florida 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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Florida Vital Records
Though statewide vital registration was mandated in 1899, birth
and death records prior to 1917 are fragmented and inconsistent. Those
after 1917 are deposited with the state's Bureau of Vital Statistics,
as are most earlier birth and death registrations. That same office
has jurisdiction over marriage records dated after 6 June 1927.
For birth and death records, and marriage records
after 6 June 1927, write:
State of Florida Dept. of Health
Vital Statistics
1217 Pearl Street
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Tel: 904-359-6900
904-359-6911
http://www.state.fl.us/health/
At the very top of the page, in the drop down menu, choose "Certificates,
Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce" to see important information
about records available, current fees, and forms that can be printed
to order records.
For marriage records prior to 6 June 1927, write
to the clerk of the county in question.
Florida Land Records
Florida is a federal-land state. Most land acquisitions by individuals
were from pre-U.S. sovereigns, the federal government, or from other
individuals. The state archive holds a vast body of records created
about 1820–22 for the use of the federal government in affirming
or denying earlier Spanish grants of land. The fragile original
records, largely in Spanish, are extant, but the WPA made a five-volume
transcript, Spanish Land Grants in Florida, which includes Spanish
Grants, British Grants and Private Land Claims, which is available
at the Florida State Archives and in a number of libraries, as well
as in an inexpensive microfiche edition from the archives.
For government purchases, consult the Bureau of Land
Management, Eastern States Office's patent indexes, available on
CD-ROM through various genealogical vendors and through:
Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents,
P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
This patent index is also found among the database
searches available at the Ancestry.com Web site (www.ancestry.com).
Land-entry case files for these patents are available at the National
Archives in Washington, D.C. Land transactions between individuals
are usually filed through the clerk of the courts in the county
seat. For further information consult:
Hone, E. Wade. Land and Property Research in the
United States. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1997.
Florida 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.
Florida Military Records
Fritot's Pension Records of Soldiers of the Revolution Who Removed
to Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.: Jacksonville Chapter, Daughters
of the American Revolution, 1946) remains among the few genealogically
valuable references to later Floridians who had served in the Revolutionary
War. The Florida State Archives holds a reference copy of the sixty-three-reel
National Archives microfilm publication Compiled Service Records
of Volunteers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Florida
During the Florida Indian Wars, 1835–1858. There is no state
index, but participants are included in the master Index to Compiled
Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During Indian Wars
and Disturbances, 1815–1858. For referencing the Mexican War,
rosters of the five involved Florida companies can be found in "Florida's
Part in the War with Mexico," Florida Historical Quarterly
20 (1942): 235–59, by T. Frederick Davis.
More than 16,000 Floridians served in the Civil War (15,000 Confederate
and 1,290 Union). The Florida State Archives has reference copies
of the National Archives microfilm Consolidated Index to Compiled
Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, as well as the Compiled
Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations
from the State of Florida and the related publication for the volunteer
Union Soldiers. These records are also available at the FHL. The
Florida State Archives has a collection of some 12,775 approved
and rejected pension applications. These files are indexed by both
veterans' and widows' names. Available from the archives is also
a Computer-Based Register and Index to the Florida State Board of
Pensions' Confederate Service Pension Applications, 1885–1954.
In addition to the records listed here, many militia records are
being gathered and placed in the state archive.
For further information, consult:
Neagles, James C. U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and
State Sources. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1994.
Additional Sources
Patrick, Rembert W. Florida Under Five Flags. 3rd ed. Gainesville:
University of Florida Press, 1960.
Harris, Michael H. Florida History: A Bibliography.
Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1972.
Guide to the Records of the Florida State Archives.
Tallahassee: Florida Department of State, 1988.
Florida Vital Records:
Event: Birth
Cost of copy: $9.00
Address:
Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
1217 Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32231
Remarks: State office has some birth records dating
back to April 1865 and some death records dating back to August
1877. The majority of records date from January 1917. (If the exact
date is unknown, the fee is $9.00 (births) or $5.00 (deaths) for
the first year searched and $2.00 for each additional year up to
a maximum of $50.00. Fee includes one certification of record if
found or certified statement stating record not on file.) Additional
copies are $4.00 each when requested at the same time.
Check or money order should be made payable to Office
of Vital Statistics. Personal checks are accepted. To verify current
fees, the telephone number is (904) 359-6900. This will be a recorded
message.
Search All Florida Records
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Event: Death
Cost of copy: $5.00
Address:
Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
1217 Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32231
Remarks: State office has some birth records dating
back to April 1865 and some death records dating back to August
1877. The majority of records date from January 1917. (If the exact
date is unknown, the fee is $9.00 (births) or $5.00 (deaths) for
the first year searched and $2.00 for each additional year up to
a maximum of $50.00. Fee includes one certification of record if
found or certified statement stating record not on file.) Additional
copies are $4.00 each when requested at the same time.
Check or money order should be made payable to Office
of Vital Statistics. Personal checks are accepted. To verify current
fees, the telephone number is (904) 359-6900. This will be a recorded
message.
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Event: Marriage
Cost of copy: $5.00
Address:
Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
1217 Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32231
Remarks: Records since June 6, 1927. (If the exact
date is unknown, the fee is $5.00 for the first year searched and
$2.00 for each additional year up to a maximum of $50.00. Fee includes
one copy of record if found or certified statement stating record
not on file.) Additional copies are $4.00 each when requested at
the same time.
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Event: Divorce
Cost of copy: $5.00
Address:
Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
1217 Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32231
Remarks: Records since June 6, 1927. (If the exact
date is unknown, the fee is $5.00 for the first year searched and
$2.00 for each additional year up to a maximum of $50.00. Fee includes
one copy of record if found or certified statement stating record
not on file.) Additional copies are $4.00 each when requested at
the same time.
Search All Florida Records
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