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Hawaii Public Records
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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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Hawaii Vital Records
Hawaii has birth and death records beginning in 1853. Prior to 1896,
however, the records are incomplete. Early vital records were kept
by local government authorities and clergymen. There are a few missionary
reports that date back as early as 1826. They are on file at the Hawaii
State Archives, the Department of Health, and the Daughters of the
American Revolution Library in Honolulu, and many are at the FHL in
Salt Lake City. Since 1911, delayed birth certificates can be applied
for in Hawaii. They often contain valuable genealogical information.
The FHL has seventy microfilm rolls of delayed birth records for Hawaii.
This collection contains 50,000 delayed birth records and covers the
period from 1859 to 1903, with indexes from 1859 to 1938. Most records
are now deposited with the State Department of Health.
For birth, marriage, and death records, write:
Hawaii Department of Health
Vital Records Section
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801-9984
Hawaii Land Records
Prior to 1840 there were no land titles in Hawaii. The society was
feudalistic and all land belonged to the king. Under this system
land allotments could be taken away at any time. The transitional
period from this approach was called the "Great Mahele"
of 1848, which provided the way for the acquirement of real estate
by individuals. The Board of Commissioners to Quiet Land Titles
was established in 1845, when, by decision of the king and the chiefs,
the king was given his own property, and the remainder began to
be divided equally between the government, the chiefs, and the tenants.
This land commission went to the various islands to meet people
and prepare them for awarding of their claims. This involved a hearing
and taking of testimony in connection with nearly 12,000 individual
claims. An index to these claims and the Hawaiian terms used in
the claims is found in the volume entitled Indices of Award Made
by The Board of Commissioners To Quiet Land Titles in the Hawaiian
Islands by the Office of the Commissioner of Public Lands of the
Territory of Hawaii (Honolulu: Territorial Office Building, 1929).
These claims cover the period 1848 to 1852 and are extremely valuable
to native Hawaiians for the genealogical material contained in the
actual records. The Bureau of Conveyances, 403 Queen Street, Honolulu,
HI 96813 has records of the original royal patents and the records
of the "Great Mahele" of 1848. These records are for all
islands, and, since transfers were often made between parents and
children or grandparents, statements of relationship are often included.
Many of these records have been microfilmed and are on file at the
FHL in Salt Lake City and the Hawaii State Archives.
The state archive has a "land file" of
letters and documents dating from the 1830s, regardless of the office
concerned. The "land file" covers the period of 1830 to
1900, is filed chronologically, and is one of the most completely
translated and indexed group of records in the archives. This collection
consists of letters addressed to the Commission to Quiet Land Titles,
award books, testimony, and registers of the land documents. The
Department of Land and Natural Resources, 1151 Punchbowl Street,
Honolulu, HI 96813, has many early land records of Hawaii. These
are also on microfilm in Salt Lake City at the FHL.
Hawaii 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.
Hawaii Military Records
The Hawaii State Archives has a card list for deceased veterans
of the Spanish-American War, Civil War, and World War I. Also in
their collection is a list of Hawaiians who served in World War
I and members of the Guard of the Republic of Hawaii. Prior to becoming
a U.S. territory, Hawaii's army consisted of a royal household guard
and militia units. A report and rosters of these groups are at the
Hawaii State Archives along with records of the Hawaiian Navy and
the treason trials held after the 1895 counter-revolution.
For further information, consult James C. Neagles's U.S. Military
Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources. Salt Lake City: Ancestry,
1994.
Additional Sources
Kuykendall, Ralph S. The Hawaiian Kingdom, 1778–1854: Foundation
and Transformation. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1966.
Kuykendall, Ralph S. The Hawaiian Kingdom, 1854–1874: Twenty
Critical Years. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1966.
Kuykendall, Ralph S. The Hawaiian Kingdom, 1874–1893: The Kalakaua
Dynasty. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1966.
Pukui, Mary Kawena, Samuel H. Elbert, and Esther T. Mookini. Place
Names of Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1974.
Char, Tin-Yuke, and Wai Jane Char. Chinese Historic Sites and Pioneer
Families of the Island of Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii
Press, 1979.
Lind, Andrew W. Hawaii's People. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii,
1971.
Okahata, James H., ed. A History of Japanese in Hawaii. Honolulu:
United Japanese Society of Hawaii, 1971.
Mulholland, John F. Hawaii's Religions. Rutland, Vt.: Charles E.
Tuttle Co., 1970.
Hawaii Vital Records:
Event: Birth or death
Cost of copy: $10.00
Address:
State Department of Health
Office of Health Status Monitoring
Vital Records Section
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801-9984
Remarks: State office has had records since 1853.
Additional copies ordered at the same time are $4.00 each.
Cashier's check or money order should be made payable
to State Department of Health. Personal checks are not accepted.
To verify current fees, the telephone number is (808) 586-4533.
This is a recorded message. Information on how to obtain certified
copies is also available via the internet at State Department of
Health.
Search All Hawaii Records
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Event: Marriage
Cost of copy: $10.00
Address:
State Department of Health
Office of Health Status Monitoring
Vital Records Section
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801-9984
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Event: Divorce (State)
Cost of copy: $2.00
Address:
State Department of Health
Office of Health Status Monitoring
Vital Records Section
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801-9984
Remarks: Records since July 1951.
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Event: Divorce (county)
Cost of copy: Varies
Address: See remarks
Remarks: Circuit Court in county where divorce
was granted.
Search All Hawaii Records
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