The vast majority of Maryland's civil birth and death records begin in 1875 for Baltimore City and in 1898 for Maryland's 23 counties. But there are other sources for Maryland civil birth and death records that, while more limited in scope, can be checked if available for the time and place you are researching.
17th and 18th Centuries
Charles County Court (Births, Deaths, and Marriages) CM1234-1
About 1650, the colonial assembly passed a law requiring colonywide registration of births and burials. The Maryland State Archives (MSA) has limited records for four counties - Charles, Kent, Somerset, and Talbot - during periods of the 17th and early-18th centuries. These are indexed online in MSA indexes S1403 (births) and S1404 (deaths). In 1695, recordation of births and burials was legally shifted to the Anglican Church parish vestries, although some registration of births and burials continued for a few years in the county courts.
Also during this period, coroner’s inquests document suspicious deaths. MSA has coroner’s records for four counties during the 1700s (limited dates): Anne Arundel (C58); Frederick (C772); Prince George’s (C5); and Queen Anne’s (C1409). Those for Frederick County are available online.
19th and 20th Centuries
On the MSA website, you can view more information on the records discussed below (including their online availability) and check to see if any more have been added to MSA's collection. Go to MSA's Guide to Government Records. Then select "View by series" to access a search page where you can limit searches by county. You can view all record types available from a county or limit the search alphabetically (for instance viewing only those that begin with the letter "D" to quickly find death records).
County Birth and Death Records, 1865-1897
Prior to the passage of legislation that led to consistent recordation of births and deaths (starting in 1875 in Baltimore City and 1898 in the counties), an 1865 state law required registration of births and deaths. There was poor compliance with the law, however, limiting the number of records that are available. Records at MSA include:
- Birth records (15 counties): Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Washington, Worcester
- Death records (12 counties): Allegany, Anne Arundel, Caroline, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Howard, Kent, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Washington
Of these, records for Anne Arundel and Prince George’s County are indexed online in MSA Index S1403 for births and MSA Index S1404 for deaths.
Baltimore City Birth Registers, 1876-1890
In addition to the Baltimore City birth certificates that began in 1875, MSA also has a set of birth registers for 1876-1890. Information from the original birth certificates was recorded in these ledgers. These duplicate records can be consulted if an indexed certificate is missing or a certificate is illegible.
County Board/Department of Health Birth and Death Records, 1898+
In addition to the birth certificates submitted to the state by the counties starting in 1898, MSA also has birth records from 12 of the county Boards of Health or Health Departments for varying time periods after that date. The counties are Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Frederick, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Washington, and Worcester.
Similarly, death records are available for 15 counties and two cities for varying time periods after 1898. The jurisdictions are: Allegany, Annapolis, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Cecil, Charles, Cumberland, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Worcester.
These birth and death records presumably are duplicates of those submitted to the state, but they can be consulted if an indexed certificate is missing in the state records or a state certificate is illegible.
Coroner's Inquests, 1821-1942
MSA has coroner’s records for varying dates during this time period for six counties: Calvert, Cecil, Dorchester, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, and Washington.
The MSA online catalog also lists records held by the Baltimore City Archives. That repository has coroner's inquest reports for over 3,500 deaths from 1827, 1835-1860, 1864, and 1867 (most from 1845-1858). MSA has posted an online index.
Baltimore City Interments 1834-1840
The Baltimore City Archives also has records from the Baltimore City Health Department documenting about 13,000 interments that took place in the city between 1834 and 1840. MSA has posted online a two-part card index to these interments. (A-McComas and McComas-Z).