Wisconsin issued marriage applications as early as the 1820s in some counties, although most jurisdictions began maintaining them with county organization. The state directed the counties, in 1852, to record births and deaths, a mandate generally ignored. In 1878 a similar law received more attention and adherence. A separate volume was kept for recording births which had occurred prior to 1852. The earliest delayed birth record dates to 1746.

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However, it was 1907 before the State Bureau of Vital Statistics was established. Researchers may apply to this office for records (certified, for descendants) of births, deaths, and marriages. The nonrefundable charges are presently $20 for births and $7 for deaths and marriages. A self-addressed stamped envelope is required. The address is State of Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Health, 1 West Wilson Street, P.O. Box 309, Madison, Wisconsin 53701-0309.

On-site searching in the state vital records is possible with advance appointments at particular hours and on particular days, for one-hour time blocks. Contact the office for complete information on this procedure before traveling to Madison. Some records are not accessible.

Vital records at the county level are held by the register of deeds at each county government center. Indexes and original records may be searched within established guidelines. Photocopies or certificates of county records can be obtained at the same rate schedule as the state's.

Of great value to the genealogist in Wisconsin is the statewide microfiche index to the births, deaths, and marriages recorded in the state prior to October 1907. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin, all Area Research Centers (see Archives, Libraries, and Societies), and the FHL hold copies of this index that has to be searched in person. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library at Madison has microfilmed copies of all the actual records referred to in the index, and each Area Research Center has those microfilmed records for the counties covered by that center. There will be some records at the county level not included in the statewide index. Some specific counties are not indexed for specific types of vital events. In the marriage records index, for example, the entries for Racine County are incomplete, and counties following Racine alphabetically are not included. It is necessary to go directly to the microfilm records for those counties to locate marriage records. However, the index is a tool that should certainly be used in Wisconsin research.

These databases below are online at Ancestry.com

• Wisconsin Births, 1820-1907: This database indexes over 985,000 births recorded in the State of Wisconsin, USA, prior to 1907. Information provided in the index includes: name, birth date, country, and source information.
• Wisconsin Deaths, 1820-1907: This database indexes over 435,000 deaths recorded in the state of Wisconsin prior to 1907.
• Wisconsin Marriages, 1835-1900: Marriage records from various counties in Wisconsin between 1835 and 1900.
• Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997: This database is an index to approximately 949,000 marriages that took place in the State of Wisconsin, USA, between 1973 and 1997. Information that may be found in this database includes groom's name, groom's age, groom's residence (county and/or state), bride's name, bride's age, bride's residence (county and/or state), marriage date, marriage county, and marriage certificate number.
• Wisconsin Marriages, pre-1907: This index contains over 920,000 individuals married in the State of Wisconsin, USA, prior to 1907. Information that may be found in this database for each individual includes their name, marriage date, county of marriage, and source information.

Divorce records are usually found in the county government centers and most often in the civil court records. Post-1907 divorce decrees, although they actually contain very little genealogical information, can be located at the State Bureau of Vital Statistics. From 1836 through 1848, the territorial legislature granted the divorces listed in the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society Newsletter (April, 1980).

The “Wisconsin Necrology” at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin is a collection of several thousand selected obituaries of Wisconsin citizens (1890–1945). The obituaries are in scrapbooks that are indexed in the library's subject and printed card catalogs. The scrapbooks have been microfilmed and are available on interlibrary loan.

Other obituary indexes can be located in numerous local libraries and in some Area Research Centers. Some early vital records have been extracted and published in state and county genealogical periodicals.

   Wisconsin Division of Health, Vital Records, 1 West Wilson Street, Rm 158, Madison, WI 53701. Thier mailing address is Wisconsin Vital Records Office, P.O. Box 309, Madison, WI 53701-0309. Telephone:  For automated assistance 24 hours a day, please call (608) 266-1371. To contact our service counter during the hours of 8:00 A.M. to 4:15 P.M. (C.S.T.), Monday through Friday, please call (608) 266-1373. All fees are not refundable if no record is found.  You must enclose a personal check or money order made payable to "Wis. Vital Records".  Please do not send cash. Please include a self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope with your request.

They have the following records:

• Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates: In Wisconsin, official registration of births, marriages & deaths vary by county, see the table below for the Earliest available records.
  • Cost: $20.00 is the cost for the search, which includes one copy of the birth, marriage or death certificate, if found. Additional copies of the same record, requested at the same time as the first, are $3.00 each.  The cost is the same whether you request a certified or uncertified copy of the birth certificate.
  • Processing Time: Filled requests take 3-6 months when ordered by mail (Application for Birth, Marriage or Death) or 2-5 Days when you order online.
• Divorces: Divorces on availible since Oct 1907.
  • Cost: $20.00 is the cost for the search, which includes one copy of the divorce certificate, if found. Additional copies of the same record, requested at the same time as the first, are $3.00 each.  The cost is the same whether you request a certified or uncertified copy of the birth certificate.
  • Processing Time: Filled requests take 3-6 months when ordered by mail (Application) or 2-5 Days when you order online.

Order On-Line:  To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by on-line purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek.

Order In Person: You can apply in person for a copy of a marriage certificate at 1 West Wilson Street, Room 158, in Madison, Wisconsin (driving directions/parking). The office is open from 8:00 A.M. until 4:15 P.M. (C.S.T.), Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. Identification is required to pick up certified copies of vital records in person. The acceptable forms of identification are listed below.

Registration of events prior to 1907 was voluntary and vital records were not filed for most events.  It has been estimated that less than 50% of the records were prepared and submitted for permanent filing before that time.  Records are not on file for events that occurred before the dates listed in the following table.  Divorce certificates from any county are not available before October 1907.

Facts on Birth Records

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   Most early birth records contain very little biographical information. Typical early New England town and church records, for example, give little information beyond the name of the child, date and place of birth, and parents’ names. Some localities listed only the name of the father.

While early birth records can be discouragingly lacking in information, by the mid-nineteenth century birth records in the United States began to include more information. Even though births were not widely recorded during the early years of America’s existence, the records that do exist may be the only source of a birth date for an individual and should always be consulted.

Delayed births are also important vital registrations that you should consider for obtaining biographical information. When Social Security benefits were instituted in 1937, individuals claiming benefits had to document their birth even if the state of their birth did not require registration when they were born. Individuals who were not registered with state or county agencies at the time of their birth often applied for a delayed birth registration. Obtaining passports, insurance, and other benefits also required proof of age. Applications were accompanied with full name, address, and date and place of birth; father’s name, race, and place of birth; and evidence to support the facts presented. The evidence could be in the form of a baptismal certificate, Bible record, school record, affidavit from the attending physician or midwife, application for an insurance policy, birth certificate of a child, or an affidavit from a person having definite knowledge of the facts. Delayed birth records are usually filed and indexed separately from regular birth registrations, and it may be necessary to request a separate search for them.

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Facts on Marriage Records

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   Because of the importance of the legal distribution and control of property, most states and counties began to record marriages before births and deaths. The recording of a marriage is a two-step process. Traditionally, couples apply for a license to marry, and the applications are usually filed loose among other applications or in bound volumes. Marriage returns are filed once the marriage has taken place. The latter document is the proof of a marriage (not the license application).

Marriage applications are often filled out by both the bride and groom and typically contain a significant amount of genealogical information. They may list full names of the bride and groom, their residences, races, ages, dates and places of birth, previous marriages, occupations, and their parents’ names, places of birth, and occupations.

Marriage certificates are issued by counties after the marriage ceremony is completed, and these are usually found among family items. While the certificates tend to have less biographical data than the application, the name of the individual officiating at the wedding may lead you to religious records by revealing the denomination. The religious records, in turn, may reveal the names of witnesses and other useful information.

Early American records sometimes include marriage bonds, which served as a protection for the future children of the marriage. A bond obligated a prospective groom to pay the bond if he were discovered to be a bigamist or imposter or otherwise ineligible to contract a valid marriage. As long as the marriage was legal, the bond was void. Bonds generally include the groom’s name, name of the surety, the sum, and the date of the agreement.

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Facts on Death Records

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   Early death records in the United States provide little more than the name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death. Obituaries and cemetery, court, and other records often provide more information about the deceased than do most official death records created before the last quarter of the 1800s.

By 1900 death records included more details. They often include the name of the deceased; date, place, and cause of death; age at the time of death; place of birth; parents’ names; occupation; name of spouse; name of the person giving the information; the informant’s relationship to the deceased; the name and address of the funeral director; and the place of burial. Race is listed in some records, and modern death certificates generally include a Social Security number.

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