Delaware Genealogy

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Overview of Delaware records

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Overview of Delaware Genealogy Records

• History: Delaware was first settled in 1638. It was formally set apart from Pennsylvania as its own colony in 1703 and became a state in 1787.
• Birth records: Birth records were kept as early as 1650 but were incomplete. Statewide registration began in 1881 with complete records being kept by 1921. Birth records from 1913 to 1948 can be obtained from the Delaware Public Archives. Birth records from 1942 to the present can be obtained from the Delaware Office of Vital Statistics.
• Marriage records: Marriage records were kept as early as 1744 but were incomplete. Statewide registration of marriages began in 1847 with complete records being kept by 1913.  Marriage records from 1913 to 1980 can be obtained from the Delaware Public Archives. Marriage records from 1974 to the present can be obtained from the Delaware Office of Vital Statistics.
• Death records: Death records were kept as early as 1855 but were incomplete. State registration of deaths began in 1881 with complete records being kept by 1890.  Death records from 1913 to 1970 can be obtained from the Delaware Public Archives. Death records from 1974 to the present can be obtained from the Delaware Office of Vital Statistics.
• Divorce records: Divorce records previous to 1900 can be obtained from the Delaware State Archives. Divorce records from 1900 to 1974 can be obtained from clerk of the court of common pleas for the individual county.
• Census records: The first federal census available for Delaware is 1800. (The 1790 census was lost.) There are federal censuses publicly available for 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, and 1950.
• County records: Court, land, probate, naturalization, and tax records were kept by the individual counties.
• Other records: Many cities and towns kept newspapers, churches kept records, and there are records of cemeteries, histories, schools, city directories, and other records that can be located by using the city pages on this site. Records specific to minority groups can be found in the Minority Records section.
• All records: Use the links on this site to locate the online indexes and images of many of the records listed above.