The current fees for this service are listed in Where to Write for vital Records: births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces (Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 1993; FHL book 973 V24wv). Copies of this booklet are at the Family History Library and many Family History Centers. You can also contact the Vital Records Section (address given above) for current information.

Death Records

Although some deaths were recorded as early as 1855, state registration of deaths officially began in 1881 and was generally complied with by 1890. For indexes see:

Delaware. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Index Cards of Delaware . . . Deaths . . . Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1949. (FHL film 006431-33; computer number 377746.) Indexes from 1855 to 1888.

Delaware. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Vital Records, . . . Deaths, 1855-1910. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1949. (FHL films 006360-409; computer number 377773.)

The Delaware Bureau of Vital Statistics has death records for the most recent 40 years. For deaths recorded over forty years ago, contact the Delaware Public Archives.

Marriage Records

State registration of marriages began in 1847 and was generally complied with by 1913. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of the marriage bonds for 1744-1836 and 1855-1861, and licenses for 1889-1894. You can obtain marriage records for the most recent 40 years by writing to the Bureau of Vital Statistics. For marriages recorded more than 40 years ago, contact the Delaware Public Archives.

Delaware counties began keeping marriage records as early as 1832. These records have been transferred from the counties to the Delaware Public Archives. These early county marriage records are not available at the Family History Library; however, the library has records of some pre-1847 marriage bonds.

For a helpful index see:

Delaware. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Index Cards of Delaware . . . Marriages . . . Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1949. (FHL film 006416-22; computer number 377746.) This is an index of marriages for the years 1680-1850 from information in bonds, licenses, probate records, and church records at the Delaware Public Archives.

Many early marriage license bonds are in the following collection:

Gilbert Cope, A List of Marriage License Bonds . . . in New Castle County, Delaware, 1744-1836 (Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1965; FHL film 441415; computer number 391203). It also includes a few marriages from other counties in Delaware.

Marriages of Delaware residents may also be recorded in adjoining states, such as Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Divorce Records

The Delaware Public Archives has a card catalog with names and dates with reference to divorces granted up to about 1890 by Acts of the State Legislature.

Divorce proceedings from 1975 to the present are kept by the family court office in the county where the divorce was recorded. For records before 1975 and dating back to the early 1900s, contact the county prothonotary's office (clerk of the court of common pleas). For pre-1900 records write to the Delaware Public Archives or the:

Delaware Legislative Council
Legislative Hall
P.O. Box 1401
Dover, DE 19901

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VOTING REGISTERS

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Voting election returns have been preserved for some time periods. Some are at the Delaware Public Archives, for example, election records for 1812-1864 for New Castle County.

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FOR FURTHER READING

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These books will give you further information about the records of Delaware:

Bibliography of Delaware, 1960-1974. Newart, Del,: University of Delaware, 1976. (Not at FHL.)

Doherty, Thomas P., ed. Delaware Genealogical Research Guide. Wilmington, Del,: Delaware Genealogical Society, 1991. (FHL book 975.1 D27d; computer number 536287.) This book explains geography, record types, and repositories.

Eichholz, Alice, ed. Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources. Rev. ed. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1992. (FHL book 973 D27rb 1992; computer number 594021.) Contains bibliographies and background information on history and ethnic groups. Also contains maps and tables showing when each county was created.

Giles, Barbara S. Selected Delaware Bibliography and Resources. Seattle: B. S. Giles, 1990. (FHL book 975.1 D27s; computer number 652441.)

Mattsson, Algot. New Sweden the Dream of an Empire. Goteborg: Tre Bocker, 1987. Vanersborg: Vanersborgs Offset. (FHL book 975.1 H2m; computer number 493559.) This is a brief historical overview of New Sweden and Swedes in America.

Reed, Henry Clay, and Marion B. Reed. A Bibliography of Delaware through 1960. Newark, Del.: University of Delaware Press, 1966. (FHL book 975.1 A3r; computer number 254845.) Lists articles and books about specific families who lived about 1600-1960. This guide lists books, pamphlets, and manuscripts about Delaware towns, cities, counties, families, biographies, geography, history, courts, and other subjects.

Rising, Johan Claesson. The Rise and Fall of New Sweden: Governor Johan Rising's Journal 1654-1655. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International, 1988. Uddevalla: Bohus Laningens boktr. (FHL book 975.1 H2dn; computer number 493567.) Includes translation and index.

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COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

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The Family History Library welcomes additions and corrections that will improve future editions of this outline. Please send your suggestions to:

Publications Coordination
Family History Library
35 N. West Temple Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3400
USA

We appreciate the archivists, librarians, and others who have reviewed this outline and shared helpful information.

Paper publication: Second edition August 1997. English approval: 8/97

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