Chicago Delayed Birth Index, 1871-1948
About delayed birth registration
Delayed birth registration provided a way for births that weren't reported at the time of the event to be officially registered. Many people obtained delayed birth certificates during the 1940s in order to apply for Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits. (See http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=11202 )
If you are able to locate a copy of a delayed birth certificate, it may include notes on what documents were used to prove the birth. These notes may provide the name of a physician or midwife, the name of a church where a baptism took place, and/or the names of friends or relatives.
About this index
The Chicago Delayed Birth Index, 1871-1948 is an alphabetical-by-surname (but not alphabetical-by-given-name) index to Chicago births, most of which occurred in the late 1800s and early 1900s but weren't registered until the 1940s. It is available on seven microfilms which can be requested through any Family History Center.
Format
7 microfilm reels
Arrangement
Alphabetical by surname (with some exceptions, e.g., "Simons" might come before "Simon" or they might be interfiled) but not by given name
FHL Catalog
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Information included in the delayed birth index
- name of individual
- date of birth
- date birth was registered
- delayed birth certificate number
Why search this index?
If you aren't able to find a birth certificate using first-step resources— certificates online at
FamilySearch, for example—you may be able to find an entry in the Chicago Delayed Birth Indexes which will provide a birth date and evidence that the birth occurred in Chicago.
How to find copies of delayed birth certificates
I am told that at least some of the delayed birth certificates can be obtained through the Cook County Clerk's Office for a fee. One researcher who did this successfully told me that it took 2-3 weeks to receive the document.
To the best of my knowledge, Birth Corrections and Delayed Births, 1916-1918 are the only records of this type for Chicago available through the Family History Library system and there doesn't appear to be any index to them available for public searching.
Search tips
Because the index isn't strictly alphabetical, be sure to look just before and after the surname you are searching to catch entries in unexpected places.