Looking for a copy of your own birth certificate? Visit the Cook County Clerk's website for detailed instructions on how to order.

Learn More About Early Chicago Birth Records

How to Find Chicago Birth Records

Quick Links: 1871-1877 | 1878-1922 | After 1922

How to Find Chicago Birth Records Before 1871

Civil birth records for Chicago are not available before late 1871 because the "Chicago Fire of October 8, 1871 destroyed all county vital records prior to that date." (See Genealogy Records at the Cook County Clerk's Office website.) Some alternate sources of information are listed below.

Baptismal records
County histories
Death certificates
Delayed birth certificates
Family records including bible records
Pension records
School records
Social security applications

How to Find Chicago and Cook County Birth Records, 1871-1877

Search the Chicago Birth Registers for free at FamilySearch. Many of the early entries didn't include the child's given name, so search by parent or surname if you don't find a match on your first try. You can learn more about this source on the Chicago birth registers tutorial page.

How to Find Chicago and Cook County Birth Records, 1878-1922

Search the Chicago birth certificates, 1878-1922 for free at FamilySearch. If the births were reported, you should be able to find the records online there. If you've never used the site, I've put together a how-to that walks you through step by step. If you don't find a match for a pre-1916 record, try searching or paging through the birth registers, also at FamilySearch.

There are many reasons why you might not be able to find a Chicago birth certificate easily. If you can't find the birth certificate you're looking for, check the Chicago birth certificate tutorial page for additional information and search ideas.

How to Find Chicago Birth Certificates After 1922

Birth certificates 75 years or older are available from the Cook County Clerk's Office and many of them are available for purchase and download at their website, Genealogy Online.

Check the index available on the Cook County Clerk's Genealogy Online site or check the Cook County, Illinois Birth Index, 1916-1935 available at Ancestry.com. Ancestry's search gives you more flexibility. You can search by first and/or last name using Soundex, and you can also limit the day, month, and/or year.

If you find a matching entry between 1916 and 1922 inclusive, look for the record for free at FamilySearch.
If you find a matching entry after 1922, download the record from the website for a fee.
If you don't find a matching entry, request a manual search by printing their Genealogical Request Form and mailing it, along with $15, to Cook County Clerk David Orr, Bureau of Vital Records - Genealogy, P.O. Box 642570, Chicago, IL 60664-2570