Have a question? Need assistance? Use our online form to ask a librarian for help.
Based on the date of the vital event (birth, death, marriage, divorce), determine whether you are seeking a state, territory, county, or parish level record. If the record you are seeking has been digitized, you can access it online, through the projects described below. If it has not been digitized or if you need a certified copy, contact the appropriate state or county office to view the record.
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Birth Records |
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| Death Records |
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| Marriage Records |
Note: For records after 2011, contact the circuit court where the marriage occurred. |
| Divorce Records |
Note: Divorce records in the possession of the Archives vary considerably by date depending on the jurisdiction. In order to locate a divorce file it is necessary to know:
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The subscription resources marked with a padlock 
are available to researchers on-site at the Library of Congress. If you are unable to visit the Library, you may be able to access these resources through your local public or academic library.
Using Ancestry Library Edition for Maryland
Begin your search through Ancestry's vast collections, by viewing the list designated as Maryland records External.
Using FamilySearch for Maryland
FamilySearch provides useful state and county wikis that make excellent starting points for research. The Maryland Wiki External includes links to each of its 23 counties and Baltimore City.
FamilySearch has digitized many of its microfilms containing county courthouse records including birth, death, and marriage. Not all records have been indexed yet, so search engine results may NOT show you the full range of FamilySearch data. You must browse the FamilySearch catalog External listings for each county to view the full set of records available. The vast amount of accessible original records is well worth your time to explore.
There is no fee to use FamilySearch, but you must create a free, personal account to access the databases and digital records.
Visit Maryland Vital Records to learn instructions for obtaining copies of vital records.
Below are selected print publications for statewide vital records. The following titles link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are included when available.
To locate additional published materials, go to the Print Resources section of this guide for search tips on locating published county courthouse records, abstracts, and indexes that may aide you in locating original records at the county level.
Anne Arundel County, Maryland marriage licenses, 1865-1888 by Anne Arundel County, Maryland marriage records, 1777-1877 / John W. Powell, compiler
Index of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Death Certificates, 1840-1920 by Marriage records, Anne Arundel county, Maryland, 1816 to 1845 by Maryland Eastern Shore vital records by Supplement to Maryland Eastern Shore vital records, books 1-3 by Departed this life, death notices from the (Baltimore) Sun / compiled by Walter E. Arps, Jr.Divorces and names changed in Maryland by act of the legislature, 1634-1867 / by Mary Keysor Meyer.
