Early Delaware vital records (birth records more than 72 years and marriage and death records more than 40 years old) are available at the Delaware Public Archives (DPA) in Dover. Prior to 1913, these records are incomplete.

Divorces: prior to 1906, divorce was by legislative action; see Laws of the State of Delaware. From 1906 to 1975, divorces were the responsibility of Superior Court. Contact Delaware Public Archives (DPA) or the County Prothonotary's office.

Current vital records (less than 72 years) are closed to protect the privacy of the individuals. These records are available to family members. Contact:

Office of Vital Statistics
Jesse S. Cooper Building
417 Federal St.
Dover, DE 19901

Where to Write for Vital Records. Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Health Statistics.
LOCATION - Internet (http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS2642)

This guide has information for all states; see the Delaware page.

Some volumes of vital records have been printed. Selected ones are listed below. Also see the guides: Delaware Church Records and Delaware Cemetery Records.

Clark, Raymond B. Maryland and Delaware Bible Records. St. Michaels, MD: Raymond B. Clark, Jr., 1990.
LOCATION: Morris Library (CS68 .C51 1990)

Includes 37 Maryland Bibles (50 families) and 17 Delaware Bibles (20 families).

Daughters of the American Revolution, Delaware. Bible Records, Delaware. 13 vols. Newark, DE: The Society, 194?-1967.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F163 .D28)

Delaware Genealogical Abstracts from Newspapers (DGAN). Delaware Genealogical Society Special Publication, no. 9, 5 vols. Wilmington, DE: Delaware Genealogical Society, 1995- .
LOCATION: Morris Library (F163 .D45x 1995)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F163 .D45x 1995)

Vol. 1. Deaths from the Delaware Gazette 1854-59, 61-64. Vol. 2. Marriages from the Delaware Gazette 1854-59, 1861-64. Vol. 3. Delaware Marriages and Deaths from Newspapers, 1729-1853. Note: 1860 Delaware Gazette is not available. Vol. 4. Marriages and Deaths from the Delaware Gazette 1865-74. Vol. 5. Marriages and Deaths from the Delaware Gazette 1875-79.

The Delaware Historical and Genealogical Recall of Matilda Spicer Hart: Reprinted with a Full Name Index. Publications of the Delaware Genealogical Society no. 3, 4 vols. in one. Wilmington, DE: Delaware Genealogical Society, c1984.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F163 .D37)

Frazier, Margaret Mendenhall. Delaware Advertiser, 1827-1831: Genealogical Abstracts. Newhall, CA: C. Boyer, 1987.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F163 .F73 1987)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F163 .F73 1987)

Heinegg, Paul. Free African Americans of Maryland and Delaware: From the Colonial Period to 1810. Baltimore, MD: Clearfield, c2000.
LOCATION: Morris Library (E185.96 .H46 2000)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del E185.96 .H46 2000)

A compilation of information about more than 300 Maryland and Delaware black families.

Hocker, Edward W. Genealogical Data Relating to the German Settlers of Pennsylvania and Adjacent Territory: From Advertisements in German Newspapers Published in Philadelphia and Germantown, 1743 -1800. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1980.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F160 .G3 H6 1980)

Laws of the State of Delaware.
LOCATION: Morris Library - State Documents (KFD25)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del KFD25)

Prior to 1906, divorce in the state of Delaware was a legislative action. A list of divorces is found in the volumes for each legislative session. Look under "Titles to Private Acts."

Scott, Kenneth. Abstracts from Ben Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette, 1728-1748. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1975.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F148 .S36 1975)

Items of genealogical interest relating to Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Turner, Charles Henry Black. Genealogical Collection of Delaware Families. Dover, DE: Bureau of Archives and Records, 1948.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Microforms (Microfiche no. 391)
LOCATION: Internet (http://www.state.de.us/sos/dpa/exhibits/document/turner/toc.shtml)

A microfiche produced from the original manuscripts at the Delaware Public Archives. The online version is from DPA.

Turner, Charles Henry Black. Rodney's Diary and Other Delaware Records. Philadelphia: Allen, Lane & Scott, 1911.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F165 .T94)

The "other Delaware records" include extracts relating to Delaware and Delaware people, from archives and other public and private probate, land and vital records of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, nearly all before 1800.

Turner, Charles Henry Black. Some Records of Sussex County, Delaware. Philadelphia: Allen, Lane & Scott, 1909.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F172 .S8 T7)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F172 .S8 T7)

Includes land grants, civil suits, wills, administrations, and marriage records and church records. The Index is available online at Rootsweb. A marriages list is at Genweb.

Virdin, Donald Odell. Delaware Bible Records. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1991-1998.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F163 .V57 1991)

The set includes 6 volumes. The Library has vol. 1-3 and 5-6.

DELCAT Examples

For More Information

Delaware Genealogical Research Guide. 3rd ed. Wilmington, DE: Delaware Genealogical Society, 2002.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref F163 .D349 2002)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F163 .D349 2002)

The most important guide for doing genealogical research in Delaware. It covers specific types of records and where they can be found in the state. Edited by Thomas P. Doherty and published by the Delaware Genealogical Society (http://delgensoc.org).

Delaware Genealogical Society. Journal. Semiannual.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F163 .D35x)

Publishes transcripts of original records. Published since 1980. The Tables of Contents are online.

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