A Need for Vital Records
Vital records are a recording of events during a person's life. Birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, adoption records, deeds and more are examples of vital records. These records are invaluable to many people and contain a wealth of information for those who need it. You'll find full names, maiden names, places of residence at both birth and death, the names of children and places of burial and next of kin can all be found within the scope of these records.
Vital records are kept in the record department of the county in which they were filed. Though the records prior to the early 1900's are somewhat difficult to obtain, especially in rural areas, due to a lack of record keeping, since that time these records have become much more detailed and important.
Genealogy- Genealogy is one of the fields in which vital records plays its biggest role. These records are of great importance to anyone tracing their ancestry, can lead to some startling discoveries, and can also lead to meeting new family members and making new friends and memories.
Today, vital records are a necessity for many things. You're required to show your birth certificate for many different things.
Driver's license- You have to show your birth certificate and social security information, as well as other documents to be able to obtain a driver's license in most states in the US today.
Social Security- All aspects of the Social Security system require verification of vital records. From obtaining a Social Security card to applying for benefits to changing your name when marriage occurs, vital records are required.
Passports- You must present your vital records to receive a passport in the US. This is meant as a safety precaution so that those without the proper vital records cannot be issued a US passport.
Inheritance- Proof of identification through providing vital records is required to receive inheritance or to receive insurance benefits. Without proof of identity through vital records, the inheritance becomes the property of the state.
Once, you could only obtain a copy of vital records from certain record keeping facilities within the county where the event occurred. Birth certificates were only available by visiting the proper venue within the county of birth and so on. With the advent of the Internet, these records have become much more readily available and can be found and requested through electronic means.