A vital statistics office keeps records of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces, and may publish statistical information. They issue birth, death, and marriage certificates, and maintain marriage and divorce lists. The information can be used for social policy research and genealogy.
A vital statistics office is a government agency that, at a minimum, keeps records of births and deaths within its jurisdiction. Depending on local policy, a vital statistics office may also register and track marriages and divorces. In addition to serving as a repository for these records, a registry office may also publish birth, death, and marriage rates and provide important statistical information to other government agencies, schools, and research institutions. Many vital statistics agencies also issue copies of birth, death and marriage certificates to those who need them and request them.
When a child is born, his birth is usually registered with the appropriate government office, which issues him with a birth certificate. A similar process occurs when a person dies, marries or divorces. In some cases, this data is obtained directly from the relevant population statistics office, or from a local agency or court which usually forwards the information to the population registry office. The information contained in these registers can be recorded, indexed, and made available to social policy researchers and others interested in the conditions and behavior of citizens or residents of an area. For example, in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may use the National Vital Statistics System, provided by state offices of vital statistics, to monitor teenage pregnancy and stillbirth rates.
For private citizens who are not interested in public or health policy, a registry office can be a source of important identity and genealogy information. If a person needs a certified or official copy of a birth or death certificate, they usually need to get one from their registry office. Some population statistics offices may also issue marriage and divorce certificates, although this is not true in all places, as these certificates may be held in local courts or county offices. However, the Office of Vital Statistics may maintain marriage and divorce lists, also known as indexes, which can be searched by those who need to confirm a marriage or divorce but don’t actually need a copy of the certificate. In recent times, many vital statistics offices in the United States have begun working with third-party companies to fulfill online requests for certified copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
