Nathan W. Murphy, MA, AG®
Chronological Arrangement Alphabetical Arrangement
Civil registration, or government-mandated recording of births, marriages, and deaths, began in France under the rule of Napoleon. This useful idea spread throughout the Western World during the century that followed. The timeline below identifies years when various countries began to register births. Click on hyperlinked text to view regional variations within individual countries.
Chronological Arrangement
| 1792 | France |
| 1796 | Belgium |
| 1796 | Luxemburg |
| 1798 | Switzerland |
| 1804 | Italy |
| 1808 | Poland |
| 1811 | Netherlands |
| 1812 | Slovenia |
| 1828 | Dominican Republic |
| 1837 | England |
| 1837 | Wales |
| 1838 | Australia |
| 1848 | New Zealand |
| 1850 | Brazil |
| 1855 | Scotland |
| 1856 | Greece |
| 1859 | El Salvador |
| 1859 | México |
| 1860 | Sweden |
| 1864 | Canada |
| 1864 | Ireland |
| 1865 | Colombia |
| 1868 | South Africa |
| 1870 | Spain |
| 1873 | Venezuela |
| 1874 | Denmark |
| 1876 | Germany |
| 1876 | Norway |
| 1877 | Guatemala |
| 1879 | Nicaragua |
| 1879 | Uruguay |
| 1880 | Paraguay |
| 1881 | Argentina |
| 1881 | Honduras |
| 1884 | Turkey |
| 1885 | Chile |
| 1885 | Cuba |
| 1885 | Puerto Rico |
| 1886 | Perú |
| 1888 | Costa Rica |
| 1889 | Philippines |
| 1895 | Hungary |
| 1895 | Serbia & Montenegro |
| 1900 | Ecuador |
| 1911 | Portugal |
| 1914 | Panama |
| 1917 | Russia |
| 1923 | Finland |
| 1940 | Bolivia |
| 1946 | Croatia |
| 1946 | Macedonia |
| Variations | United States |
Alphabetical Arrangement
| Argentina | 1881 |
| Australia | 1838 |
| Belgium | 1796 |
| Bolivia | 1940 |
| Brazil | 1850 |
| Canada | 1864 |
| Chile | 1885 |
| Colombia | 1865 |
| Costa Rica | 1888 |
| Croatia | 1946 |
| Cuba | 1885 |
| Denmark | 1874 |
| Dominican Republic | 1828 |
| Ecuador | 1900 |
| El Salvador | 1859 |
| England | 1837 |
| Finland | 1923 |
| France | 1792 |
| Germany | 1876 |
| Greece | 1856 |
| Guatemala | 1877 |
| Honduras | 1881 |
| Hungary | 1895 |
| Ireland | 1864 |
| Italy | 1804 |
| Luxemburg | 1796 |
| Macedonia | 1946 |
| México | 1859 |
| Netherlands | 1811 |
| New Zealand | 1848 |
| Nicaragua | 1879 |
| Norway | 1876 |
| Panama | 1914 |
| Paraguay | 1880 |
| Perú | 1886 |
| Philippines | 1889 |
| Poland | 1808 |
| Portugal | 1911 |
| Puerto Rico | 1885 |
| Russia | 1917 |
| Scotland | 1855 |
| Serbia & Montenegro | 1895 |
| Slovenia | 1812 |
| South Africa | 1868 |
| Spain | 1870 |
| Sweden | 1860 |
| Switzerland | 1798 |
| Turkey | 1884 |
| United States | Variation by State |
| Uruguay | 1879 |
| Venezuela | 1873 |
| Wales | 1837 |
Bibliography
| Aubert, Jean-Luc Aubert. “Principales Sources Généalogiques en Suisse,” Généalogie en Suisse romande. |
| “Civil Registration,” New ZealandGenWeb. |
| “Civil Registry,” Wikipedia (English Version). |
| Cole, Trafford R. Italian Genealogical Records (Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, 1995), 49-98. |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Allemagne.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Belgique.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Croatie.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Espagne.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: France.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Grèce.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Hongrie.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Italie.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Luxembourg.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Pays-Bas.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Pologne.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Royaume-Uni.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Suisse.” |
| Commission Internationale de l’État Civil, “Guide pratique international de l’état civil: Turquie.” |
| Eichholz, Alice. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County & Town Sources. Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, 1989. |
| “État civil,” Wikipédia (French Version). |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Alabama. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Alaska. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Arizona. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Arkansas. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Australia. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: British Columbia. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: California. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Canada. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Colorado. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Connecticut. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Delaware. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Denmark. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: District of Columbia. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: England. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Finland. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Florida. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: France. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Georgia. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Germany. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Hawaii. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Idaho. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Illinois. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Indiana. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Iowa. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Ireland. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Italy. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Kansas. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Kentucky. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Latin America. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Louisiana. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Maine. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Manitoba. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Maryland. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Massachusetts. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Mexico. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Michigan. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Minnesota. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Mississippi. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Missouri. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Montana. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Nebraska. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Netherlands. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Nevada. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: New Brunswick. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Newfoundland. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: New Hampshire. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: New Jersey. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: New Mexico. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: New York. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: North Carolina. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: North Dakota. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Norway. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Nova Scotia. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Ohio. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Oklahoma. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Ontario. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Oregon. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Pennsylvania. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Peru. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Philippines. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Prince Edward Island. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Québec. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Rhode Island. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Saskatchewan. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Scotland. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: South Carolina. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: South Dakota. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Sweden. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Tennessee. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Texas. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: United States. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Utah. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Vermont. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Virginia. |
|
Family History Library, Research Outline: Wales. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Washington. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: West Virginia. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Wisconsin. |
| Family History Library, Research Outline: Wyoming. |
| Family History Library, Yukon Territory, Canada, Vital Records, 1896 to the Present. |
| The Handy Book for Genealogists. Draper, Utah: Everton Publishers, 2002. |
| “Histoire de l’état civil en France,” Wikipédia (French Version). |
| Hone, E. Wade. “Genealogy Research in Belgium,” ProGenealogists. |
| Lehmkuhl, Anne. “South African Genealogy.” |
| McClure, Rhonda R. “Birth Certificates in Portugal,” Expert Tips: Genealogy Questions Answered, Genealogy. |
| Mehr, Kahlile B. “Research Profile: Croatia,” Federation of East European Family History Societies Conference Syllabus 2003, 135-136. |
| Mehr, Kahlile B. “Research Profile: Macedonia,” Federation of East European Family History Societies Conference Syllabus 2003, 137-138. |
| Mehr, Kahlile B. “Research Profile: Serbia & Montenegro,” Federation of East European Family History Societies Conference Syllabus 2003, 139-140. |
| Mehr, Kahlile B. “Research Profile: Slovenia,” Federation of East European Family History Societies Conference Syllabus 2003, 141-142. |
| Melville, Janet and Delia Robertson. “South African Genealogy Primer: An E-guide for the Neophyte.” |
| “Registro Civil,” Wikipédia (Portuguese Version). |
| Ryskamp, George. Finding Your Hispanic Roots. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997. |
|
Zapico, Antonio. “El Registro Civil,” Euskal Abizenak. |