Arkansas Vital Records

Arkansas Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death records, also known as vital records, provide details about important events in your ancestors life. They can include information like the event date and place, parents’ names, occupation and residence. The cause of death is also included in most Arkansas death records. Arkansas vital records are a cornerstone of Arkansas family history research because they were typically recorded at or near the time of the event, making the record more likely to be accurate. This page includes links that can help you request copies from Arkansas state and county vital records keepers.

Statewide registration of births and deaths in Arkansas did not begin until February 1914. Statewide registration of marriage did not begin until 1917, but once counties were organized, most of them began recording marriages. Records of divorces granted begin in 1923. Many county vital records have been microfilmed by the Family History Library and copies are held by the Arkansas History Commission.

How to Order Arkansas Birth , Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

Arkansas Department of Health files, stores, and issues certified copies of vital records including birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates for events that occurred in Arkansas.

• Physical Address: Arkansas Department of Public Health, 4815 W. Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205; Phone: 501-661-2336, 800-637-9314
• Website Address: http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/
• Birth And Death Records:   February 1, 1914
• Marriage Records:  January 1917 ( If you want a copy of the actual license or decree you must contact the County Clerk or Circuit Clerk office where the marriage was recorded.)
• Divorce Records:  January 1923 ( Full certified copies of divorce records may be obtained from the circuit or chancery clerk in the respective county in which the divorce was granted.)
• Ordering Vital Records Online - get the certificates within 2-5 days with a credit or debit card from USAVital.com or VitalChek.com
• Ordering Vital Records by Mail: You can download an application online for Arkansas Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate.
• Arkansas Vital Records Description - from Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.

The following are links to Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Resources relating to Arkansas. These Vital Records links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some are have free access some require a payment. This is just a list that has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one site above another. Feel free to submit your own favorite vital record related sites.

Links For Arkansas Birth Records

• Order Arkansas Birth Records Online (archives.com)
• Order Birth Certificates Online. (vitalchek.com)
• Arkansas Births and Christenings, 1880-1893 (familysearch.org)

Links For Arkansas Marriage Records and Divorce Records

• Arkansas Marriages, 1837-1944 (familysearch.org)
• Arkansas Divorce Index, 1923-1939 (search.ancestry.com) index to divorces that were filed in Arkansas from 1923-27 and 1934-39. Information can include plaintiff’s name, defendant’s name, date of divorce, county of divorce, volume number, docket number, and certificate number.
• Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957 (search.ancestry.com) database contains an index extracted from marriage records from Arkansas Courts of Common Pleas and county clerks.
• Order Arkansas Marriage Records or Arkansas Divorce Records Online. (archives.com)
• Order Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificates Online. (vitalchek.com)
• Arkansas Marriage Index, 1933-1939 (search.ancestry.com) index to individuals who were married in Arkansas from 1933-1939. Information that may be found in this database can include groom’s name, bride’s name, marriage date, license date, county of marriage, marriage certificate and volume number.
• Arkansas Marriages to 1850 (search.ancestry.com)contains Arkansas marriages to 1850 and contains over 18,000 names.
• Arkansas Marriages, 1779-1992 (search.ancestry.com) contains marriage information from selected areas of Arkansas for over 300,000 individuals from 1779-1992.
• Arkansas, Marriage Index, 1933-1939 (familysearch.org)
• Arkansas Marriages, 1820-1949 (search.ancestry.com) contains marriage information from selected areas of Arkansas from 1820-1949.
• Arkansas Marriages, 1851-1900 (search.ancestry.com) database of Arkansas marriage records between 1851 and 1900 includes records from Ashley, Baxter, Benton, Carroll, Clark, Clay, Cleveland, Conway, Craighead, Crawford, Cross, Dallas, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Independence, Johnson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Logan, Lonoke, Marion, Montgomery, Nevada, Phillips, Pike, Polk, Prairie, Randolph, St. Francis, Scott, Sebastian, Sharp, Stone Yell, Union, Washington, and White Counties
• Arkansas Marriages Project (usgenweb.org)

Links For Arkansas Death Records

• Arkansas Deaths and Burials, 1882-1929; 1945-1963 (familysearch.org)
• Order Arkansas Death Records Online. (archives.com)
• Order Death Certificates Online. (vitalchek.com)
• Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950 (search.ancestry.com) index to approximately 594,000 deaths that occurred in Arkansas between 1914 and 1950.
• Find Obituaries in The World’s Largest Newspaper Archive (newpaperarchive.com) Find thousands of Arkansas obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Arkansas newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Arkansas.
• Search America’s Obituaries (1977 to current) (genealogybank.com) Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries – includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!