Tuesday, January 3, 2012

The Fastest Way To Obtain California Marriage Records & Other Essential Documents

By Joshua Lunar


Genealogists and family history researchers are well aware of how tedious and challenging tracing ones family tree is. Tasks like these aren't exactly what you might consider easy, especially without having any experience or the proper resources to do the job correctly and accurately. For a state that is ranked no.1 in the country in terms of the total population, California presents a variety of challenges when it comes to acquiring California marriage records and other vital information. Without any idea as to which department or agency to go to for such records, you probably won't go far with your research.

Sorting through stacks of old files and documents can be very aggravating, especially when after hours of going through the files you learn that some of the information you are looking for are missing. This is one of the reasons why having some kind of knowledge with regards to the subject of your research is very useful. Having bits and pieces of information like where and when the event actually took place can provide you with an advantage when attempting to locate the necessary records.

If you find yourself in need of access to marriage records in the state of California, you'd be happy to know that the state has, in fact, been documenting these types of events since the 1850s. For more than 150 years, the state of California started keeping records of events like marriages, divorces, births and deaths. And the agency responsible for the proper maintenance of the said records is the California Department of Public Health's Office of Vital Records. For years the public has been going to this agency for copies of vital records and other important documents pertaining to the abovementioned events.

Moreover, the local county health office is probably the fastest way to obtain California marriage records and other essential documents. So if you have any knowledge as to which county the couple was married, it's probably a good idea to personally visit the health office of that particular county. Upon request the abovementioned office can and will issue certified copies of marital records while you wait. And because these types of records are deemed public information in the state of California, anyone with the proper requirements can file a request and obtain copies of the said documents.

Before people started using the Internet, the information gathering process was rather time-consuming and costly. Even if you go through the proper channels, there is still a significant amount of time involved. And the various fees that you will have to deal with are quite great. Bear in mind that in those days one has to visit the appropriate agency in person when trying to obtain copies of any kind of vital record.

Luckily, with the significant advancement of information technology and the birth of the Internet, people can now easily obtain any kind of information online. And with the emergence of online record providers, individuals who are involved in genealogy now have a variety of sources that they can depend on for marriage records and other forms of vital information. For a relatively cheap one-time fee, you will get unrestricted access to the site's database. And with a wide-ranging database that is both accurate and up-to-date, visiting any other website for additional information will seem unreasonable.




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