What are Vital Records? Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses (or marriage certificates), separation agreements, divorce certificates and death certificates. In some jurisdictions vital records may include records of civil unions or domestic partnerships. Herrick District Library has some vital records, mostly for Ottawa and Allegan counties. There are some records also for other counties, but not as many. In Michigan you can look for Vital Records at your county clerk's office. Some are available to view, some are not. Birth Certificates have more restrictions than Marriage or Death Certificates. To see a list what information Herrick has for births, deaths, and marriages in various Michigan counties, see below.
If you are looking for Michigan death records a good website to search is Michiganology.org. They host death records from the microfilm collections at the Library of Michigan and the Vital Records Office of the Department of Health and Human Services. Images of death certificates are available for records older than seventy-five years old. Other websites contain great information, too.
Here are the vital records available at the Herrick District Library.
ALLEGAN COUNTY
Births
- Births, Allegan Co. Michigan 1867-1872 (Microfilm - CABINET 1 DRAWER 2)
- Fillmore Township Births Allegan County, Michigan 1906-1948,
- Monterey Township, Hopkins, MI: Births 1906-1918
Marriages
- Microfilm (CABINET 1 DRAWER 2)
- 1835-1916 Index and Records (SEE BOOK: Allegan County Marriage Index: Brides & Grooms 1836-1946 VR 977.414 Allegan County Marriage
- 1835-1946 Index
- 1917-1951 Licenses
- 1947-1998 Index to Marriage Licenses and Licenses
- Books
- Allegan County Marriage Index: Brides & Grooms (1836-1946) – this book is a printed index of the microfilm – you may use the book instead if you would prefer to look up names. The microfilm contains ledgers for some marriages and actual certificates for some also.
- Allegan County Marriages: Early Marriage Records to 1870, Brides and Grooms
- Ebenezer Reformed Church Record of Marriages 1867-1900
- Allegan County Persons Married in Kalamazoo County, MI - Index Only, covers mid 1800’s
- Index to Marriages, Graafschap Christian Reformed Church 1867-1870 & 1879-1889
- Written Document
47 Marriages in Allegan County Michigan 1837-1873. Contributed by Mrs. C.A. Monteith, Martin, MI
Archive Area Folder 977.414 Allegan County Marriages
Deaths
- Microfilm (CABINET 1 DRAWER 2)
- 1867-1934 (Microfilm) Death Index goes through Volume 5,
- Records (Ledger not certificates) goes through Volume 3 – through 1914
- 12/25/96-3/98 Death Certificates
- Books
- Allegan County Lists of Deceased Persons 1990+
- Death Records Allegan County 2000-2002 Vol. 1, 2, & 3
- Death Records Fillmore Township Allegan County Michigan 1897-1952
- Deaths Allegan County, Michigan Liber 1, 1867-1880
- Index of Obituaries from the Holland Evening Sentinel
- Indigent Soldiers & Sailors Burial Report, Allegan County, Michigan
- Laketown Township Allegan County Michigan Death Records 1900-1951
- Monterey Township, Hopkins, Michigan Deaths 1907-1919
- Mortality Deaths Census Allegan and Ottawa Counties 1850-1860-1870
CALHOUN COUNTY
- Marriage Records of Calhoun County, Michigan 1836-1890, / Beverly M. Lancaster.
CHEBOYGAN
- Cheboygan County, Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1933, / Nancy B. Corwin
KALAMAZOO
KENT
- Byron Township Death Records, Kent County, Michigan 1900-1956
- Index to the Grand Rapids Herald and the Grand Rapids Press obituaries / members of the Western Michigan Genealogical Society, Patrick Rademaker
- Index to the Grand Rapids Press obituaries for 950-1959,1960-1969, 1970-1979, 1980-1989, 1990-1999, 2002, 2000 / Western Michigan Genealogical Society, Patrick Rademaker
- Index to the Grand Rapids Press engagement, weddings and anniversary notices for 1990-99, 2000-04 / Western Michigan Genealogical Society (Patrick Rademaker)
- Kent County, Michigan: marriage and death newspaper notices: newspaper notices from Michigan newspapers at the Michigan Historical Collections, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan / Marguerite N. Lambert; James N. Jackson
- Marriage Records Abstracted from the Kent County Court files and church records 1845-1870
MASON
- Index of Native American Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, Mason County, Michigan / Ruth Ann Fradenburg-Kelley
MIDLAND
- Obituary Index, 1872-1927 for Midland County, Midland, Michigan
MUSKEGON
Births
- Microfilm (CABINET 1 DRAWER 1)
- Births 1881-1889
- Births 1890-1903
- Index to Births A-M 1867-1949
- Index to Births M-Z 1876-1881
- Books
- Births, deaths, marriages contained in The Muskegon Chronicle 1869-1882, / Tressa M. LaFayette
- Muskegon County Michigan Birth Record Book 1 1867-1875, / Ronald J. Riley
- Muskegon County, Michigan Vital Statistics : Births, Deaths, Divorces, Marriages and Wedding Anniversaries 1994-1997
Marriages
- Microfilm (CABINET 1 DRAWER 1)
- Marriages 1867-1883
- Marriages 1883-1911
- Marriages 1911-1916
- Books
- Births, deaths, marriages contained in The Muskegon Chronicle 1869-1882 / Tressa M. LaFayette
- Early Marriages of Muskegon County Residents, 1839-1867 / Sharon Miller
- First Reformed Church of Muskegon Marriages / Kay Deuster
- Muskegon County Marriage Record, / Ronald J. Riley 1859-1867 (Book I)
- Muskegon County, Michigan Vital Statistics : Births, Deaths, Divorces, Marriages and Wedding Anniversaries 1994-1997
Deaths
- Microfilm (CABINET 1 DRAWER 1)
- Deaths 1900-1904
- Deaths 1907-1918
- Books
- Births, deaths, marriages contained in The Muskegon Chronicle 1869-1882, /Tressa M. LaFayette
- Death Records, Muskegon County, Michigan, / Nancy Corwin 4 Vols. 1887-1895, 1896-1904, 1904-1911, 1912-1918
- Muskegon County, Michigan Vital Statistics : Births, Deaths, Divorces, Marriages and Wedding Anniversaries 1994-1997
Naturalizations
- Microfilm (CABINET 1 DRAWER 1)
- Index to Declarations of Intent 1859-1941
- Naturalizations – 1898-1906
- Declarations of Intent 1885-1906
NEWAYGO
- Marriages in Newaygo County, Michigan 1851-1866 copied from very indistinct Microfilm / Mrs. Fletcher Robinson and Miss Virginia Ford
- Marriages Newaygo County, Michigan 1851-1866
OCEANA
- Death Records: Oceana County, Michigan / Sharon Compton Baatz,
OTTAWA
Births
- Microfilm (CABINET 1 DRAWER 1)
- 1867-1900 – ledger only (not birth certificates) SEE BOOK: Index to Ottawa County Birth Records 1867-1900
- Books
- Alphabetical Index of Births Listed in the Holland Evening Sentinel 1960-1965
- Anniversaries and Birthdays taken from the Coopersville Observer : Coopersville, Ottawa County, Dec. 1897 – Dec. 1960 / Henry Boersma, Loekie Boersma,
- Birth Records Listed in the Holland Evening Sentinel 1950-1954
- Birth Records Listed in the Holland Sentinel, Holland Michigan 1970-1974
- Birth Records Listed in the Holland Sentinel Holland, Michigan 2000-2004
- Birth Records Listed in the Holland Sentinel Holland, Michigan 2005-2009
- Birth Records A-L Listed in the Holland Evening Sentinel 2010-2019 by Wanda VanderZwaag Kraker
- Birth Records M-Z Listed in the Holland Evening Sentinel 2010-2019 by Wanda VanderZwaag Kraker
- Birth Records of Blendon Township Ottawa County, Michigan 1906-1949
- Birth Records of Children of Married Parents Holland Sentinel 1995-1999
- Birth Records of Children of Unmarried Parents Holland Sentinel 1995-1999
- Birth Records of Jamestown Township Ottawa County, Michigan 1906-1959
- Blendon Township Records, Ottawa County, MI / Evelyn Sawyer and Irene Reidsma
- Birth Records of Zeeland Township, Ottawa County, Michigan 1906-1960?
- Births of Jamestown Township 1906 – 1959
- Holland and Zeeland Births from Newspaper Publications 1989 – (not incl. 1990-1992) (three books)
- Holland City News Index 1872-1905 (Births, Marriages, Deaths)
- Holland City News Index 1906-1909 (Births, Marriages, Deaths)
- Holland Township Birth Records 1906-1935
- Index to Ottawa County Birth Records 1867-1900 (index to microfilm—Volume 7 missing)
- Polkton Township Births, Feb. 5, 1906 to April 14, 1952
Marriages
- Microfilm (CABINET 1 DRAWER 1)
- 1834-1914 –marriage records (not certificates)1847-1902, SEE BOOK: Ottawa County Marriage Records 1847-1902 Vols 1 & 2 Bride and Groom
- Books
- Holland City News Index 1872-1905 (Births, Marriages, Deaths)
- Holland City News Index 1906-1909 (Births, Marriages, Deaths)
- Index to Marriage Certificates Ottawa County, MI July 1834-May 1847
- Marriage Records Listed in the Holland Evening Sentinel 1950-1954 (Brides)
- Marriage Records Listed in the Holland Sentinel 1995-2000
- Marriage Records 2000-2009 listed in the Holland Sentinel, Holland Michigan 2000-2009 with separate Bride and Groom Listings
- Marriage Records 1955-1959 (Brides Listing) 1955-1959
- Marriage Records 1955-1959 (Grooms Listing) 1955-1959
- Marriage Records 2010-2019 (Brides Listing)
- Marriage Records 2010-2019 (Grooms Listing)
- Ottawa County Marriage Records 1847-1902, Vols 1 and 2 (Bride and Groom) (Index to Marriages on Microfilm)
- Ottawa County Marriages 1847-1902 Index Only
- Ottawa County, Michigan, Newspaper Death Notices 1851-1856, Newspaper Death & Marriage Notices 1865-1867, Newspaper Marriage Notices 1851-1856
- Record of Marriages/Township of Wright, Ottawa County, Michigan 1872-1909
- Vriesland Reformed Church Record of Marriages 1872-1943
Divorces
- Divorce Records Ottawa County 1996-98, 1999-2001, 2002-May of 2007.
- Early Ottawa County, Michigan Divorce Records 1850-1881 (Book)
Deaths
- 1867-1901 Microfilm (CABINET 1 DRAWER 1)
- Blendon Township Death Records 1911-1952 (partial)
- Blendon Township Records Ottawa County
- Chester Township Death Records, Ottawa County 1908-1952
- Death Records Port Sheldon Township Ottawa County, Michigan 1924-1947
- Death Records Zeeland Township, Ottawa County, Michigan 1867-1900
- Death Records Zeeland Township, Ottawa County, MI 1904-1952
- Death Records of Jamestown Township, Ottawa County, MI 1899-1952
- Deaths City of Holland 1897-1905
- Holland City News Index 1872-1905 (Births, Marriages, Deaths)
- Holland City News Index 1906-1909 (Births, Marriages, Deaths)
- Holland Township Deaths 1898-1950, compiler Irene Reidsma
- Index to Obituaries and other items of Genealogical Interest of the Holland Sentinel 1912-1919 and the Holland City News 1910-1916
- Index to Obituaries and other items of Genealogical Interest of the Holland Sentinel 1920-1929 and the Holland City News 1930-1932
- Index of Obituaries from the Holland Evening Sentinel 1912-1976
- Index to Obituaries of the Holland Sentinel 1930-1932
- Index to Ottawa County Deaths; names and dates for 1980-1999
- Index to the Holland Sentinel Obituaries for 1960-69, 70-79, 80-89, 90-99, 2000-05
- Mortality Deaths Census Allegan and Ottawa Counties 1850-1860-1870
- Nibbelink-Notier Funeral Home Burials 14 Jan 1919 – 4 Nov 1920/Ray Vande Vusse,
- Obituaries from the Coopersville Observer Volumes 1-5
- Obituaries of Robinson Township and Bass River Ottawa County, Michigan
- Obituary Index of the Grand Haven Tribune, Ottawa County, Michigan, 1891-1905
- Olive Township Burial Permits 1898-1959, / Irene Reidsma & Chris Penning
- Olive Township Death Records
- Ottawa County Death Records 1867-1901
- Ottawa County Death Records 1970’s
- Ottawa County Death Records 1980-1989 - 3 vols.
- Ottawa County Death Records 1990-1999 – 4 vols.
- Ottawa County Death Records 2000-2005 – 2 vols.
- Ottawa County Death Records 2006-2009
- Ottawa County Death Records 2010-2015
- Ottawa County Death Records 2016-2019
- Ottawa County Death Records 2020-
- Ottawa County, Michigan, Newspaper Death Notices 1851-1856, Newspaper Death & Marriage Notices 1865-1867, Newspaper Marriage Notices 1851-1856
- Wright Township Ottawa County, Michigan Death Records 1897-1952
- Wright Township Records, Ottawa County, Michigan 1848-1955
WAYNE
- Marriage and Death Newspaper Notices, Wayne County, Michigan 1809-1868 : newspaper notices from Michigan newspapers at the Michigan Historical Collections, Bentley Historical Library, U of M, / Marguerite N. Lambert
