Birth Records Index

The birth certificates in the Museum’s collection document some, but not all, births in Wilmette and Gross Point between the years 1893 and 1926. Except for a few certificates from the 1920s, the majority of these documents are delayed birth registrations, filed between 1940 and 1946 by Dr. Martin Seifert, M.D., registrar and head of the Wilmette Health Department. Many of the certificates have birth affidavits, or certificates of correction attached.

Information found on the birth certificates may include the child’s name, date of birth, sex, whether twin or triplet or other, and number in birth order; parents’ names including maiden name of mother, ages, birthplaces, occupations, and residence address; number of children born to mother; and number of children born to mother living at the time of the child’s birth.

This online index contains the child’s surname, given name, and year of birth. When the handwriting on a certificate was difficult to read, a “best guess” was entered in the index. If you don’t find an entry under the expected spelling, check alternates. For example, a name beginning with T might appear in the index under F or I.