The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is December 2024)
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One of the main goals for genealogists is finding birth, baptism, and/or christening information about their ancestors.
Over the past few decades, thanks to volunteers, librarians, and archivists, many indexes to birth and baptism collections have been provided for free online. These searchable indexes provide specific birth, baptism, or christening information, and sometimes scanned images of the actual birth documents. These free online collections have millions of records in them in total.
There are a great number of online and offline collections that may include birth information that is not included in the lists below. These different types can be found in 32 Ways to Find Ancestor Birth Information
If you are interested in baptism indexes that may include the birth date as well as baptism information, make sure to check out Church Records.
The lists below are specific birth, baptism, and christening indexes and record collections that are available for free online for the state.
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Note: I have included links to Free Ancestry records and indexes. You do not need a subscription but do need an Ancestry account. Without a subscription, you can view indexes. If there is an image associated with a record, in most cases you will need a subscription, but the index does include very usable information.
Iowa Birth Records
- Adair County Birth Records, 1881-1990
- Adair County Assessor’s Returns of Birth, 1897-1908
- Adair County Birth Records, 1880-1920; Index to Births and Deaths, 1880-1921
- Adair County, Adair County, Death Records, 1880-1919; Index to Births and Deaths, 1880-1921
- Adair County, Birth Indexes
- Adair County, Birth Records, 1924-1941
- Adams County, Birth Indexes
- Adams County, Birth Records, 1929-1941
- Allamakee County, Birth Indexes
- Allamakee County, Birth Records, 1921-1937
- Appanoose County, Birth Indexes
- Appanoose County, Birth Records, 1921-1936
- Audubon County Birth Records
- Audubon County, Birth Indexes
- Audubon County, Birth Records, 1921-1922
- Benton County Birth Records, 1880-1939
- Benton County, Birth Indexes
- Benton County, Birth Record Index, 1859-1935
- Benton County, Birth Records, 1921-1940
- Black Hawk County Vital Records Indexes
- Black Hawk County, Birth Indexes
- Black Hawk County, Birth Records, 1921-1941
- Boone County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Boone County, Birth Indexes
- Boone County, Birth Records, 1921-1936
- Bremer County Vital Records Indexes
- Bremer County, Birth Indexes
- Bremer County, Birth Records, 1921-1936 1921-1936
- Buchanan County, Birth Indexes
- Buchanan County, Birth Records, 1921-1935
- Buena Vista County, Birth Indexes
- Buena Vista County, Birth Records, 1921-1936
- Butler County, Birth Indexes
- Butler County, Birth Records, 1921-1936
- Calhoun County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Calhoun County, Birth Indexes
- Calhoun County, Birth Records, 1921-1935
- Calhoun County, Birth Registers, 1880-1917
- Calhoun County, Delayed Records of Birth, 1875-1957
- Calhoun County, Record of Births, 1918-1927
- Carroll County, Birth Indexes
- Carroll County, Birth Records, 1921-1937
- Cass County, Birth Indexes
- Cass County, Birth Records, 1921-1935
- Cedar County, Birth Indexes
- Cedar County, Birth Records, 1870-1990
- Cerro Gordo County, Birth Indexes
- Cerro Gordo County, Birth Indexes
- Cerro Gordo County, Birth Records, 1921-1941
- Chariton, Birth Announcements, Newspaper Name Indexes 1867-2005
- Cherokee County Births
- Cherokee County, Birth Records ante-dating 1 July 1880
- Cherokee County, Birth Records, 1921-1935
- Chickasaw County, Birth Indexes
- Chickasaw County, Birth Records, 1921-1941
- Clarke County, Birth Indexes
- Clarke County, Birth Records, 1921-1932
- Clay County, Birth Indexes
- Clay County, Birth Records, 1921-1939
- Clayton County Births and Baptisms
- Clayton County, Birth Indexes
- Clayton County, Birth Records, 1921-1940
- Clinton County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Clinton County, Birth Indexes
- Clinton County, Birth Indexes
- Clinton County, Birth Records, 1921-1937
- Crawford County Births
- Crawford County, Birth Indexes
- Crawford County, Birth Records, 1921-1930
- Dallas County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Dallas County, Birth Records, 1921-1929
- Davis County Births, Marriages and Deaths
- Davis County, Birth Indexes
- Davis County, Birth Records, 1921-1927
- Decatur County Vital Records
- Decatur County, Birth Indexes
- Decatur County, Birth Records, 1921-1940
- Delaware County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Delaware County, Birth Indexes
- Delaware County, Birth Records, 1921-1934
- Des Moines County, Birth Indexes
- Des Moines County, Birth Records, 1921-1941
- Des Moines County, Burlington Index
- Des Moines County, Birth Records, 1880-1931
- Des Moines County, Burlington City Register of Births, 1904-1906
- Dickinson County Birth Indexes
- Dickinson County, Birth Indexes
- Dickinson County, Birth Records, 1921-1931
- Dubuque County Birth, Baptism, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Dubuque County, Birth Indexes
- Dubuque County, Birth Records, 1921-1941 1921-1941
- Elkader, Obituary, Marriage, Birth Cards Index to County Newspapers, 1850-1890
- Emmet County, Birth Records, 1921-1927
- Emmet County, Birth Records, 1880-1935
- Fayette County, Birth Indexes
- Fayette County, Birth Records, 1921-1935
- Fayette County, Marriage Records, 1851-1928; Index to Marriages, Births and Deaths, 1880 -1900
- Fayette County, Register of Births, 1880-1927; Index to Marriages, Births and Deaths, 18 80-1900
- Floyd County, Birth Indexes
- Floyd County, Birth Records, 1921-1938
- Franklin County Assessor’s Returns of Births, 1916-1917
- Franklin County Birth Records, 1880-1937; Indexes, 1880-1908
- Franklin County, Birth Indexes
- Franklin County, Birth Records, 1921-1936
- Fremont County, Birth Indexes
- Fremont County, Birth Records, 1921-1923
- Greene County, Birth Indexes
- Greene County, Birth Records, 1921-1939
- Grundy County, Birth Indexes
- Grundy County, Birth Records, 1921-1923
- Guthrie County, Birth Indexes
- Guthrie County, Birth Records, 1921-1936
- Guthrie County, Index to Delayed Birth Certificates
- Hamilton County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Hamilton County, Birth Indexes
- Hamilton County, Birth Records, 1921-1930
- Hamilton County, Newspaper Clippings, 1849-1937
- Hancock County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Hancock County, Birth Indexes
- Hancock County, Birth Records, 1921-1925
- Hardin County, Birth Indexes
- Hardin County, Birth Records, 1921-1931
- Harrison County, Birth Indexes
- Harrison County, Birth Records, 1921-1939
- Henry County, Birth Indexes
- Henry County, Birth Records, 1921-1927
- Howard County, Birth Indexes
- Howard County, Birth Records, 1921-1925
- Humboldt County, Birth Indexes
- Humboldt County, Birth Records, 1921-1923
- Ida County, Birth Indexes
- Ida County, Birth Records, 1921-1926
- Iowa Births and Christenings, 1830-1950
- Iowa City News Index
- Iowa County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Iowa County, Birth Indexes
- Iowa County, Birth Records, 1921-1935
- Iowa, Birth and Stillbirth Records, 1921-1947
- Iowa, Birth and Stillborn Ledgers, 1880-1908
- Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935
- Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1850-1939
- Iowa, State Birth Records Index
- Jackson County Vital Records
- Jackson County, Birth Indexes
- Jackson County, Birth Records, 1921-1936
- Jasper County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Jasper County, Birth Indexes
- Jasper County, Birth Records, 1921-1934
- Jefferson County, Birth Indexes
- Jefferson County, Birth Records, 1 July 1880-31 Dec. 1899
- Jefferson County, Birth Records, 1921-1925
- Johnson County, Birth Indexes
- Johnson County, Birth Records, 1921-1940
- Jones County Vital Records
- Jones County, Birth Indexes
- Jones County, Birth Records, 1921-1937 1921-1937
- Keokuk County Miscellaneous Birth Records
- Keokuk County, Birth Indexes
- Keokuk County, Birth Records, 1921-1938
- Keokuk County, Newspaper Extracts, Birth, Death, Marriage, etc.
- Kossuth County, Birth Indexes
- Kossuth County, Birth Records, 1921-1941
- Lee County Vital Records
- Lee County, Birth Indexes
- Lee County, Birth Records, 1921-1939
- Lee County, Births, Book 2, 1889-1896
- Leon, Decatur, Marriages & Births 1969-70
- Linn County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Linn County, Birth Indexes
- Linn County, Birth Records, 1921-1941
- Louisa County, Birth Indexes
- Louisa County, Birth Records, 1921-1933
- Lucas County, Birth Indexes
- Lucas County, Birth Records, 1921-1925
- Lyon County, Birth Indexes
- Lyon County, Birth Records, 1921-1937
- Madison County Birth Index
- Madison County, Birth Indexes
- Madison County, Birth Records, 1846-1923
- Mahaska County, Birth Indexes
- Mahaska County, Birth Records, 1921-1939
- Marion County, Birth Indexes
- Marion County, Birth Records, 1921-1929
- Marshall County, Birth Indexes
- Marshall County, Birth Records, 1921-1940
- Mills County, Birth Indexes
- Mills County, Birth Records, 1921-1927
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Mitchell County, Birth Indexes
- Mitchell County, Birth Records, 1921-1925
- Monona County, Birth Indexes
- Monona County, Birth Records, 1921-1934
- Monroe County, Birth Indexes
- Monroe County, Birth Records, 1921-1929
- Monroe County, Card Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages from Newspaper clippings, 1898-2015
- Monroe County, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages from Newspaper Clippings, 1898-2015
- Montgomery County, Birth Indexes
- Montgomery County, Birth Records, 1921-1941
- Mount Pleasant Newspaper Clippings, 1836-1966
- Muscatine – Musser Public Library Birth, Marriage, and Death Index
- Muscatine County Births
- Muscatine County, Birth Indexes
- Muscatine County, Birth Records, 1880-1910
- Muscatine County, Birth Records, 1921-1938
- O’Brien County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- O’Brien County, Birth Indexes
- O’Brien County, Birth Records, 1921-1934
- Osceola County, Birth Indexes
- Osceola County, Birth Records, 1921-1925
- Page County, Birth Indexes
- Page County, Birth Records, 1921-1929
- Palo Alto County, Birth Indexes
- Palo Alto County, Birth Records
- Palo Alto County, Birth Records, 1921-1936
- Plymouth County, Birth Indexes
- Plymouth County, Birth Records, 1921-1938
- Pocahontas County, Birth Indexes
- Pocahontas County, Birth Records, 1921-1939
- Pocahontas County, Birth, Cemetery and Death Records, 1880-1984
- Polk County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Polk County Birth Records, 1880-1921; Indexes, 1880-1885
- Polk County, Birth Indexes
- Polk County, Birth Records, 1921-1941
- Pottawattamie County Births, Marriages, and Deaths Indexes
- Pottawattamie County, Birth Indexes
- Pottawattamie County, Birth Records, 1921-1939
- Poweshiek County, Birth Indexes
- Poweshiek County, Birth Records, 1921-1935
- Ringgold County, Birth Indexes
- Ringgold County, Birth Records, 1921-1925
- Sac County, Birth Indexes
- Sac County, Birth Records, 1921-1935
- Scott County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Scott County Local Index
- Scott County, Birth Indexes
- Scott County, Birth Records, 1921-1941
- Shelby County, Birth Indexes
- Shelby County, Birth Records, 1921-1935
- Sioux County Birth Indexes
- Sioux County, Birth Indexes
- Sioux County, Birth Records, 1921-1938
- Spirit Lake, Birth, Marriage and Obituary Notices
- Story County Births
- Story County Births, Marriages and Deaths
- Story County, Birth Indexes
- Story County, Birth Records, 1921-1935
- Tama County, Birth Indexes
- Tama County, Birth Records, 1921-1932
- Taylor County, Birth Indexes
- Taylor County, Birth Records, 1921-1925
- Union County Birth Records
- Union County, Birth Indexes
- Union County, Birth Records, 1921-1925
- United States Births and Christenings, 1867-1931
- Van Buren County, Birth Indexes
- Van Buren County, Birth Records, 1921-1927
- Vital Records of Counties in Iowa
- Wapello County, Birth Indexes
- Wapello County, Birth Records, 1921-1936
- Warren County Birth Indexes
- Warren County, Birth Indexes
- Warren County, Birth Records Through 1920
- Warren County, Birth Records, 1921-1936
- Washington County, Birth Indexes
- Washington County, Birth Records, 1921-1934
- Washington County, Births, Marriages, and Deaths Extracted from Newspapers, 1800s-2000
- Wayne County, Birth Indexes
- Wayne County, Birth Records, 1921-1923
- Wayne County, Return of Births, 1880-1913
- Wayne County, Scrapbooks of Births, Marriages, Obituaries from Newspapers, 1907-1976
- Webster County, Birth Indexes
- Webster County, Birth Records, 1921-1940
- West Liberty Birth Index
- Winnebago County Births and Baptisms Indexes
- Winnebago County, Birth Indexes
- Winnebago County, Birth Records, 1921-1939
- Winneshiek County, Birth Indexes
- Winneshiek County, Birth Records, 1921-1930
- Woodbury County Births 1904-1906
- Woodbury County, Birth Indexes
- Woodbury County, Birth Records, 1921-1933
- Worth County, Birth Indexes
- Worth County, Birth Records, 1921-1929
- Wright County, Birth Indexes
- Wright County, Birth Indexes
- Wright County, Birth Records, 1921-1933
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!