Allentown Birth Records in Lehigh County

Allentown birth records are held through Lehigh County offices, reflecting the county-based system Pennsylvania used to document vital events before the statewide registration program began in 1906. As Pennsylvania's third largest city, Allentown has a substantial body of birth records spanning the county registration era and continuing through the modern state system. Researchers searching for Allentown birth records will find pre-1906 materials at the Lehigh County Clerk of Orphans' Court and more recent certificates through the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Lehigh County Records Office for Allentown Births

The Lehigh County Clerk of Orphans' Court and Archives serves as the primary custodian of pre-state Allentown birth records. The office is located at 455 W Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101, phone 610-782-3148. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Researchers visiting in person should bring as much identifying information as possible, including the subject's full name, approximate birth year, and parents' names.

The Lehigh County collection includes birth records from 1895 to 1905. An earlier 1852 birth register also survives, reflecting Pennsylvania's brief mid-century registration mandate under the Act of 1852. The Register of Births covering 1894 to 1905 is available, and a card index has been created to help researchers locate specific entries without having to search through the entire register. This index is a significant time-saving resource for in-person researchers.

The Lehigh County website provides current information about the office and its record collections.

For births from 1906 onward, the Pennsylvania Department of Health holds the certified records. The state system replaced the county registration program starting January 1, 1906, and all Allentown births from that date forward are documented in the statewide database. Certified copies of post-1906 Allentown birth certificates are available through the state rather than the county office.

Note: The 1852 Lehigh County birth register is one of the older surviving county-level collections in Pennsylvania and can be particularly valuable for researchers tracing Allentown families back to the mid-nineteenth century.

How to Search Allentown Birth Records

Searching Allentown birth records begins with identifying the birth year. For births in 1852, the early register is the relevant resource. For births between 1895 and 1905, the main county collection applies. For births from 1906 onward, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Knowing the approximate year prevents wasted effort searching the wrong collection.

The card index for the 1894-1905 Lehigh County birth register makes searching more efficient. Researchers can request a search by name through the county office, or examine the index in person during office hours. The card index is organized alphabetically and provides a reference to the specific register volume and page where the full entry appears. Once the relevant entry is identified, researchers can request a copy of the original record.

FamilySearch provides a genealogy wiki page for Lehigh County that outlines what records are available and where they are held.

For genealogical research extending beyond the civil records, the Lehigh County Historical Society holds church registers, family histories, and newspaper files that supplement the formal birth records. German Lutheran and Reformed church registers are particularly relevant for Allentown, given the city's strong Pennsylvania German heritage. These church records sometimes document births decades before civil registration began and can fill gaps in the official record.

The FamilySearch Pennsylvania collection and Ancestry.com both index Lehigh County birth records and can be searched online. These platforms complement the in-person resources at the county office and provide a convenient starting point for remote researchers.

Historical Birth Records in Allentown

Allentown was founded in 1762 by William Allen, a prominent colonial figure who served as Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The city grew steadily through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, driven by its location along the Lehigh River and its proximity to major transportation routes. The Pennsylvania German community that settled the Lehigh Valley left a distinctive cultural imprint on Allentown, and many early birth records reflect German surnames and Lutheran or Reformed church affiliations.

The 1852 Lehigh County birth register predates the main county-era collection by more than four decades. This early register was created under Pennsylvania's short-lived Act of 1852, which required counties to document vital events but was repealed within a few years due to inconsistent compliance. Lehigh County's 1852 register is a valuable resource precisely because so many Pennsylvania counties from this period either never created registers or allowed them to be lost. Allentown researchers who find an ancestor in this register have access to information not available through any other official source from that time.

The Lehigh County courts website provides current access information for county records.

The 1895-1905 county registration era produced more systematic records. Birth registers from this period use standardized forms that capture consistent information across all entries. The detail level in these Lehigh County registers is generally good, and the surviving condition of the records is favorable. Researchers working on Allentown families from this period can expect to find legible, substantive entries for most births that were registered.

What Allentown Birth Records Contain

Allentown birth records from the 1895-1905 Lehigh County collection typically include the child's full name, date of birth, place of birth within the county, parents' full names including the mother's maiden name, the father's occupation, and the name of the attending physician or midwife. Some entries also note whether the birth was a multiple birth and the order of the child among the mother's previous children. This information is consistent with the standardized forms Pennsylvania counties used during the renewed registration mandate of the 1890s.

The 1852 entries tend to be briefer. They generally capture the child's name, date of birth, parents' names, and township of residence. Occupational and medical information appears less consistently in the earlier register. Despite this limitation, even a brief 1852 entry can confirm a birth date and parental connection that no other source provides for this time period.

State birth certificates from 1906 onward follow the standardized Pennsylvania format, capturing the full name, exact date and hospital or address of birth, attending physician or midwife, and detailed parental information. These certificates carry the state seal and serve as legal identification documents. For Allentown residents, the statewide system provided more consistent documentation than the earlier county-based approach.

Getting Certified Copies of Allentown Birth Certificates

For certified copies of Allentown birth certificates from 1906 to the present, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The fee is $20 per certified copy. Online requests can be placed through VitalChek for a fee of $20 plus a $10 processing charge. Mail requests go to the Division of Vital Records, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Requesters must provide proof of identity and, for restricted records, documentation of their eligibility.

For pre-1906 Allentown birth records held at the Lehigh County Clerk of Orphans' Court, requests should be submitted in person or by mail to the office at 455 W Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101. The office can provide certified copies or certified extracts from the county registers. Contact the office at 610-782-3148 to confirm current fees and procedures before submitting a request.

The Pennsylvania Birth Indices cover births from 1906 through the mid-twentieth century and are free to search online. These indices can confirm whether a birth certificate exists and provide the certificate number, simplifying the process of ordering a certified copy from the state. The Pennsylvania State Archives holds microfilm of early state-era Lehigh County records and can be consulted for research purposes.

Online Allentown and Lehigh County Birth Records

Digital resources for Allentown birth records research include both free and subscription platforms. FamilySearch provides free access to Pennsylvania vital records indexes and some digitized Lehigh County records. Ancestry.com hosts Pennsylvania birth collections that include Lehigh County entries, particularly for the early state registration years following 1906. Both platforms allow name searches and can return results quickly.

The Lehigh County website provides contact information and basic guidance for accessing county records. The PA-Roots database hosts volunteer-transcribed vital records from across Pennsylvania, including some Lehigh County entries that may not appear on commercial platforms. Researchers who have exhausted mainstream sources should check PA-Roots before concluding that a record does not exist. The Pennsylvania State Archives provides additional online finding aids that help researchers navigate the different record-keeping eras.

Nearby Cities

The Lehigh Valley has strong connections to surrounding cities. Birth records for family members may be held in several nearby communities.