Westmoreland County Birth Records Search

Westmoreland County birth records document vital events for residents of one of Pennsylvania's most populous southwestern counties, located east of Pittsburgh in a region shaped by steel, coal, and glass industries. With Greensburg as its county seat, Westmoreland County maintains birth registers from the county-level registration era. Researchers searching for Westmoreland County birth records will find resources at the local Register of Wills, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and several digital platforms that preserve records from the pre-state era through the present day.

Westmoreland County Register of Wills Birth Records

The Westmoreland County Register of Wills serves as the primary local repository for pre-state birth records. Located at 2 N Main Street, Suite 203, Greensburg, PA 15601, the office can be reached at 724-830-3734. Office hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Register of Wills holds Westmoreland County birth records from 1893 to 1905, covering the period between Pennsylvania's renewed vital records mandate and the establishment of statewide registration. Researchers visiting in person should bring identifying information about the person whose birth record they seek, including the full name, approximate birth year, and parents' names when known.

The Westmoreland County website provides current contact information and details about county offices. Staff at the Register of Wills can assist researchers with searches and explain what documentation survives from the county's pre-state registration era. For births before 1893, researchers must consult church records, family documents, and other non-civil sources.

Note: Westmoreland County's county-era birth records run from 1893 to 1905, ending one year earlier than many other Pennsylvania counties. All births from 1906 forward are documented in the PA Department of Health's statewide system.

Historical Birth Records in Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County was established in 1773, making it one of the earliest Pennsylvania counties west of the Allegheny Mountains. The county was created from Bedford County and played a significant role in the American Revolution and early western expansion. Its name references Westmorland, a county in England, and the county retains a strong sense of historical identity. Early settlers were primarily Scots-Irish and English Presbyterians who came from Virginia and Maryland. The discovery of coal in the nineteenth century transformed Westmoreland County into a major industrial region, attracting immigrants from across Europe.

Pennsylvania's 1852-1855 registration effort may have produced some Westmoreland County birth records. The more complete collection begins with the 1893-1905 county birth registers, which follow the standardized Pennsylvania format. These records typically include the child's full name, exact birth date, township or borough, attending physician or midwife, father's name and occupation, and mother's maiden name. The coal mining and manufacturing industries of the era are well represented in the occupations listed throughout the registers.

Church records from Westmoreland County are important genealogical resources. Catholic churches serving immigrant mining communities, Presbyterian churches serving the Scots-Irish population, and various ethnic congregations all maintained baptismal registers that can supplement civil birth records. The FamilySearch Pennsylvania collections include microfilmed church records from southwestern Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania State Archives holds microfilm copies of Westmoreland County birth records from the county era and maintains birth indices for the early statewide registration period.

State Birth Certificates for Westmoreland County Residents

From January 1, 1906, all Westmoreland County births are documented in Pennsylvania's statewide vital records system. Certified copies are available through the Pennsylvania Department of Health for $20 per copy. Online orders can be placed through VitalChek for an additional $10 processing fee.

The statewide system brought consistent birth documentation to Westmoreland County. State birth certificates from 1906 onward include the child's full name, date and location of birth, attending physician or midwife, and detailed parental information. The county's industrial character in the early twentieth century means the early state-era records are rich with information about immigrant families from Southern and Eastern Europe who came to work in the mines and mills.

For births between 1906 and 1920, the Pennsylvania Birth Indices provide a free searchable online index. These indices are a practical first step for researchers working on Westmoreland County families from the early state era, allowing identification of certificate numbers before submitting formal copy requests.

Note: Pennsylvania restricts birth records for 105 years under 35 P.S. § 450.801. Westmoreland County birth records older than that threshold are accessible for public genealogical research.

Requesting Westmoreland County Birth Records

For birth records from 1906 to the present, submit requests to the Pennsylvania Department of Health online through VitalChek, by mail to the Division of Vital Records, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103, or in person at a state vital records office. For pre-1906 birth records, contact the Westmoreland County Register of Wills at 724-830-3734 or visit 2 N Main Street, Suite 203, Greensburg.

Bring valid photo identification when visiting the Register of Wills and provide as much specific information as possible about the record you seek. Staff can search the available registers and provide copies for a reasonable fee. For genealogical research, the Pennsylvania State Archives can assist with both county-era materials and early state-era records from 1906 to 1920. The Pennsylvania State Archives research services can be accessed both in person and remotely.

Requesters for certified copies of records less than 105 years old must provide proof of identity and relationship eligibility. Eligible parties include the person named, parents, legal guardians, spouses, adult children, and authorized legal representatives.

What Westmoreland County Birth Records Contain

Westmoreland County birth records from the 1893-1905 county era follow the standardized Pennsylvania format. Entries typically include the child's full name, date of birth, township or borough, attending physician or midwife, father's name and occupation, and mother's maiden name. Some registers also note the number of previous children. The diverse industrial economy of the county means fathers' occupations span coal mining, glassmaking, farming, and various manufacturing trades, all of which can help correlate birth records with census and employment documents.

State birth certificates from 1906 onward include all standard fields plus parental ages and birthplaces, specific birth location, and a certificate number. Certified copies carry the Pennsylvania state seal and are accepted for all legal identification purposes. Researchers should also explore PA-Roots and Ancestry Pennsylvania records for transcribed Westmoreland County birth entries and supplementary genealogical materials that complement official government records.

Online Resources for Westmoreland County Birth Records

Several digital platforms offer access to Westmoreland County birth records. The Pennsylvania State Archives birth indices cover 1906 to 1920 and are free to search online. FamilySearch provides access to Pennsylvania vital records collections, and its volunteer indexing programs have helped digitize many county-level records. Subscription platforms like Ancestry.com offer digitized birth certificates from the early state era, and the Ancestry Pennsylvania collection is well-developed for this part of the state.

For genealogical researchers interested in Westmoreland County's immigrant communities, the FamilySearch Pennsylvania collections include Catholic and ethnic church records from southwestern Pennsylvania. The combination of official civil records, church documents, state archives materials, and digital databases gives researchers multiple avenues for tracing births in Westmoreland County across all eras from the late eighteenth century to the present.

Nearby Counties

Westmoreland County families often had connections to neighboring counties, and records from those areas may supplement your birth record research.