California Birth Index
The California Birth Index (CABI) is a database compiled by the California Office of Health Information and Research. The index contains
The index is available online from a number of sources. See below.
People who have been adopted are sometimes listed by their birth name, sometimes listed by their adopted name, sometimes by both and sometimes not listed at all. The CABI is considered a valuable genealogy tool but is also criticized for privacy issues. California began statewide civil registration of births on July 1, 1905. Earlier birth records may exist in the county where the birth took place or at the church where a baptism took place.
Controversy
Critics of the index claim that the index's information aids in
The California Birth Index, along with the
Despite the controversy, birth records in California are public record. Any person can request and receive a copy of the birth certificate of any other person born in California. To reduce the risk of identity theft, only certain persons[3] may obtain an authorized copy of a birth record. All others may obtain an informational copy. The informational copy will have the same information on it as an authorized copy, but will be stamped "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY."[3]
See also
- Social Security Death Index
- WP:BLPPRIMARY: Why you should never use the California Birth Index as a source on Wikipedia.
References
- ^ Full name for those born 1925–1955 and 1978–1995. Only middle initial for the rest.
- ^ CNET News. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
- ^ a b "Authorized Copy vs. Informational Copy". California Department of Public Health. August 1, 2013. Archived from the original on November 12, 2009. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
External links
- "California Birth Index". californiabirthindex.org.
- "California Birth Index, 1905–1995". familysearch.org.