Dover Genealogy Records

Dover sits at the center of Delaware genealogy research. The Delaware Public Archives and the central Office of Vital Statistics are both located here, making Dover the main hub for anyone searching vital records, probate files, land records, and historical documents for the entire state. Kent County residents can find birth, death, marriage, and divorce records through these offices, along with a strong network of local genealogical societies and research organizations that focus specifically on downstate Delaware families.

Delaware Public Archives in Dover

The Delaware Public Archives is the primary repository for genealogical records in the state, and it sits right in Dover at 121 Duke of York Street, Dover, DE 19901. Phone is (302) 744-5000. Email requests go to archives@delaware.gov. Research room hours run Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended evening hours on Wednesday and Thursday until 8:00 p.m.

For Dover genealogy researchers, the archives hold vital records, Civil War records, probate records, land records, naturalization records, census records, military records, historical photographs, and newspapers on microfilm. Vital statistics records at the archives are those that have passed the public access threshold: births created since 1913 that are at least 72 years old, death certificates at least 40 years old, and marriage certificates at least 50 years old. Copies cost $0.50 per page for self-service microfilm prints. Certified copies run $25 per certificate. The minimum charge for staff-assisted copies is $10 for up to ten pages.

The Delaware Public Archives offers free access to digitized Delaware records for state residents through the Digital Ancestry Partnership. Delaware residents can access birth records from approximately 1650 to 1908, death records from 1650 to 1933, marriage records from 1650 to 1933, land records from 1677 to 1947, wills from 1677 to 1947, and naturalization records from 1796 to 1820 at no cost through Ancestry.com by entering a Delaware zip code. FamilySearch.org provides additional collections free to all users.

The Collections Gateway lets researchers search indexes online for Manuscript Genealogies, Orphans Court records, Pauper Books, Probates, State Deeds, and the Row Collection database of research notes and document copies. Many of these indexes are searchable by name at no cost before you ever make a trip to Dover.

Dover Vital Statistics Office

The central Office of Vital Statistics is located at the Jesse S. Cooper Building, 417 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901, phone (302) 744-4549, fax (302) 736-1862. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Most certificates can be issued while you wait for walk-in requests. This is the state's central office and handles requests from anywhere in Delaware.

The OVS holds birth certificates from 1938 to the present, death certificates from 1969 to the present, and marriage certificates from 1969 to the present. A divorce index covers 1935 to the present, though certified copies of divorce records are not issued by this office. For divorce records, contact the Kent County Family Court at 400 Court Street, Dover, DE 19901. The fee for each certified copy is $25, as authorized under Delaware Code Title 16, Chapter 31, Section 3132.

You can order online through GoCertificates.com or VitalChek.com, by mail, or in person. Mail requests require a copy of photo ID and allow up to 4-7 weeks. Application forms available include Birth Certificate, Adoptee's Birth Certificate, Death Certificate, Marriage Certificate, and Same-Gender Marriage Certificate.

Dover Genealogy Societies

The Downstate Delaware Genealogical Society (DDGS) is based in Dover and serves Kent County researchers. Their mailing address is PO Box 1787, Dover, DE 19903-1787. Email is info@downstatedegenealogists.org. The society was chartered in 1999 as a non-profit 501c7 organization to further the interest in genealogical research in Kent County and beyond. Membership is open to anyone interested in genealogy, from beginners to advanced researchers, whether they live in Delaware or out of state.

Meetings are held at Legislative Hall in Dover on a bi-monthly basis, plus an annual membership meeting with guest speakers. Benefits include networking with other researchers, newsletters with articles and resources, access to a Members Only section of the website, discounts on DDGS publications, and access to workshops and conferences. The society has registrars for both DAR and SAR applications, ready to help members document patriotic ancestors. Contact them at info@downstatedegenealogists.org.

Dover also has a FamilySearch Center that provides free access to center-only genealogical databases and microfilm resources from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Kent County Genealogy Offices in Dover

Several Kent County offices in Dover maintain records that are valuable for genealogy research. The Kent County Clerk of the Peace at 414 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901-3615, phone (302) 736-2040, maintains marriage records and issues marriage licenses for Kent County. The Recorder of Deeds at Court House, Dover, DE 19901, maintains land records dating from 1680. Kent County land records at this office document property ownership, family transfers, and residence going back to Delaware's earliest period of organized settlement.

The Kent County Register of Wills handles probate records. Kent County probate records date from 1680 and include wills, estate inventories, administrations, and accounts. The published reference work "A Calendar of Kent County, Delaware Probate Records, 1680-1800" by Leon deValinger covers the early period. Indexes to probate records from 1801 to 1833 were compiled by Mary Marshall Brewer.

Under Delaware Code Title 16, Chapter 31, Subchapter II, birth certificates must be filed within 7 days of birth, death certificates within 3 days, and marriage records within 5 days after the ceremony. Divorce records are filed by the Family Court with the Office of Vital Statistics.

Dover Newspapers and Local Genealogy Records

Newspapers provide valuable genealogical information including obituaries, marriage announcements, birth notices, and local news about families. Dover has several newspapers available for genealogical research. The Delaware State News runs from 11/02/1991 to current and is available at GenealogyBank. The Delaware State Reporter ran from 04/26/1853 to 10/14/1859 and can be found at GenealogyBank, Newspapers.com, and MyHeritage. The Delawarean ran from 04/11/1900 to 02/13/1901 at GenealogyBank and Newspapers.com. The Dover Post runs from 06/04/2008 to current at GenealogyBank.

City directories are another resource for Dover genealogy. The Dover, Delaware city directory including Camden and Wyoming is available at the FamilySearch Library. White Pages and Yellow Pages for Dover from various years between 1948 and 1960 are at the Library of Congress. These directories can help pinpoint when a family lived at a particular address and trace movements between census years.

The Friends of Old Dover maintains a museum with local history archives, historical photographs, and genealogical resources for Dover families. First State Heritage Park in Dover includes the Welcome Center and Galleries, the John Bell House, and the Old State House, all with historical exhibits and connections to the Delaware Public Archives resources nearby.

Note: Funeral homes in Dover, including Bennie Smith Funeral Home, Evan W. Smith Funeral Services, Torbert Funeral Chapels, and others, maintain records that may include obituaries and family details. Contact funeral homes directly regarding access to historical records.

Nearby Cities

Other communities in and around Kent County also have genealogy resources and records.

Dover genealogy records are maintained through Kent County offices and the state-level repositories located in the city itself.