California Birth Index
Encyclopedia
The California Birth Index (CABI) is a database compiled by the California Office of Health Information and Research. The index contains birth records of all registered births in California
between 1905 and 1995. Each record is an abstract of a person's birth certificate, including date of birth, full name, county of birth, gender, and mother's maiden name. 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.
. Several public record websites have purchased copies of the index from the California Department of Health Services. In 2001, the San Jose Mercury News printed a story about the index, then accessible on genealogical website Rootsweb, causing numerous complaints and requests for removal from the index, and ultimately leading to the index being removed from the site.
The California Birth Index, along with the California Death Index, was at one time available free at Rootsweb. When Rootsweb was purchased by Ancestry.com, the index remained available for a time, but then was removed by Ancestry because of complaints concerning privacy violations. The index was then only available through VitalSearch and later through Family Tree Legends. Ancestry has restored the index to its content, but has not restored the notes by users posted in the index when it was available on Rootsweb. California Birth Index listings on the Family Tree Legends website do not include the mother's maiden name, but listings at both Ancestry's and VitalSearch's websites do.
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 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."
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
between 1905 and 1995. Each record is an abstract of a person's birth certificate, including date of birth, full name, county of birth, gender, and mother's maiden name. People who have been adopted
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
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
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
tool but is also criticized for privacy
Privacy
Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively...
issues.
Controversy
Critics of the index claim that the index's information aids in identity theftIdentity theft
Identity theft is a form of stealing another person's identity in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person's identity, typically in order to access resources or obtain credit and other benefits in that person's name...
. Several public record websites have purchased copies of the index from the California Department of Health Services. In 2001, the San Jose Mercury News printed a story about the index, then accessible on genealogical website Rootsweb, causing numerous complaints and requests for removal from the index, and ultimately leading to the index being removed from the site.
The California Birth Index, along with the California Death Index, was at one time available free at Rootsweb. When Rootsweb was purchased by Ancestry.com, the index remained available for a time, but then was removed by Ancestry because of complaints concerning privacy violations. The index was then only available through VitalSearch and later through Family Tree Legends. Ancestry has restored the index to its content, but has not restored the notes by users posted in the index when it was available on Rootsweb. California Birth Index listings on the Family Tree Legends website do not include the mother's maiden name, but listings at both Ancestry's and VitalSearch's websites do.
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 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."
External links
- The California Birth Index at Ancestry.com (requires subscription)
- California births at Family Tree Legends