Original Records | Microfilm at the Library | Books at the Library | Online Resources
Original Records
The LaPorte County Health Department holds county birth records from 1882 to the present. Copies are available for a fee. Please contact the Health Department for further information at:
LaPorte County Health Department – LaPorte Office
809 State Street, Suite 401A
LaPorte, IN 46350
Phone (LP): 219-326-6808 Ext. 2200
Phone (MC): 219-874-5611 Ext. 2200
After Hours: 219-326-6808 Ext. 8410
Fax: 219-325-8628
LaPorte County Health Department – Michigan City Office
300 Washington Street (inside the courthouse)
Michigan City, IN 46360
Phone: 219-874-5611 Ext. 7780
Fax: 219-873-3018
Order birth certificates online through VitalChek
Microfilm at the Library
LaPorte County Birth Order Records contain petitions to establish certificates of births for which the original certificates were lost or not issued. The library holds birth order records from 1941-1973, covering births that occurred between 1875-1943. Also available through FamilySearch: catalog record | digital images reel 1 | digital images reel 2
Church Records – The library holds 50 reels of sacramental records from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gary, IN, and two reels of records from St. John’s United Church of Christ, Michigan City. Baptismal records are included for many churches. Some of these church records are available through FamilySearch.
Newspapers often contained birth announcements.
Three microfilm readers are available for free public use in the Reference Department. Please ask at the Reference Desk if you have any questions. Copies are $0.15 a page.
Books at the Library
LaPorte County Birth Records
Birth Announcements Abstracted from Michigan City Newspapers: The Michigan City Dispatch, Weekly
Edition: September 1880 – December 1893. Abstracted by Ron Hyer. Genealogy Collection, Michigan City Birth
Index to Birth Records, LaPorte County, Indiana, 1882 to 1920, Inclusive. Compiled by the Indiana Works Progress Administration. Genealogy Collection, LaPorte County Index. Also available through FamilySearch: catalog record | digital images
St. John’s United Church of Christ, Michigan City, Indiana Church Records: Births, Baptisms, Confirmations, Weddings, Burials, Deaths 1856-1891. German Names Translated by Ruth Hall; Book Compiled by Vivian Crowley, Library Genealogist. Genealogy Collection, Michigan City St. John’s
Indiana Birth Records
Pre-1882 Indiana Births from Secondary Sources. Compiled by Dawne Slater-Putt. Genealogy Collection, Indiana
The Mishawaka Enterprise: Vital Statistics Index, 1858-1981. By David Eisen. Genealogy Collection, Indiana Eisen
Vital Statistics Index to St. Joseph County, Indiana Newspapers, 1831-1912. David Eisen. Genealogy Collection, Indiana Eisen
Birth Records from Other States
10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813-1850. Fred Q. Bowman. Genealogy Collection, New York Bowman
10,000 Vital Records of Eastern New York, 1777-1834. Fred Q. Bowman. Genealogy Collection, New York Bowman
10,000 Vital Records of Western New York, 1809-1850. Fred Q. Bowman. Genealogy Collection, New York Bowman
Clark County, Illinois Birth Records. Genealogy Collection, Illinois Clark
Early Pennsylvania Births, 1675-1875. Compiled by Charles A. Fisher. Genealogy Collection, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Births, Lancaster County, 1723-1777. John T. Humphrey. Genealogy Collection, Pennsylvania Humphrey
Online Resources
Indiana State Department of Health – Vital Records Department
LaPorte County Health Department – Vital Records
Index to Birth Records, Michigan City, La Porte County, 1882-1920 (Works Progress Administration) – FamilySearch
Index to Birth Records, LaPorte County, Indiana, 1882 to 1920, Inclusive – FamilySearch: catalog record | digital images
Birth Records, 1941 -1970, LaPorte County Courthouse – FamilySearch: catalog record | digital images reel 1 | digital images reel 2
Indiana, Births and Christenings, 1773-1933 Index – FamilySearch
Indiana, Church Records, 1743-1966 – FamilySearch
Ancestry Library Edition – In-library use only
FamilySearch – Expanded access available within the library
HeritageQuest – Log in at home with your library card number. Don’t have a library card? Sign up now to get an eCard.
U.S. Vital Records – Nationwide links for birth, marriage, death and divorce records
International Vital Records – International links for birth, marriage, death and divorce records