Courthouse Records – Births


Orphans’ Court / Clerk of Courts office
10 East High Street, Room 103
Greene County Courthouse
Waynesburg, Pennsylvania 15370



Pennsylvania did not require counties to maintain birth records until 1893. Before that time, Greene County has NO birth records. The county STOPPED keeping birth records in 1915.

Pennsylvania began to file births at a state level in 1906. Between 1906 and 1915, you may find records at both county and state levels. These records may compliment or contradict one another depending on the person providing the data. For the most thorough results, checking both of these certificates is recommended.

DELAYED BIRTH CERTIFICATES are a fascinating exception to the 1893-1915 county record keeping window. These records must be evaluated carefully because they often were recorded many years after the actual birth. However, they may offer very valuable details that other birth records do not. DELAYED BIRTH CERTIFICATES were generally issued to people born BEFORE 1893 who lived long enough to be eligible for Social Security or other benefits that required proof of birth.

RESEARCH TIP: Other records at the courthouse may indicate birth dates but must be explored separately. For example, ORPHANS’ COURT distributions to minors, or appointment of guardian for minors, will usually include age, and sometimes note exact date of birth.

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