When you are putting together a family tree, you may want to know a lot of seemingly minute details.  Knowing how to find a birth time is important if you want to create as accurate a diagram as you possibly can.

In most cases, you can find the time of birth listed on the birth certificate, but it really varies from state to state, and sometimes even within the state itself.

Long Form Birth Certificate or the Short Form?

For example, New York has two formats.  The long form includes all the information like birth time, parent’s names, certificate number and the like, whereas the short form includes only your name, date of birth and city of birth.  Both are legitimate, government issued documents, but only one will provide you with valuable information from the perspective of genealogy.

It is also possible that using a less than complete birth certificate you can find out in which hospital you, or your relation, were born.  That allows you to search the hospital records and try to get more information such as mother’s names, and perhaps attending physician.  The more details you can find the better for your project.

Why Is Birth Time Important?

On the complete version of a birth certificate, you should be able to find a time of birth.  From the practical perspective, it can help you identify which of your twin relatives came first.

From the less practical side there are cultural aspects to consider.  Some cultures consider specific times to be luckier or less lucky.  Astrologically, increments of 15 minutes make a difference to how people interpret their horoscopes.  No matter the reason, it is always fun to learn such details about yourself and others.

Find a Birth Time Quickly and Easily

The best place to find out where to request the legal, certified documents is often online.  There are services who make it their business to collect all the available data and pass it on to you in an easy to use format.

If your goal is to find a birth time or other information rather than using up time searching out where to look, let these services get you moving in the right direction.

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