Hilo Family Records and Genealogy Research

Hilo is the county seat of Hawaii County and the main hub for genealogy research on the Big Island. Vital records, court files, and land documents covering the island go back to the mid-1800s, giving researchers a strong base for tracing family history here.

Hilo Genealogy Records Overview

Hawaii County holds some of the oldest civil records in the state. Death records for the Big Island start in 1841. Births were first recorded in 1859. Marriage records go back to 1846. Court files from the Third Circuit begin in 1854, and land records date to 1848. That range gives family researchers a lot to work with, especially for those tracing Native Hawaiian, plantation-era, or immigrant ancestry.

Most of the agencies you need are in or near downtown Hilo. The Hawaii County Clerk, the District Health Office, and the Third Circuit Court are all within a few blocks of each other along Aupuni Street and Kilauea Avenue. That makes it possible to visit more than one office in a single trip.

Hawaii State Department of Health Vital Records

The Hawaii State Department of Health Office of Health Status Monitoring holds birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates for the entire state. The first certified copy costs $10. Each extra copy ordered at the same time is $4. If you order online, there is an added $2.50 service fee.

You can order online through the state's eHawaii vital records portal. Mail and in-person requests are also accepted. For genealogy work, the DOH has a separate process. Records that are 75 years old or older are open to the public under Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 338-18. You can find details on the DOH genealogy request page.

Hawaii Island District Health Office in Hilo

The Hawaii Island District Health Office serves the Big Island at two locations. The Hilo office is at 75 Aupuni Street, Suite 201, Hilo, HI 96720. The phone number is (808) 974-6008. Hours run Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A second office is at 67-5189 Kamamalu Street in Kamuela, reachable at (808) 887-8114.

Staff at the Hilo office can help with birth certificate requests, death records, and questions about genealogy documents. If you are not sure which office handled a record or what form you need, calling ahead saves time.

Hawaii County Clerk and Circuit Court Records

The Hawaii County Clerk is located at 25 Aupuni Street, Room 209, Hilo, HI 96720. The phone number is (808) 961-8255. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The clerk's office handles county-level filings and can point you toward the right department for local records.

The Third Circuit Court is at the Hawaii County Courthouse, 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720. The court's main line is (808) 961-7440. This court holds marriage certificates from 1905 to 1950, filed alphabetically by the groom's last name. Probate records from the Third Circuit cover 1854 to 1897. Both are useful for genealogy work, especially if you are tracing older family lines on the Big Island.

The Hawaii State Judiciary runs an online case search tool called eCourt Kokua. You can search by party name or case number. Copies of court documents cost $3 for plain copies and $5 for certified copies per document.

Hawaii State Archives

The Hawaii State Archives holds some of the most important collections for Big Island family history. Their holdings for the island of Hawaii include births from 1853 to 1861, 1869 to 1897, and 1900; deaths from 1853 to 1896; and marriages across all islands from 1826 to 1929.

Many of these records have been scanned. The Hawaii Digital Archives lets you browse and search online at no cost. That is a good place to start before making a trip or mailing a request. The archives also hold naturalization papers, plantation records, and territorial government documents that can fill in gaps not found in vital records alone.

Hilo Public Library

The Hilo Public Library carries birth indexes covering 1896 to 1909. That index is specific to this branch and is not always easy to find elsewhere. The library is part of the Hawaii State Public Library System. In addition to the birth index, the library holds microfilm copies of U.S. Census records from 1900 through 1930. Library card holders can also use Ancestry.com for free on library computers.

Census records can help bridge gaps in vital records. For Big Island families, the 1900 and 1910 censuses often list names, ages, and birthplaces that help connect one generation to the next. It's worth a visit if you have hit a wall in other sources.

FamilySearch Centers and Online Collections

FamilySearch has digitized large sets of Hawaii records and made them free to search online. Their collections include Hawaii births from 1841 to 1944, deaths from 1841 to 1942, and marriages from 1803 to 1940. Those ranges cover most of the genealogy period for Big Island families.

Two FamilySearch centers serve the Big Island. The Kau Hawaii FamilySearch Center can be reached at (808) 929-7123. The Kona FamilySearch Center's number is (808) 329-4469. Staff at these centers can help you navigate collections and use microfilm readers if you need to look at original records. There is no charge to use FamilySearch resources.

Kona Historical Society Collections

The Kona Historical Society holds collections that are relevant to Big Island family research beyond the Kona district. Their collections directory includes photographs, documents, and materials related to plantation life, ranching, and early community history. For families with roots across the island, this can be a useful supplement to official vital and court records.

Bureau of Conveyances and Land Records

Land records are often overlooked in genealogy research, but they can confirm family ties, dates of residence, and property transfers across generations. The Bureau of Conveyances maintains Grantor/Grantee indexes going back to 1845. Land records for Hawaii County start in 1848. The bureau is reached at (808) 587-0147.

The online search tool at the Bureau of Conveyances lets you look up land document indexes for free. Copies of recorded documents carry a fee. Land records can show when an ancestor arrived on the Big Island, what land they held, and who they transferred it to, which often points to heirs or family members not named in vital records.

Funeral Homes in Hilo

Funeral homes sometimes keep records of burials, cremations, and memorial services that go back many decades. Three funeral homes serve the Hilo area: Ballard Family Mortuary, Dodo Mortuary Inc. and Crematory, and Homelani Memorial Park and Crematory. If you are looking for a death date or burial location that does not appear in state or county records, contacting one of these businesses directly may help.

Summary: Record Dates for Hilo and Hawaii County

Here is a quick look at the earliest dates for key record types in Hawaii County:

• Birth records: 1859 (some earlier records exist at the State Archives from 1853)
• Death records: 1841
• Marriage records: 1846
• Court records (Third Circuit): 1854
• Land records: 1848
• Probate records: 1854

These dates reflect what is available through official state and county sources. FamilySearch and the State Archives may have overlapping or earlier records in some categories. Always check more than one source when dates or names are unclear.

Nearby Cities for Hilo Genealogy Research

Hilo is the only city in Hawaii County that meets the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Other communities on the Big Island, including Kailua-Kona, Waimea, and Pahoa, do not qualify at this time. For research covering other parts of the island, visit the Hawaii County page, which covers all courthouse and agency resources across the Big Island.