Birth Records Birth records contain a wealth of information including name of child, birth date, name and age of father, name and age of mother (including maiden name). In some locales it adds the number of previous children. Pictured above is the 1908 birth record of Benny Tartasky to Israel and Rose Tartasky, the grandparents of Richard Waldman. The child apparently died very young because he does not appear in the 1910 census. There is no death record. Birth records are important genealogical records because they are primary evidence, having been created when the event (the birth) occurred. It may be the only source of the mother's maiden name. Ages and places of birth of parents give clues as to where to search for their birth records.