Denominational Records

In the United States, the practices we think of when we think civil registration - that is the keeping of vital records and marriages - vary from locale to locale.  Here in Missouri, Birth and Death Certificates were not issued until 1910.  Prior to, counties were "responsible" for keeping track of their own vital records.  Marriages are more consistent - namely because the legal system adopted in all states (except Louisiana) was based on English Common Law. Under the common law, marriage changed the legal status of women. For legal proceedings, it was necessary to track this change in status.

The following information regarding Civil Registration reposted from the FamilySearch wiki:

New England.  (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont)
These states have kept good vital records. The town clerks kept register books as early as the 1600's. Most of these states have statewide indexes of the existing records. Most New England states began statewide registration of births, marriages, and deaths between 1841 and 1897. Vermont began centralized registration in 1919, but individual town records go back to the 1700's. Except for New Hampshire (which began recording marriages as early as 1640), many New England marriages in colonial times were not recorded because of the laws and religious customs of the region.

Middle Atlantic (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland)
It is unusual to find any vital records before 1885 for New York and Pennsylvania, except in the larger cities. All of the states began statewide registration of births and deaths between 1878 and 1915. Statewide registration of marriages began between 1847 and 1906. New Jersey and Delaware have marriage records dating from the 1660's (or the creation of the counties), but systematic recording of marriages in New Jersey did not begin until 1795.

South. (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia)
In the southern states, laws for civil registration of births and deaths were enacted between 1899 and 1919. Marriages were a legal contract which involved property rights, so the counties recorded them carefully, starting in the early 1700's (except in South Carolina where they began in 1911). Most states initiated statewide marriage files between 1911 and 1962. Virginia counties began recording births, marriages, and deaths in 1853, but stopped between 1896 and 1912. Church vital records often reach back into the 1700's.

Midwest. (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin)
Government officials in the midwestern states began files of births and deaths as early as the 1860's in many counties. Statewide registration of births and deaths was initiated between 1880 and 1920. Officials began recording marriage dates as soon as each county was established and generally began statewide registration between 1880 and 1962.

Great Plains. (Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and South Dakota)

West. (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) 
The western states vary greatly in their registration of vital records due to their different settlement patterns. Most areas began statewide registration of births and deaths between 1903 and 1920. While most counties were keeping marriage records by 1890 or the date the county was created, statewide registration generally began between 1905 and 1978. Hawaii's records of births, marriages, and deaths start as early as the 1840's.

Pacific States- Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington)