How to Find United States Death Records

United States

U.S. Vital Records

How to Find United States Death Records

Start Here: Where Did the Death Occur?

To find a death record, choose the state the death occurred:

What if you don't know the state? — Go to How to Estimate Death Information

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas

Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina

North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

• How to find US birth records
  
• How to find US marriage records

Tips About Searching United States Death Records

• Most states began recording deaths between 1900 and 1930, but each started a different year. For example,
• New England states started recording deaths on the town level starting as early as the first residents of the town. New England states consist of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
• Some states began recording deaths on the county level as early as the 1860s.
• Restrictions: some states have restrictions on who can see them. Each state has its own laws. One state may have deaths for some years available to everyone while other states may limit access to relatives.

Frequently Asked Questions About United States Death Records

Death Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Name of Deceased
Death Date and Place
Age or Birth Date and Place
Parent's Names
Mother's Maiden Name
Name of Spouse
Residence
Occupation

How do I find my ancestor’s death record?

1. Use the Finding US Death Records wiki page
2. Check online indexes and digital images
3. Check repositories, such as archives and libraries (FS Library)
4. Obtain certificate from the government agency ($$)

Why would I want to search for a death record?

• Gives death date and place
• May give birth date and place
• May give parents names to extend a generation
• May give the state or county of the deceased's parents' birth place

What information does a death record include?
Information gathered by state and county officials differs from each state.

BEFORE STATE-WIDE REGISTRATION
Information may include:

• Name of deceased
• Death date and place of deceased
• Cause of death
• Age at death
• State or country of birth

AFTER STATE-WIDE REGISTRATION
Information may include:

• Name of deceased
• Death date and place of deceased
• Cause of death
• Marital status and spouse's name
• Birth date and place of deceased
• Parents of the deceased
• Birth places of deceased's parents
• Name of undertaker and cemetery where buried

More information about US Death Records can be found on United States Vital Records wiki page.