How to Find Texas Death Records: Difference between revisions

''[[How to Find United States Death Records|How to Find United States Deaths]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] '''Texas Deaths'''''<br> __NOTOC__

{| width="90%" border="1" align="left" style="margin: 1em auto"<br>|-<br>! width="35%" valign="middle" bgcolor="C0 C0 C0" align="center" scope="col" rowspan="2" | <br>== '''Next Step: When did the death occur? ''' ==

| width="55%" bgcolor="DC DC DC" style="width: 300px;" | <br>:&lt;span style="font-size:120%"&gt;'''Death Records'''&lt;/span&gt; <br>:&lt;span style="font-size:120%"&gt;Choose a time period:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;

:*&lt;span style="font-size:120%"&gt;'''[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records#Deaths_before_1853|Before 1853]]'''&lt;/span&gt; <br>:*&lt;span style="font-size:120%"&gt;'''[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records#Deaths_from_1853_thru_1916|1853 thru 1916]]''' &lt;/span&gt; <br>:*&lt;span style="font-size:120%"&gt;'''[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records#Deaths_from_1917_thru_1970|1917 thru 1970]]'''&lt;/span&gt; <br>:*&lt;span style="font-size:120%"&gt;'''[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records#Deaths_after_1970|After 1970 to the present]]''' &lt;/span&gt; <br>:*&lt;span style="font-size:120%"&gt;'''[[How to Estimate United States Death Information|Death year unknown]]'''&lt;/span&gt;

{| width="99%" border="0" align="center"<br>|-<br>| <br>'''[[How to Find United States Death Records#Tips_about_Searching_United_States_Death_Records|Learn more about U.S. Death Records]]'''  

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== '''Deaths before 1853''' ==

{| width="70%" border="1" style="margin: 1em auto;"<br>|-<br>| align="center" colspan="3" | &amp;nbsp; '''Records that give death information:'''<br>|-<br>| width="35%" | <br>:[[West Virginia Cemeteries|Cemetery Records]] <br>:[[West Virginia Newspapers|Newspapers]] <br>:[[West Virginia Probate Records|Probate (wills, etc)]] <br>:[[West Virginia Taxation|Tax Records]]

| width="35%" | <br>:[[West Virginia Church Records|Church Records]] <br>:[[West Virginia Census|Census]] <br>:[[West Virginia Bible Records|Bible Records]]

|}<br>&lt;center&gt;[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records#Next_Step:_When_did_the_death_occur.3F|Return to top: Choose another death year]]&lt;/center&gt; <br>&lt;br&gt;

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== '''Deaths from 1853 thru 1916''' ==

:*1853 - Virginia law required counties to record deaths, although records are incomplete <br>:*1863 - West Virginia was created from the state of Virginia <br>:*1917 - West Virginia Statewide death registration began

If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below try searching for death information in [[Substitute Records For United States Death Information|other records]]. &lt;br&gt;

{| width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="6" border="0"<br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="3" | '''West Virginia Deaths Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images''' <br>| &lt;br&gt; <br>| &lt;br&gt;<br>|-<br>| width="10%" align="left" colspan="2" | ''Try 1st:'' <br>| &lt;br&gt; <br>| &lt;br&gt;<br>|-<br>| &lt;br&gt; <br>| width="25%" | [http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_dcsearch.aspx 1853-1970 - At West Virginia Division of Culture and History] <br>| width="65%" | '''Free;''' dates vary by county and some only go to 1962; [http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_dcsearch.aspx list of database county coverage (right side of the screen)on WV website]<br>|-<br>| width="10%" align="left" colspan="2" | ''Try 2nd:'' <br>| &lt;br&gt; <br>| &lt;br&gt;<br>|-<br>| &lt;br&gt; <br>| {{RecordSearch|1417434|1853-1970 - At FamilySearch.org}} <br>| '''Free;''' dates vary by county and some only go to 1962; [http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_dcsearch.aspx list of database county coverage (right side of the screen)on WV website]; click on "view partner website" to see a copy of the image<br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="2" | '''Can't find your ancestor in the online index?''' <br>| [[Tips for Searching an Online Index|Tips for searching online indexes]] <br>| &lt;br&gt;<br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="2" | '''No death record for your ancestor?''' <br>| [[Substitute Records For United States Death Information|Other records with death information]]<br>|}<br>&lt;center&gt;[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records#Next_Step:_When_did_the_death_occur.3F|Return to top: Choose another death year]]&lt;/center&gt; <br>&lt;br&gt;

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== '''Deaths from 1917 thru 1970''' ==

==== '''STEP ONE: Find Death Information''' ====

{| width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="6" border="0"<br>|-<br>| width="10%" align="left" colspan="3" | '''West Virginia Deaths Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images''' <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| width="10%" align="left" colspan="2" | ''Try 1st:'' <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| <br>| width="25%" | [http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_dcsearch.aspx 1853-1970 - At West Virginia Division of Culture and History] <br>| width="65%" | '''Free;''' dates vary by county and some only go to 1962; [http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_dcsearch.aspx list of database county coverage (right side of the screen) on WV website]<br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="2" | ''Try 2nd:'' <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| <br>| {{RecordSearch|1417434|1853-1970 - At FamilySearch.org}} <br>| '''Free;''' dates vary by county and some only go to 1962; [http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_dcsearch.aspx list of database county coverage (right side of the screen) on WV website]; click on "view partner website" to see a copy of the image<br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="3" | If you can't find the death record in the above databases, try the following: <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="3" | '''West Virginia Deaths Databases - Index Only''' <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="3" | ''Ancestry Database - Choose one of the following:'' <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| width="10%" | &lt;br&gt; <br>| [http://search.ancestryinstitution.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2568 1853-1973 - use Ancestry Institution at FamilySearch Centers/Libraries] <br>| '''Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries;''' [https://www.familysearch.org/locations Find your local FamilySearch Center]<br>|-<br>| <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| width="10%" | &lt;br&gt; <br>| [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2568 1853-1973 - use your Ancestry subscription] <br>| '''$,''' [http://www.ancestry.com/cs/offers/freetrial?o_iid=48816&amp;o_lid=48816&amp;o_sch=Web+Property To obtain a subscription to Ancestry]; Ancestry is often available for free through your local public library<br>|-<br>| <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| <br>| width="25%" | ''Can't access Ancestry?'' <br>| Go to Step Two Part B listed below. You may be able to order the death record for your ancestor from the [http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/hsc/vital/birthcert.asp West Virginia Department of Health State Office].<br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="3" | ''Social Security Death Index (SSDI)'' <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| <br>| width="25%" | [http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/ssdi/ 1937 to present at Genealogy Bank] <br>| width="65%" | '''Free;''' most current version; few records before 1962; gives place where the last benefit was sent<br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="2" | '''Can't find your ancestor in the online index?''' <br>| [[Tips for Searching an Online Index|Tips for searching online indexes]] <br>| <br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="2" | '''No death record for your ancestor?''' <br>| [[Substitute Records For United States Death Information|Other records with death information]]<br>|}

==== '''STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate''' ====

{| width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="6" border="1"<br>|-<br>| align="center" colspan="4" | '''To Order Death Certificates'''<br>|-<br>| width="50%" align="center" colspan="2" | [http://vitalrec.com/wv.html#County From County of Death] <br>| width="50%" align="center" colspan="2" | [http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/hsc/vital/birthcert.asp From WV Dept. of Health State office]<br>|-<br>| width="25%" align="center" | '''Pros''' <br>| width="25%" align="center" | '''Cons''' <br>| width="25%" align="center" | '''Pros''' <br>| width="25%" align="center" | '''Cons'''<br>|-<br>| May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state <br>| County websites can be more difficult to use <br>| Offers a search of the state index for an additional fee <br>| May be more expensive than ordering from the county<br>|}

If you do not know the exact date or place of death:&lt;br&gt; For a fee, the [http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/hsc/vital/birthcert.asp West Virginia Department of Health office] will do a 3 year search (click on the death certificates tab).&lt;br&gt;

&lt;br&gt; If you do not want to order the death record, you can search [[Substitute Records For United States Death Information|other records with death information]]. <br>&lt;center&gt;[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records#Next_Step:_When_did_the_death_occur.3F|Return to top: Choose another death year]]&lt;/center&gt; <br>&lt;br&gt;

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== '''Deaths after 1970''' ==

{| width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="6" border="1"<br>|-<br>| align="center" colspan="4" | '''To Order Death Certificates'''<br>|-<br>| width="50%" align="center" colspan="2" | [http://vitalrec.com/wv.html#County From County of Death] <br>| width="50%" align="center" colspan="2" | [http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/hsc/vital/birthcert.asp From WV Dept. of Health State office]<br>|-<br>| width="25%" align="center" | '''Pros''' <br>| width="25%" align="center" | '''Cons''' <br>| width="25%" align="center" | '''Pros''' <br>| width="25%" align="center" | '''Cons'''<br>|-<br>| May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state <br>| County websites can be more difficult to use <br>| Offers a search of the state index for an additional fee <br>| May be more expensive than ordering from the county<br>|}

&lt;br&gt; '''PART B: You don't know the exact date of death'''  

{| width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="6" border="0"<br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="2" | ''Try:'' <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="3" | ''Social Security Death Index (SSDI)'' <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| <br>| width="25%" | [http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/ssdi/ 1937 to present at Genealogy Bank] <br>| width="65%" | '''Free;''' most current version; few records before 1962; gives place where the last benefit was sent<br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="2" | ''Or try:'' <br>| <br>| <br>|-<br>| <br>| [http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/hsc/vital/birthcert.asp Order a 3 year search from WV Dept. of Health Office] <br>| '''($);''' Click on the death certificates tab to order a death certificate<br>|-<br>| align="left" colspan="2" | '''Don't want to order the death record?''' <br>| Search [[Substitute Records For United States Death Information|other records with death information]] <br>| <br>|}<br>&lt;center&gt;[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records#Next_Step:_When_did_the_death_occur.3F|Return to top: Choose another death year]]&lt;/center&gt; <br>&lt;br&gt;

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== '''Restrictions for Obtaining Death Records''' ==

'''''Restrictions for persons who died within the last 50 years:'''''&lt;br&gt; To obtain a copy of the death certificate for those who died within the last 50 years, you must be:  

:*The parent or grandparent of the person on the certificate <br>:*The spouse of the person on the certificate <br>:*The child or grandchild of the person on the certificate <br>:*The sibling of the person on the certificate <br>:*Funeral director <br>:*Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate <br>::'''NOTE:''' A copy of the death record cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 50 years have passed from the date of the death.

If you do not want to order the death record, you can search [[Substitute Records For United States Death Information|other records with death information]]. <br>&lt;center&gt;[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records#Next_Step:_When_did_the_death_occur.3F|Return to top: Choose another death year]]&lt;/center&gt; <br>&lt;br&gt;

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=== Related Wiki Articles ===

:*[[How to Find United States Death Records#Tips_about_Searching_United_States_Death_Records|Learn more about U.S. death records]] <br>:*[[How to Find United States Birth Records|How to find U.S. birth records]] <br>:*[[How to Find United States Marriage Records|How to find U.S. marriage records]] <br>:*[[How to Find United States Death Records|How to Find U.S. death Records]] <br>:*[[United States Record Selection Table|United States Record Selection Table ]] <br>:*[[U.S. Vital Records Overview|U.S. Vital Records Overview]] <br>:*[[United States Vital Records|United States Vital Records]] <br>:*[[Locating United States Vital Records|Locating United States Vital Records]] <br>:*[[United States Birth Records|United States Birth Records ]] <br>:*[[United States Marriage Records|United States Marriage Records]]