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United States Death Records: Difference between revisions
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==Death Records== | ==Death Records== | ||
Many experts recommend starting your research with the death record first, instead of with a birth record. The death record is the most recent record making it more likely to be available to you. Death records are kept in the state where your ancestor died, not where they were buried, however these records can provide a burial location. | Many experts recommend starting your research with the death record first, instead of with a birth record. The death record is the most recent record making it more likely to be available to you. Death records are kept in the state where your ancestor died, not where they were buried, however these records can provide a burial location. Death records are especially helpful because they may provide important information on a person's birth, spouse, and parents. Some researchers look first for death records because there are often death records for persons who have no birth or marriage records. | ||
Early death records, like cemetery records, generally give the name, date, and place of death. Twentieth-century certificates usually include the age or date of birth (and sometimes the place), race, length of residence in the county or state, cause of death, name of hospital and funeral home, burial information, and the informant's name (often a relative). They often provide the name of a spouse or parents. Since 1950, social security numbers are given on most death certificates. Birth and other information in a death record may not be accurate because the informant may not have had complete information. | |||
Prior to death registers being recorded at the local county court house, a record of burial could be found in Church records. [[United States Church Records|Church records]] are still a good place to find records of death. The [[Social Security Death Index (SSDI)|Social Security Death Index (SSDI)]] is a database whose records reveal an individuals' full name and residence at time of application, birth and death dates and last known residence. For more information about the SSDI see the [[U.S. Social Security Records for Genealogists|U.S. Social Security Records for Genealogists]] page. A death record is considered a primary source. | |||
==Death Certificates== | ==Death Certificates== | ||
The information on a death certificate is usually given by someone close to the ancestor called an [[I genealogical glossary terms|informant]]. Other than the date, time and place of death, a death certificate is taken from the information known by the informant. This makes a death certificate a secondary source of information for things like the birth place and date, and the names of the deceased's parents. | The information on a death certificate is usually given by someone close to the ancestor called an [[I genealogical glossary terms|informant]]. Death certificates may be filed in the state where an individual died and the state where he is buried. Other than the date, time and place of death, a death certificate is taken from the information known by the informant. This makes a death certificate a secondary source of information for things like the birth place and date, and the names of the deceased's parents. | ||
For more information concerning death records by State see the [[Summary of Death Records in the United States by State|Summary of Death Records in the United States by State]] page. To write for vital records see "Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces" <ref> Leonard, Barry. ''Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces'' Published by DIANE Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1422314820, 9781422314821 . 47 pages. Full text is available at [http://books.google.com/books?id=jx8HDU6V700C Google Books]. [http://www.worldcat.org/isbn/1422314820 Worldcat] </ref> | For more information concerning death records by State see the [[Summary of Death Records in the United States by State|Summary of Death Records in the United States by State]] page. To write for vital records see "Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces" <ref> Leonard, Barry. ''Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces'' Published by DIANE Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1422314820, 9781422314821 . 47 pages. Full text is available at [http://books.google.com/books?id=jx8HDU6V700C Google Books]. [http://www.worldcat.org/isbn/1422314820 Worldcat] </ref> | ||
Funeral home records are discussed in the “[[United States Cemeteries|Cemeteries]]” page. The death records of men and women who died in the military, or who are buried in military cemeteries are described in the [[United States Military Records|U.S. Military Records Research Page]]. | |||
The Social Security Death Index contains over fifty million records of deaths reported to the Social Security Administration from 1937 to 1995. The bulk of the records are from 1962 and later. The index provides the deceased person's birth date, social security number, state where the social security card was issued, month and year of death, state of residence at death, zip code, and state where death benefit was sent. | |||
==Things you may find on a death certificate or record== | ==Things you may find on a death certificate or record== | ||
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*[[United States Newspapers|Newspapers]] often listed articles about deaths | *[[United States Newspapers|Newspapers]] often listed articles about deaths | ||
*[[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]] | *[[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]] | ||
*[[Online U.S. Death Indexes & Records|Online U.S. Death Indexes & Records]] | |||
*Online records sites like [http://www.ancestry.com/ Ancestry], [http://www.footnote.com/ Footnote.com], [http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/ WorldVitalRecords], [http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index Heritage Quest]... | *Online records sites like [http://www.ancestry.com/ Ancestry], [http://www.footnote.com/ Footnote.com], [http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/ WorldVitalRecords], [http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index Heritage Quest]... | ||
*[[United States Probate Records|Probate Records]] | *[[United States Probate Records|Probate Records]] | ||
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*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombstone Tombstones] usually give birth and death dates | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombstone Tombstones] usually give birth and death dates | ||
See also: [[Summary of Death Records in the United States by State|Summary of Death Records in the United States by State]] | |||
==Websites== | ==Websites== | ||
*[http://www.ancestorsatrest.com/ Ancestors at rest] contains everything from death records, such as coffin plates, death cards, funeral cards, wills, church records, family bibles, cenotaphs and tombstone inscriptions. | *[http://www.ancestorsatrest.com/ Ancestors at rest] contains everything from death records, such as coffin plates, death cards, funeral cards, wills, church records, family bibles, cenotaphs and tombstone inscriptions. | ||
*[http://www.ancestry.com Ancestry.com] ($) indexes & images | *[http://www.ancestry.com Ancestry.com] ($) indexes & images | ||
*[http://www.deathindexes.com/ Death Indexes] | |||
*[http://www.familytreeconnection.com/records/insurance.html Familytree connection] ($) has a search any of the insurance records listed, however, a subscription is required to access all of the information. | *[http://www.familytreeconnection.com/records/insurance.html Familytree connection] ($) has a search any of the insurance records listed, however, a subscription is required to access all of the information. | ||
*[http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=allCollections;r=0 Record Search] free indexes & images | *[http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=allCollections;r=0 Record Search] free indexes & images | ||