How to Find New Hampshire Death Records

How to Find United States Deaths New Hampshire Deaths

Records of deaths occurring in each New Hampshire town or city have been kept by town clerks since the early 1600s. Statewide registration began in 1866. Total compliance with the law was not accomplished until the 1880s, and even then the practice was not uniform. By this point, less than half of the population was listed in the birth records. Total compliance began in 1905 with the establishment of the Bureau of Vital Records.

Next Step: When did the death occur?	Choose a time period to search for your ancestor's death record: Deaths before 1905 Deaths between 1905 and 1949 Deaths after 1949 Death year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Death Records

Deaths before 1905

Town clerks in New Hampshire have been keeping records of deaths since the 1600s. In 1866, law required town clerks to send copies of death records to the state government. Between 1866 and 1905, compliance was not enforced and many death records were not sent to the state.

Try these databases. Indexes and Images of the New Hampshire Card Death Index
Database Name	Link or links to access database
Ancestry, New Hampshire, Death and Disinterment Records, 1754-1947	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription
Ancestry, New Hampshire, Death and Burial Records Index, 1654-1949	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription
FamilySearch, New Hampshire, Deaths and Burials, 1784-1949	Free, index to death and burial records. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and FamilySearch Centers.
FamilySearch, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947	Free, index and images of death records. Consists of index cards that give the name of the deceased, date and place of death, and sometimes information such as age, place of birth and names of parents.

Obtain the Death Record

If your ancestor appeared in one of the indexes, there are two options:

• FamilySearch.org - If the indexed information contained a GS microfilm number you can order the microfilm from the Family History Library and send it to the Family History Center nearest you.
  
• Individual Town Clerk Office - You may contact the town clerk where your ancestor died and order a copy of the death record.

If you did not find your ancestor in the above indexes, try searching for death information in substitute records. You may also contact the town clerk where your ancestor died to obtain the death record.

Records that give birth information:
Death Records Cemetery Records Newspapers	Church Records Census Military Records

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Deaths between 1905 and 1949

The state of New Hampshire began recording deaths in 1892. All death certificates from 1892 to 1922 are held at the New Hampshire State Archives.

Try these databases. Indexes and Images of the New Hampshire Card Death Index
Database Name	Link or links to access database
Ancestry, New Hampshire, Death and Disinterment Records, 1754-1947	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription
Ancestry, New Hampshire, Death and Burial Records Index, 1654-1949	Free using Ancestryinstitution at FamilySearch Centers	$, Use your own Ancestry subscription
FamilySearch, New Hampshire, Deaths and Burials, 1784-1949	Free, index to death and burial records. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and FamilySearch Centers.
FamilySearch, New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947	Free, index and images of death records. Consists of index cards that give the name of the deceased, date and place of death, and sometimes information such as age, place of birth and names of parents.

If you did not find your ancestor in the above indexes, try searching for death information in substitute records. You may also contact the New Hampshire State Archives to conduct a search for the death record.

Obtain the Certificate

If your ancestor appeared in the index, there are two options:

• FamilySearch.org - If the indexed information contained a GS microfilm number you can order the microfilm from the Family History Library and send it to the Family History Center nearest you.
  
• New Hampshire State Archives - If there is no GS microfilm number available, or if you cannot gain access to the microfilm, you may contact the state archives and order a copy of the death certificate.

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Deaths after 1949

The New Hampshire Bureau of Vital Records was established in 1905, bringing about full compliance to statewide registration of deaths that started in 1866. Since 1905, death records have been kept at both the town and state level. After 1949, there are no online databases or indexes. You will have to contact the state or town to order a death certificate.

Obtain the Certificate

To Order Death Certificates
Town clerk's offices		New Hampshire Dept of State Division of Vital Records Administration
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state	Town/city websites can be more difficult to use	Has an expedited service on Vital Chek	May be more expensive than ordering from the town/city

See restrictions below to find if you "qualify" to order a certificate. You must have full name, exact date and place of death to order from the New Hampshire Department of State Division of Vital Records Administration. If you do not have the exact information, contact the Vital Records Office for more information. They may be able to do a search.

Restrictions to qualify for certificates for persons who died within the last 50 years:
To obtain a copy of the certificate, you must be:

• Member of the person's immediate family
• Individuals who have a "direct and tangible interest"

If you do not want to order the death record, there are other records with death information you can search.

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Related Wiki Articles

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