How to Find Vermont Death Records

How to Find United States Deaths Vermont Deaths

In Vermont, towns were created starting about 1760. Deaths were and still are recorded by town clerks, beginning when the town was formed. Statewide registration of deaths began in 1857 and was generally complied with by 1919. The towns have copies of these state death registration records.

Next Step: When did the death occur?	Death Records Choose a time period: Deaths 1760 to 1857 Deaths 1857 to the Present Death year unknown

Learn more about U.S. Death Records

Death records were kept by each town clerk. Early town clerks put death records in town records and in land records. After about 1850, death information was only put in town records. Town clerks were usually good at recording death information. The towns continue to keep death records today. These are described further in Vermont Town Records.

Following the Revolutionary War until about 1870, records were not always recorded. In 1870, the State Board of Health was established and record keeping in towns improved.

Vermont towns are like western townships, so several populated places are in a town's borders. The name of the town is used in official records rather than the name of the populated place.

If you do not find death information in the town where your ancestor died, you may need to look at substitute records to locate your ancestor’s death date and place or try the records in a neighboring town.

You can also search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s death date and place.

Records that contain death information:
Birth Records Cemetery Records Newspapers Probate (wills, etc) Tax Records	Church Records Census Bible Records Military Records

Return to top: Choose another death year

Deaths 1760 to 1857

For deaths that occurred in this time period try the following databases:

Vermont Deaths Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images. Some collections are Browse Only.
Try:	1760-2003 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-2003: name index and images of births, marriages and deaths.
Try:	1760-1954 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; a name index and index card images to town birth, marriage and death records.
Try:	1732-2005 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town records, 1732-2005: birth, marriage and death records from town clerk offices, Browse Only
Try:	1850-2005 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, town records, 1850-2005: limited counties, Vermont vital records from various counties and towns, Browse Only
Try:	1720-1908 - At Ancestry.com	Free with Ancestry Library edition; Vermont, Vital Records, 1720 to 1908. Available at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center OR use your own Ancestry subscription.
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No death record for your ancestor?		Other records with death information

Return to top: Choose another death year

Deaths 1857 to the Present

Vermont Deaths Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images. Some collections are Browse Only.
Try:	1760-2003 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-2003: name index and images of births, marriages and deaths.
Try:	1760-1954 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; a name index and index card images to town birth, marriage and death records.
Try:	1732-2005 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town records, 1732-2005: birth, marriage and death records from town clerk offices, Browse Only
Try:	1850-2005 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, town records, 1850-2005: limited counties, Vermont vital records from various counties and towns, Browse Only
Try:	1909-2008 - At Ancestry.com	Free with Ancestry Library edition; Vermont, Death Records 1909 to 2008. Available at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center OR use your own Ancestry subscription.
Try:	1981-2001 - At Ancestry.com	Free with Ancestry Library edition; Vermont Death Index 1981 to 2001. Available at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center OR use your own Ancestry subscription.
Try:	1720-1908 - At Ancestry.com	Free with Ancestry Library edition; Vermont, Vital Records, 1720 to 1908. Available at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Find your local FamilySearch Center OR use your own Ancestry subscription.
Can't find your ancestor in the online index?		Tips for searching online indexes
No death record for your ancestor?		Other records with death information

Return to top: Choose another death year

Obtain the Certificate

With an exact date (from your records or the index above), you can order a copy of the death record for a fee from the following locations:

To Order Death Certificates
From VT State Archives and Records Administration or Vermont Department of Health		From the clerk of the town where the birth occurred
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
Department of Health-Only deaths within last 5 years VSARA-births 5 years ago or earlier	The State records are not as complete, particularly pre-1909.	May be faster. May be more complete.

There are No Restrictions for obtaining Vermont vital records.

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

Return to top: Choose another death year

Related Wiki Articles

• How to Find United States Birth Records
• Learn more about U.S. Death Records
• United States Record Selection Table
• U.S. Vital Records Overview
• United States Vital Records
• Locating United States Vital Records
• United States Birth Records
• United States Marriage Records