How to Find Vermont Death Records

United States US Vital Records How to Find United States Deaths Vermont 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

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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 1st:	1732-2005 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town records, 1732-2005: index and images to birth, marriage and death records from town clerk offices.
Try 2nd:	1760-1954 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; a name index and index card images to town birth, marriage and death records.
Try 3rd:	1720-1908 - At Ancestry.com	($); Free at family history centers; index and images for Vermont town and vital records
Try 4th:	1850-2005 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, town records, 1850-2005: limited counties, Vermont vital records from various counties and towns, Browse Only
Try 5th:	1760-2008 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-2003: name index and images of births, marriages and deaths.
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

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Deaths 1857 to the Present

Vermont Deaths Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images. Some collections are Browse only.
Try 1st:	1732-2005 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town records, 1732-2005: index and images to birth, marriage and death records from town clerk offices
Try 2nd:	1850-2005 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, town records, 1850-2005: limited counties, Vermont vital records from various counties and towns, Browse only
Try 3rd:	1760-2008 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-2003: name index and images of births, marriages and deaths.
Try 4th:	1760-1954 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; a name index and index card images to town birth, marriage and death records.
Try 5th:	1909-2008 - At Ancestry.com	($) Free at family history centers; index and images for Vermont, Death Records 1909 to 2008.
Try 6th:	1720-1908 - At Ancestry.com	($); Free at family history centers; index and images for Vermont town and vital records.
Try 7th:	1981-2001 - At Ancestry.com	($) Free at family history centers; Vermont Death Index 1981 to 2001. Index only
Try 8th:	1760-1954 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Vermont Deaths and Burials, 1871-1965, index and images
If these databases don't work, try:
	United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch.org	Free; Index to the Social Security Death Index for the United States
	U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014	($) Free at family history centers. Index to the Social Security Death Index for the United States
	U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007	($) Free at family history centers. Incomplete
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

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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.

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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

• Vermont, Deaths and Burials, 1871-1965 Index.

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