How to Find Florida Death Records
How to Find United States Deaths 
Florida Deaths
Statewide registration of deaths began in 1899 in Florida; however, general compliance did not begin until 1917. Counties have copies of these records.
Next Step: When did the death occur? [edit | edit source] |
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Deaths before 1877[edit | edit source]
Before 1877, no deaths were recorded by the county or state. You must search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s death date and place.
| Records that give death information: | ||
Deaths from 1877 thru 1917
[edit | edit source]
Some counties in Florida began to keep death records in 1877. Statewide registration started in 1899 but not every death was recorded. General compliance throughout the state began in 1917.
If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for death information in other records.
For death that exist during this time period, try the following databases.
| Florida Death Databases - Includes Indexes Only | ||||
| Try 1st: | ||||
| 1877-1998 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; index of deaths from the Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Records. | |||
| Try 2nd: | ||||
| 1877-1939 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; index of Florida death records created by Florida Department of Health and Vital Statistics. Microfilm copies of original records are available at the Family History Library and at Family History Centers | |||
| Try 3rd: | ||||
| 1877-1939 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; index to death and burial records from the state of Florida. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. | |||
| 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 | |||
Deaths from 1917 to the Present[edit | edit source]
Starting in 1899, counties and cities in Florida began keeping records of deaths; however, records are incomplete during this time period from 1899 to 1917.
State records are closed to the general public. Conditions for obtaining a record may be obtained from the Office of Vital Statistics.
- Florida, Death Index, 1877-1998 is a name index without images with a description of the records.
- Florida Deaths, 1877-1939 is a name index to death certificates without images. A description of the records is available.
- Florida Deaths and Burials, 1900-1921 is a name index to death and burial records from the state of Florida. Images of the records are not available. A description of the records is given.
The Family History Library has 143 microfiche of the Florida Combined Death Index, 1877-1969. You can obtain copies of the state's records by writing to:
- Office of Vital Statistics
1217 Pearl Street
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Telephone: 904-359-6900
Fax: 904-359-6931
Internet: Florida Office of Vital Statistics
An explanation of the history and availability of vital records is in Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records in Florida.[1]
Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:
- Florida Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- Florida Death Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- Florida Death Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below try searching for death information in other records.
For deaths that exist during the time period, try the following databases. Try each link.
| Florida Deaths Database - Includes Index Only | ||
| 1877-1998 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; Index of deaths from the Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Records | |
| 1900-1921 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; Name index to death and burial records from the state of Florida. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. | |
| Can't search the index listed above? | Try searching other records for death information. | |
| Can't find your ancestor in the index? | Tips for searching indexes | |
| No death record for your ancestor? | Other records with death information | |
Deaths after 1917[edit | edit source]
The state of Florida began recording deaths in 1917.
STEP ONE: Find Death Information[edit | edit source]
For deaths that exist during this time period, try the following databases. Try each link.
| Florida Deaths Database - Includes Index Only | ||
| 1877-1998 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; Index of deaths from the Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Records | |
| 1900-1921 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; Name index to death and burial records from the state of Florida. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. | |
| Can't search the index listed above? | Try searching other records for death information. | |
| Can't find your ancestor in the index? | Tips for searching indexes | |
| No death record for your ancestor? | Other records with death information | |
STEP TWO: Obtain the Certificate[edit | edit source]
If the image was not included in the index entry above, you can order a copy of the death record for a fee from the following locations:
| To Order Death Certificates | |||
| From County of Death | From FL Dept. of Health State office | ||
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state | County websites can be more difficult to use | Offers a search of the state index for an additional fee | May be more expensive than ordering from the county |
If you do not know the exact date or place of death:
For a fee, the West Virginia Department of Health office will do a 3 year search (click on the death certificates tab).
Restrictions for persons who died within the last 50 years:
To obtain a copy of the death certificate for those who died within the last 50 years, you must be:
- The parents and grandparents of person on the certificate
- The wife or husband of the person on the certificate
- The children and grandchildren of the person on the certificate
- The brothers or sisters of the person on the certificate
- Funeral director
- Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate
- 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, there are other records with death information you can search.
Related Wiki Articles[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Jacksonville, Florida: Florida Historical Records Survey, 1941; Family History Library book 975.9 A5h; microfilm 1036590 item 3; microfiche 6019962.