How to Find Massachusetts Death Records

How to Find United States Deaths Massachusetts Deaths

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Massachusetts Towns have been recording deaths since the 1600s. Statewide registration began in 1841.

Next Step: When did the death occur?

Death Records

Choose a time period:

Deaths before 1841

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

Includes Index and Digital Images

	1600-1850 - At Massachusetts Vital Records Project	Free; Transcriptions and images of Massachusetts town vital records. Includes births, marriages, and deaths. The collection is comprised of records for over 150 Massachusetts towns.

	1620-1988 - use Ancestry Institution at FamilySearch Centers/Libraries	Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Database and images of Massachusetts town records that include births, marriages, and deaths. The collection is comprised of records for over 260 Massachusetts towns.

	1620-1850 - use Ancestry Institution at FamilySearch Centers/Libraries	Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Index to published town death records for many, but not all Massachusetts towns.

	1795-1910 - Massachusetts Death and Burials at FamilySearch	Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Index to death and burial records from the state of Massachusetts.

	Early-1850 - use American Ancestors at the Family History Library	Free at the Family History Library; Includes index and digital images of published town vital records.

Can't find your ancestor in the index?		Tips for searching indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

Return to top: Choose another death year

Deaths from 1841 thru 1920

Massachusetts was the first state to initiate statewide registration of vital records beginning in 1841. However, the city of Boston, which had kept records prior to this time, didn't start reporting their vital statistics to the state until about 1850. Records from 1841 to 1920 are housed at the Massachusetts Archives. Every five years, another block of five years is transferred from the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics to the Archives.

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

Includes Index and Digital Images

	1841-1920 - At FamilySearch.org	Free; Browse only collection. Includes deaths, 1916-1920 and amended vital records, 1841-1920

	1841-1910 - Massachusetts Archives database	Free; Searchable index of Massachusetts birth, marriage, and death records.

	1841-1910 - use American Ancestors at the Family History Library	Free at the Family History Library; Includes index, digital images, and amended vital records


Can't find your ancestor in the index?		Tips for searching indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births after 1920

For deaths that exist during the time period, try the following databases.

How to Find Massachusetts Death Records

Next Step: When did the death occur?

Deaths before 1841

Deaths from 1841 thru 1920

Births after 1920

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