How to Find Vermont Death Records
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? [edit | edit source] |
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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: | ||
Deaths 1760 to 1857[edit | edit source]
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 | ($); Free at FamilySearch centers; index and images for Vermont town and vital records | |||
| Try 4th: | 1850-2005 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; Vermont, town records, 1850-2005: limited counties, Vermont vital records from various counties and towns, Browse Only | |||
| Try 5th: | 1760-2008 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-2003: name index and images of births, marriages and deaths. | |||
| Can't find your ancestor in the online index? | Tips for searching online indexes | ||||
| No death record for your ancestor? | Other records with death information | ||||
Deaths 1857 to the Present[edit | edit source]
| Vermont Deaths Databases - Includes Index and Digital Images. Some collections are Browse only. | |||
| Try 1st: | 1732-2005 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town records, 1732-2005: index and images to birth, marriage and death records from town clerk offices | |
| Try 2nd: | 1850-2005 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; Vermont, town records, 1850-2005: limited counties, Vermont vital records from various counties and towns, Browse only | |
| Try 3rd: | 1760-2008 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-2003: name index and images of births, marriages and deaths. | |
| Try 4th: | 1760-1954 - At FamilySearch.org | Free; a name index and index card images to town birth, marriage and death records. | |
| Try 5th: | 1909-2008 - At Ancestry.com | ($) Free at FamilySearch centers; index and images for Vermont, Death Records 1909 to 2008. | |
| Try 6th: | 1720-1908 - At Ancestry.com | ($); Free at FamilySearch centers; index and images for Vermont town and vital records. | |
| Try 7th: | 1981-2001 - At Ancestry.com | ($) Free at FamilySearch 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 | ($) Free at FamilySearch centers. Index to the Social Security Death Index for the United States | ||
| U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 | ($) Free at FamilySearch 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 | ||
Obtain the Certificate[edit | edit source]
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 | The State records are not as complete, particularly pre-1909. | May be faster.
May be more complete. |
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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.