Every family tree has a "finish line," but in genealogy, the end of a life is often the best place to start a new search. While other records tell you where someone lived, a death record is the only document designed to look backward—frequently revealing the names of parents and birthplaces that have been forgotten for a century. This collection is your toolkit for finding those final, missing pieces of the puzzle.
Searching these archives is a lot like being a data detective. You’re looking for more than just a date; you’re looking for the primary key that unlocks an earlier generation. From official certificates to the local stories told in obituaries, these records are the final signatures of a life that help you bridge the gap between "who they were" and "where they came from."
Why This Collection Matters?
The way death records were kept changed significantly over time. In the United States, the Social Security Administration (SSA) became a primary guardian of these records, creating the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). For your research, this is a massive resource. It means that for individuals who had a Social Security Number, you can often find verified dates and locations that help you confirm you’ve found the right person before you dive deeper into older, local archives.
We’ve organized over a billion entries to ensure you have the best chance of breaking through your research "brick walls".
New York State, U.S., Death Index, 1957-1972
1,651,037
Victoria, Australia, Death Index, 1840-1992
7,404,741
Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1700-1850
3,113,592
Macomb County, Michigan, U.S., Death Index 1904-2017
356,107
Idaho, U.S., County Birth and Death Records, 1863-1970
73,006
Prince Edward Island, Canada, Death Card Index, 1810-1913
16,686
California, U.S., County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849-1980
3,028,463
New York, U.S., Death Index, 1852-1956
5,584,562
New York, New York, U.S., Death Index, 1949-1965
1,883,314
U.S., Death Records, 1880-1968
4,344,141
New Jersey, U.S., Death Index, 1848-1878, 1901-2017
5,417,320
Transvaal Province, South Africa, Estates Death Notice Index, 1855-1976
449,990
Cape Province, South Africa, Estates Death Notice Index, 1834-1956
316,197
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, U.S., Death Index, 1992-2012
331,888
Netherlands, Death Index, 1795-1971
42,920,703
Arizona, U.S., County Coroner and Death Records, 1881-1971
67,153
Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2017
17,988,814
Mönchengladbach, Germany, Death Records, 1798-1950
897,013
Frankenberg, Germany, Birth and Death Index Cards, 1785-1875
121,174
Chester County, Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Index, 1841-1957
36,240
Nevada, U.S., Death Certificates, 1911-1965
227,757
Ludwigslust, Germany, Death Records, 1876-1949
55,522
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960
437,190
Oldenburg, Germany, Death Records, 1876-1960
235,542
Queensland, Australia, Death Inquest Index, 1859-1897
14,980
Michigan, U.S., Death Records, 1867-1952
8,380,545
Wayne County, Michigan, U.S., Death Index, 1934-1953
86,405
Missouri, U.S., Death Certificates, 1910-1971
4,742,458
Gallatin County, Montana, U.S., Death Index, 1856-2014
14,969
Virginia, U.S., Death Records, 1912-2014
11,182,318
Sweden, Indexed Death Records, 1840-1947
13,245,574
Mannheim, Germany, Death Records, 1870-1950
318,050
South Africa, Estates Death Index, 1999-2014
1,402,428
Scotland and Northern Ireland, Death Index, 1989-2023
934,558
England and Wales, Death Index, 1989-2023
7,433,702
Idaho, U.S., County Birth and Death Records, 1907-1920
2,426
UK, Methodist Ministers Death Index, 1800-1963
10,959
Lake County, Ohio, U.S., Death Index, 1867-1908
7,740
Ottawa County, Michigan, U.S., Death Index, 1867-1901
29,656
Regen County, Germany, Death Records, 1876-1983
58,957
Flensburg, Germany, Death Index Cards, 1874-1990
149,256
Arizona, U.S., Death Records, 1887-1968
1,324,352
Idaho, U.S., Death Records, 1890-1971
742,337
California, U.S., County Birth and Death Records, 1849-1994
2,922,713
Salt Lake County, Utah, U.S., Death Records, 1908-1949
354,047
Utah, U.S., Death and Military Death Certificates, 1904-1961
967,991
New Zealand, Death Index, 1848-1966
1,149,182
Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1971
26,038,827
Charlevoix County, Michigan, U.S., Death Index, 1868-2010
20,319
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