Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission

Death Records

Learn how to research death records in Pennsylvania and view the available indices for state-issued death certificates.

Overview

The Commonwealth began to issue death certificates in 1906. Before then, Pennsylvania deaths were only recorded sporadically by the counties and some cities. Information generally found on a death record includes decedent’s name, age, date and place of death, cause of death, occupation, burial place, and parents’ names.

Jump to:

Available death records
Death certificate indices (post-1906)
Frequently asked questions
Related resources

Available death records

Death record availability varies by date range and location.

Record	Notes	Finding aid	Digital images
Record and Indexes of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, 1852–1854	Includes returns from 49 of 64 counties that existed at the time, as kept by the local Register of Wills.	Records of the Department of State (RG-26)	Ancestry Pennsylvania or Ancestry.com
County Death Registers, 1893–1905	Most registers are held at the county level, typically with the County Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans Court. Some cities maintained separate death records that pre-date 1893.	Records of County Governments (RG-47) Records of Municipal Governments (RG-48) Digitized County Records Guide	FamilySearch.org (not all counties or cities accessible)
Death Certificates, 1906–present	Certificates that are 50 years old and older are publicly available and held at the State Archives. Certificates that are less than 50 years old are restricted and held by the Division of Vital Records.	Records of the Department of Health (RG-11)	Ancestry Pennsylvania or Ancestry.com (1906–1972 only)

Record

Notes

Finding aid

Digital images

Record and Indexes of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, 1852–1854

Includes returns from 49 of 64 counties that existed at the time, as kept by the local Register of Wills.

Records of the Department of State (RG-26)

Ancestry Pennsylvania or Ancestry.com

County Death Registers, 1893–1905

Most registers are held at the county level, typically with the County Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans Court.

Some cities maintained separate death records that pre-date 1893.

Records of County Governments (RG-47)

Records of Municipal Governments (RG-48)

Digitized County Records Guide

FamilySearch.org (not all counties or cities accessible)

Death Certificates, 1906–present

Certificates that are 50 years old and older are publicly available and held at the State Archives.

Certificates that are less than 50 years old are restricted and held by the Division of Vital Records.

Records of the Department of Health (RG-11)

Ancestry Pennsylvania or Ancestry.com (1906–1972 only)

Death certificate indices (post-1906)

Original death certificates for 1906–1975 are available at the State Archives. You can request an uncertified copy of a death certificate using the vital records request form. The 1906-1972 death certificates are accessible online through Ancestry Pennsylvania or Ancestry.com.

Use the following indices to locate the certificate number for a death certificate.

The names on the 1920–1924 indices use the Russell Soundex method of indexing. You can use a Soundex converter to get the surname code number. Within each code number on the index, the names are arranged alphabetically by the first (given) name of the individual.

1920

1920 – A-B surnames
1920 – C-D surnames
1920 – E-G surnames
1920 – H-J surnames
1920 – K-L surnames
1920 – M-O surnames
1920 – P-R surnames
1920 – S surnames
1920 – T-V surnames
1920 – W-Z surnames

1921

1921 – A-B surnames
1921 – C-D surnames
1921 – E-G surnames
1921 – H-J surnames
1921 – K-L surnames
1921 – M-O surnames
1921 – P-R surnames
1921 – S-T surnames
1921 – U-Z surnames

1922

1922 – A-B surnames
1922 – C-D surnames
1922 – E-G surnames
1922 – H-J surnames
1922 – K-L surnames
1922 – M-N surnames
1922 – O-Q surnames
1922 – R–S surnames
1922 – T-Z surnames

1923

1923 – A-B surnames
1923 – C-D surnames
1923 – E-G surnames
1923 – H-J surnames
1923 – K-L surnames
1923 – M-O surnames
1923 – P-R surnames
1923 – S-T surnames
1923 – U-Z surnames

1924

1924 – A-B surnames
1924 – B-C surnames
1924 – C-E surnames
1924 – F-G surnames
1924 – G-J surnames
1924 – J-L surnames
1924 – L-M surnames
1924 – N-O surnames
1924 – O-R surnames
1924 – S-S surnames
1924 – S-T surnames
1924 – U-Z surnames

1925

1925 – A-B surnames
1925 – B-C surnames
1925 – C-D surnames
1925 – E-F surnames
1925 – G-G surnames
1925 – G-H surnames
1925 – I-J surnames
1925 – K-L surnames
1925 – L-M surnames
1925 – M-M surnames
1925 – M-N surnames
1925 – N-P surnames
1925 – P-R surnames
1925 – R-S surnames
1925 – S-S surnames
1925 – T-W surnames
1925 – W-Z surnames

1926

1926 – A-B-C surnames
1926 – E-F surnames
1926 – G-H-I surnames
1926 – J-K-L surnames
1926 – M-N-O surnames
1926 – P-Q-R surnames
1926 – S surnames
1926 – T-U-V surnames
1926 – W-X-Y-Z surnames

1927

1927 – A-B-C surnames
1927 – E-F surnames
1927 – G-H-I surnames
1927 – J-K-L surnames
1927 – M-N-O surnames
1927 – P-Q-R surnames
1927 – S surnames
1927 – T-U-V surnames
1927 – W-X-Y-Z surnames

1928

1928 – A-B surnames
1928 – C-D surnames
1928 – E-F-G surnames
1928 – H-I-J surnames
1928 – K-L surnames
1928 – M-N-O surnames
1928 – P-Q-R surnames
1928 – S surnames
1928 – T-U-V surnames
1928 – W-X-Y-Z surnames

1929

1929 – A-B surnames
1929 – C-D surnames
1929 – E-F-G surnames
1929 – H-I-J surnames
1929 – K-L surnames
1929 – M-N-O surnames
1929 – P-Q-R surnames
1929 – S surnames
1929 – T-U-V surnames
1929 – W-X-Y-Z surnames

The names on the 1930–1939 indices use the Russell Soundex method of indexing. You can use a Soundex converter to get the surname code number. Within each code number on the index, the names are arranged alphabetically by the first (given) name of the individual.

1930

1930 – A-A surnames
1930 – B-B surnames
1930 – C-C surnames
1930 – C-D surnames
1930 – E-F surnames
1930 – G-G surnames
1930 – G-H surnames
1930 – I-J surnames
1930 – K-L surnames
1930 – L-M surnames
1930 – N-O surnames
1930 – O-P surnames
1930 – Q-R surnames
1930 – S-S surnames
1930 – S-T surnames
1930 – U-V surnames
1930 – W-X surnames
1930 – Y-Z surnames

1931

1931 – A-B surnames
1931 – C-C surnames
1931 – C-D surnames
1931 – E-F surnames
1931 – G-G surnames
1931 – G-H surnames
1931 – I-J surnames
1931 – K-L surnames
1931 – L-M surnames
1931 – N-O surnames
1931 – O-P surnames
1931 – Q-R surnames
1931 – S-S surnames
1931 – S-T surnames
1931 – U-V surnames
1931 – W-X surnames
1931 – Y-Z surnames

1932

1932 – A-A surnames
1932 – B-B surnames
1932 – C-C surnames
1932 – D-D surnames
1932 – D-E surnames
1932 – F-F surnames
1932 – G-G surnames
1932 – H-H surnames
1932 – H-J surnames
1932 – K-K surnames
1932 – L-L surnames
1932 – M-M surnames
1932 – M-N surnames
1932 – O-P surnames
1932 – Q-R surnames
1932 – S-S surnames
1932 – T-V surnames
1932 – W-Z surnames

1933

1933 – A-B surnames
1933 – C-D surnames
1933 – D-E surnames
1933 – F-G surnames
1933 – H-H surnames
1933 – H-J surnames
1933 – K-L surnames
1933 – M-M surnames
1933 – M-N surnames
1933 – O-P surnames
1933 – Q-R surnames
1933 – S-S surnames
1933 – T-V surnames
1933 – W-Z surnames

1934

1934 – A-B surnames
1934 – C-D surnames
1934 – D-E surnames
1934 – F-G surnames
1934 – H-H surnames
1934 – H-J surnames
1934 – K-L surnames
1934 – M-M surnames
1934 – M-N surnames
1934 – O-Q surnames
1934 – R-S surnames
1934 – S-T surnames
1934 – U-V surnames
1934 – W-Z surnames

1935

1935 – A(000)-B(666) surnames
1935 – C(000)-D(665) surnames
1935 – E(000)-G(665) surnames
1935 – H(000)-J(655) surnames
1935 – K(000)-L660) surnames
1935 – M(000)-O(662) surnames
1935 – P(000)-R(660) surnames
1935 – S(000)-S(663) surnames
1935 – T(000)-V(660) surnames
1935 – W(000)-Z(656) surnames

1936

1936 – A-B surnames
1936 – C-D surnames
1936 – E-G surnames
1936 – H-J surnames
1936 – K-L surnames
1936 – M-O surnames
1936 – P-R surnames
1936 – S-S surnames
1936 – T-V surnames
1936 – W-Z surnames

1937

1937 – A-B surnames
1937 – C-C surnames
1937 – C-D surnames
1937 – E-F surnames
1937 – G-G surnames
1937 – G-H surnames
1937 – I-J surnames
1937 – K-L surnames
1937 – L-L surnames
1937 – M-M surnames
1937 – N-O surnames
1937 – O-P surnames
1937 – Q-R surnames
1937 – S-S surnames
1937 – S-T surnames
1937 – U-V surnames
1937 – W-Z surnames

1938

1938 – A-B surnames
1938 – C-D surnames
1938 – D-E surnames
1938 – F-G surnames
1938 – H-H surnames
1938 – H-K surnames
1938 – L-M surnames
1938 – M-O surnames
1938 – P-R surnames
1938 – S-S surnames
1938 – S-T surnames
1938 – U-Z surnames

1939

1939 – A-B surnames
1939 – C-D surnames
1939 – D-E surnames
1939 – F-G surnames
1939 – H-H surnames
1939 – H-J surnames
1939 – K-L surnames
1939 – M-M surnames
1939 – M-O surnames
1939 – P-Q surnames
1939 – R-S surnames
1939 – S-T surnames
1939 – U-W surnames
1939 – X-Z surnames

The names on the 1940–1949 indices use the Russell Soundex method of indexing. You can use a Soundex converter to get the surname code number. Within each code number on the index, the names are arranged alphabetically by the first (given) name of the individual.

1940

1940 – A-B surnames
1940 – C-C surnames
1940 – C-D surnames
1940 – E-F surnames
1940 – G-G surnames
1940 – G-H surnames
1940 – I-J surnames
1940 – K-L surnames
1940 – L-M surnames
1940 – N-O surnames
1940 – O-P surnames
1940 – Q-R surnames
1940 – S-S surnames
1940 – S-T surnames
1940 – U-V surnames
1940 – W-X surnames
1940 – Y-Z surnames

1941

1941 – A-B surnames
1941 – C-D surnames
1941 – D-E surnames
1941 – F-G surnames
1941 – H-H surnames
1941 – H-J surnames
1941 – K-L surnames
1941 – M-M surnames
1941 – M-N surnames
1941 – O-P surnames
1941 – Q-R surnames
1941 – S-S surnames
1941 – S-T surnames
1941 – U-V surnames
1941 – W-X surnames
1941 – Y-Z surnames

1942

1942 – A-B surnames
1942 – C-D surnames
1942 – E-G surnames
1942 – H-J surnames
1942 – K-L surnames
1942 – M-O surnames
1942 – P surnames
1942 – S-S surnames
1942 – T-V surnames
1942 – W-Z surnames

1943

1943 – A-B surnames
1943 – C-D surnames
1943 – E-G surnames
1943 – H-J surnames
1943 – K-L surnames
1943 – M-O surnames
1943 – P-R surnames
1943 – S surnames
1943 – T-V surnames
1943 – W-Z surnames

1944

1944 – A-B surnames
1944 – C-D surnames
1944 – E-G surnames
1944 – H-J surnames
1944 – K-L surnames
1944 – M-O surnames
1944 – P-R surnames
1944 – S-T surnames
1944 – S surnames
1944 – U-V surnames
1944 – W-X surnames
1944 – Y-Z surnames

1945

1945 – A-B surnames
1945 – C-D surnames
1945 – E-G surnames
1945 – H-J surnames
1945 – K-L surnames
1945 – M-O surnames
1945 – P-R surnames
1945 – S-S surnames
1945 – T-V surnames
1945 – W-Z surnames

1946

1946 – A-B surnames
1946 – C-D surnames
1946 – E-G surnames
1946 – H-J surnames
1946 – K-L surnames
1946 – M-O surnames
1946 – P-R surnames
1946 – S-S surnames
1946 – T-V surnames
1946 – W-Z surnames

1947

1947 – A-B surnames
1947 – C-D surnames
1947 – E-G surnames
1947 – H-J surnames
1947 – K-L surnames
1947 – M-O surnames
1947 – P-R surnames
1947 – S-S surnames
1947 – T-V surnames
1947 – W-Z surnames

1948

1948 – A-B surnames
1948 – C-D surnames
1948 – E-G surnames
1948 – H-J surnames
1948 – K-L surnames
1948 – M-O surnames
1948 – P-R surnames
1948 – S-S surnames
1948 – T-V surnames
1948 – W-Z surnames

1949

1949 – A-B surnames
1949 – C-D surnames
1949 – E-G surnames
1949 – H-J surnames
1949 – K-L surnames
1949 – M-O surnames
1949 – P-R surnames
1949 – S-S surnames
1949 – T-V surnames
1949 – W-Z surnames

The names on the 1950–1951 indices use the Russell Soundex method of indexing. You can use a Soundex converter to get the surname code number. Within each code number on the index, the names are arranged alphabetically by the first (given) name of the individual.