Death Records
Death records are another essential piece of information if you are researching someone for a family tree or other reasons. These records can be more difficult to find than others because they are often poorly organized and difficult to access. Most death certificates will include vital information like the full name of the person, the cause of death and the date and time of death. In some cases, the certificate will also include where the person is buried and who reported the death. Death records can be obtained by requesting them from the county where the death took place. However, this process, like finding birth certificates, is time consuming. Many online record searches offer death records for a low fee, and the results can be obtained almost instantaneously.
How Death Records are Managed
Death records, like birth certificates and other vital records, are under state jurisdiction. In order for one to be issued, a physician or coroner must determine who the deceased is and how they died. If the person was on life support or in a position where it is not completely clear that they have passed, a neurologist may be called to verify brain death. Physicians must immediately submit a death record to the government or face criminal charges and/or loss of their license.
In rare cases, an executive order or court order can cause a death certificate to be issued. This is generally the case of missing persons that are assumed dead or victims of mass disasters.
In the cases where cause of death is obvious and there is no suspicion of foul play, a police officer or paramedic may sign the death certificate. They may also be able to sign death certificates for SIDS victims in some jurisdictions, but generally any deaths involving a minor must be certified by a doctor. While accidental deaths that do not have a chance of survival may also be certified, an autopsy is still often performed to rule out drugs or alcohol playing a role in the person’s death.
How to Obtain a Copy of a Death Certificate
Because of privacy laws, death certificates are generally only available to direct kin, and proof of identity must be given. In most cases, you will need to contact the state that the person died in, as the CDC notes. If you are unaware of the exact location of a person’s death, you can try performing a search by state for the proper authorities.
If you are interested in obtaining death records for genealogy purposes, you should remember that state records have only been kept in recent history. This may cause it to be difficult to find death records for great-grandparents and previous descendents. If the person died after 1935, you can try searching the Social Security Death Index to find records of their death. If the name is common, it is helpful to have other information, such as their social security number, to make it easier to search the records.
Why You Would Need a Death Record
Many people wonder why they would need a death record, since the person is deceased and would not be applying for benefits, getting married, or performing other activities that would require certification. Family members of the deceased may be surprised at the many situations where they will need proof of death. Examples include:
- Bill collection – If the deceased had debts at the time of their death, they may still continue to receive payment notices until the collector has been given proof of their death.
- Collecting insurance benefits – If the deceased had an insurance policy, the company may refuse payment until they receive proof of debt.
- Estate division – In order for the will to be put into effect and/or the assets of the deceased to be divided up among friends and family, proof of death must be provided.
- Government funds – If the deceased was receiving a pension, welfare, or other government services, then proof of death is required to stop the program.
- Voting – Sneaky politicians have tried to use the names of the deceased to pad their vote count, so death certificates act as a way to prevent this from happening.