North Carolina Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
These collections are indexes to deaths recorded in North Carolina for the years 1906–1930 and 1931–1994. The State of North Carolina began recording deaths in March 1913. North Carolina death certificates are recorded on a printed form which was filled in by hand or typed. Death records, along with birth and marriage records, were recorded in churches throughout the United States colonial period. However, as early as the 1600s laws were enacted, but not enforced for a civil registry. In the 1900s the idea of a central system began to take hold, and many states began to record vital statistics. All states had birth and death records for their state by 1919 and had complied with the model registration law using a standard certificate. Overtime the content of birth and death records expanded to include details other than name and date of the event. Death certificates now include information on the parents, marital status, occupation, military service, cause of death (direct and contributing factors), citizenship, and the location of death. The information is gathered from attending medical professionals and family members then indexed, processed, and filed by state or local registrar. Information pertaining to death is reliable; including death, name of the attending physician or attending medical professional, name and address of the funeral home used, and the exact date and place of burial. Other information is dependent upon the reliability of the informant.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 3

How Do I Search These Collections?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of person
 * The approximate date of death
 * The place where the death occurred

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of North Carolina.
 * North Carolina Guided Research
 * North Carolina Record Finder
 * North Carolina Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step North Carolina Research, 1880-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Death certificates,1906-1994 and indexes 1906-1967; still births,1914-1953; fetal death indexes,1950-
 * Index to death certificates, 1968-1994

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * North Carolina Historical Records Survey, Service Division, Work Projects Administration, Guide to vital statistics records in North Carolina Raleigh, North Carolina : Historical Records Survey (North Carolina), 1942

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.