GuidedResearch:Why Can't I Find the Record - Maryland Deaths

This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find death information for your ancestor. Use this page after first completing the death section of the Maryland Guided Research page.

Additional Databases and Online Resources

 * 1600s-2017:  United States Obituary Notices  at Findmypast ($)
 * 1697-1800:  WEB: Maryland State Archives, Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry ($)
 * 1790-2007: Web: Washington County, Maryland, Obituary Index  at Ancestry ($)

How to Request the Record When It's Not Online
Beginning in 1898, Maryland law required counties to record deaths. General compliance occurred in the 1910s. An earlier law, in 1865, also required the recording of deaths, but there was low compliance and only limited information recorded. To learn more about record limitations and restrictions, see the article How to Find Maryland Death Records. To find or order death records after 1865, visit or contact:


 * Maryland State Archives 350 Rowe Blvd. Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: (410) 260-6400 Website Guide to Government Records
 * Death records can be viewed onsite or a research request can be made.

To order death records after 1969, contact:


 * Maryland Department of Health Division of Vital Records P.O. Box 68760 Baltimore, MD 21215-0036 Website

NOTE: Death records are confidential starting in 1969. Only surviving relatives of the deceased may order a death certificate during this restricted period (see Restrictions for more details).

Additional Records with Death Information
Substitute records can contain information about more than one event, and are used when records for an event are not available. Because the substitute records may not be created at the time of the event, it may contain incorrect information. Search for as many substitute records as possible to corroborate information found in substitute records to help improve accuracy.

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Tips for finding deaths
Successfully finding death records in online databases depends on a few key points. Try the following search suggestions:
 * Spelling variations. Your ancestor's name may be misspelled. Search with spelling variations for the first and last name of your ancestor.
 * Search given name. Search by given name (leave out the last name) with the approximate date of birth or death.
 * Add information. For common names, add more information to narrow the search such as approximate birth date or parent's names if known.
 * Date range. Expand the date range of the search by 5 years.
 * Search state. Search using the state name only instead of by county.

Known Record Gaps
Records Start
 * 1865-1884 Deaths recorded at County Circuit Courts but registration was inconsistent.
 * 1898-1972 Deaths recorded at the county level.

Records Published by FamilySearch Collection coverage tables show the places and time periods of original records published by FamilySearch. For any FamilySearch collections you did not find your ancestor in, check the coverage table for gaps in the online collection. If the time period or location your ancestor lived in is missing from the collection, it may require searches in records found at original repository or finding substitute records for the event.
 * Maryland Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Records Destroyed The following counties had record loss. Click on the county for more information.