GuidedResearch:Why Can't I Find the Record - Manitoba 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 Manitoba Guided Research page.

Other Databases

 * 1834-1959: Manitoba, Canada, Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials  at Ancestry ($)
 * 1871-1947: Web: Manitoba, Death Index  at Ancestry (free)

Online Images (Browsable Only)
Some collections have not been indexed but are available to browse image by image.
 * 1800-1959: Manitoba Church Records  at FamilySearch

How to Request the Record When It's Not Online
Province-wide registration for deaths started in 1882. General compliance occurred in the 1920s. A few death records exist before then. To learn more about record limitations and restrictions, see the article Manitoba Vital Records.

To order death records from 1870-1948, contact:


 * Vital Statistics Agency 254 Portage Avenue Winnipeg MB R3C 0B6 Phone: 204-945-3701 Email: [mailto:vitalstats@gov.mb.ca vitalstats@gov.mb.ca] Website

NOTE: Death records are confidential for deaths less than 70 years ago. If either party or an immediate next of kin is living, written consent is required to order a record 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.

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 year or place of death.
 * Date range. Expand the date range of the search by 5 years.
 * Search province. Search using the province name only instead of by smaller locality.

Known Record Gaps
Records Start
 * 1882 Civil registration for deaths began. Before 1882, deaths and burials can be found in church records.
 * 1920s Universal compliance to registration was achieved in Manitoba.

Records Destroyed
 * Some vital and parish records have been lost as a result of fires.