Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
This collection contains death records in registers from 1848 to 1908, and death records on certificates from 1908 to 1949.

Record History
In 1847, death records were first recorded in the membership records of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Later in 1851, the State of Deseret authorized the Church to register deaths on behalf of the government. Then in 1860, the Territorial Government of Utah authorized Ogden and Salt Lake City to keep a record of deaths in their cities which was later extended to all cities in 1888. Beginning in 1898, the State of Utah required all medical personnel as well as clergymen, sextons, and parents to register deaths with the county. In 1905 the State of Utah had the county clerks forward the original death record to the State Board of Health, making a second copy for their own county death register. All counties began reporting deaths to the state in 1905, when the Department of Health created the Division of Vital Statistics. A death certificate was required for burial in Utah, so compliance was high. Deaths from 1908 to 1949 were recorded on certificates.

Why This Record Was Created
Deaths were recorded to better serve public health needs. They were also used in connection with the probate of wills and the administration of estates.

Record Reliability
The information recorded about the death is usually reliable, including the cause of death, the name of the attending physician or medical professional, the name and address of the funeral home, and the date and place of burial. The accuracy of other information depends on the reliability of the informant, often a family member.

Record Description
Each death was recorded on a one-page, preprinted form. The same forms were often used by both Salt Lake County and State of Utah.

Record Content
Death entries include the following genealogical information:


 * Death and burial date
 * Birth date (frequently included)
 * City, county, and state of death
 * Name and location of the cemetery
 * Country or state and sometimes town and county of birth for the deceased (frequently included)
 * Country or state and sometimes town and county of birth for the parents (frequently included)
 * Name of the deceased, spouse’s married name, and parents’ names (frequently includes maiden surname of the mother)
 * Name of the informant (often a son or daughter or other family member)
 * Age (frequently listed in years, months, and days)
 * Sex
 * Residence or address (frequently includes how long at that residence or length of time in the United States if foreign born)
 * Marital status (single, married, widowed, or divorced at the time of death)
 * Occupation

How to Use the Record
Death certificates are the best sources of death information. Information on the birth date and birthplace of the individual and names of parents with their places of nativity may lead to more information about the parents. The informant may be a child of the deceased.

Related Websites
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Related Wiki Articles
Utah Vital Records

Sources of This Collection

 * "Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1908-1949," database, FamilySearch Record Search (http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch), 2009; from Salt Lake County Management and Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah.

How to Cite Your Sources
''An example of citing these records is: Salt Lake County Management and Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah. Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1908-1949. Death record. From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org), April 23, 2010. John Hampton Smith, 15 Dec 1944, Image number 00002.

Instructions for citing this source can be found at: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections  ID1459704 Please do not erase or change the identification number, this number is not currently active but will become so when the other death record sets are added. The CID number currently in the template above will no longer work at that time