New Jersey Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection is an index of deaths and burials for the years 1720-1988 taken from church records and civil registration. This index is not complete for any particular place, region or time period. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index.

When using this collection be aware that when volunteers entered data from the 1878-1900 New Jersey birth, marriage, and death index registers, the date spans were misunderstood. The registers span from July of one year through June of the next (excepting a set of registers covering June 1878, and another set covering July-Dec 1900). Unfortunately, much of the data entry was done as if the registers covered single calendar years. Thus, many if not most of the events from the months of January, February, March, April, May, and June during the 1878-1900 period are shown in your databases with the wrong year, the date is generally one year too early.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Name
 * Gender
 * Date of death
 * Place of death
 * Age
 * Date of birth
 * FS Library Microfilm and item numbers for the source materials
 * Marital status
 * Names of parents
 * Name of spouse
 * Race
 * Occupation
 * Birthplace
 * Birthplace of parents
 * Residence

Coverage Table
The coverage table shows the places and time periods of the original records in this collection. The table indicates how many records the collection has from each place. Most of the records in the collection are from the time periods listed in the table; however, the collection may have a few records from before or after the time period.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of death or burial
 * The residence of your ancestor at the time of the death

Search the Index
Finding the Original Source for an Entry in This Collection

Each entry in this index has a source listed which includes a batch number. You will need to trace the batch number for the individual entry to learn its source. Please see the following wiki articles for more information on batch numbers:


 * IGI
 * IGI Batch Number Descriptions
 * IGI Batch Numbers for the British Isles and North America

If an FS Library film number is given in the entry for your ancestor, search for it in the FamilySearch Catalog.

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.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s death record, carefully evaluate each piece of information about them. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

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

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Search for birth and marriage records
 * Search for the family in census records
 * Use the residence and names of the parents (if the deceased is a child) to locate church and land records
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment records or military records
 * The name of the officiator is a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records which often include the names and residences of other family members
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have died or been buried in the same county or nearby This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur
 * Search the FamilySearch Catalog to see if other records for this place are available

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of New Jersey.
 * New Jersey Guided Research
 * New Jersey Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * New Jersey index to records of births, marriages, and deaths, 1848-1900
 * New Jersey W.P.A. birth and death records, early to 1900
 * Gloucester County Historical Society, Index to death records, 1670-1988

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * New Jersey, Deaths, 1670-1988
 * New Jersey, Death Index, 1901-1903; 1916-1929

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * New Jersey Historical Records Survey, Division of Community Service Programs, Work Projects Administration. Guide to vital statistics records in New Jersey. 2 volumes. Newark, New Jersey : Historical Records Survey (New Jersey), 1941

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.