Florida Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records

This wiki article describes a collection that is available for free online at FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. To access the collection, see Florida Deaths, 1877-1939

Collection Time Period
This collection includes certificates for the dates 1877-1939.

Collection History
The data was obtained from the Florida Department of Health and Vital Statistics Vital Records. Although Key West and other Florida cities began keeping vital records as early as 1865, statewide registration officially began recording birth and death events in 1927. The records cover virtually all the people who died in Florida during the noted years.

Why This Collection Was Created
Death certificates were created to record deaths in Florida in compliance with state law to answer the need for accurate statistical data on deaths and epidemics. They were also used in connection with the probate of wills and the administration of estates.

Collection Reliability
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.

Collection Description
This is an online index only.

Collection Content
The key genealogical facts found in most Florida death certificates are:


 * Dates of death and burial
 * Frequently, birth date of the deceased
 * City, county, and state of death
 * Name and location of the cemetery where buried
 * Frequently, the country or state and sometimes the town and county of birth for the deceased
 * Name of the deceased
 * Names and birthplaces of the parents of the deceased
 * Name of the informant, who is often a child or other family member
 * Age and race of the deceased
 * Sex of the deceased
 * Residence or address of the deceased, often including length of residence at that place or in the United States, if foreign-born
 * Whether the deceased was single, married, widowed, or divorced at the time of death
 * Residence and occupation of the deceased

How To Use The Collection
The index includes brief information from the death certificates. After you have found an entry, your next step is to obtain the certificate. The certificate will contain further information for research, including the deceased’s birth date and birthplace, spouse’s name, parents’ names, residence, and name of the informant who provided the information. Informants are often a close relative such as the spouse, a son, or daughter of the deceased. Be aware that any index may contain transcription errors.

Related Articles
Florida Vital Records