New Hampshire Death Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
This collection includes information for the years 1639 to 1948. However the majority of the records are after 1900.

Record Description
This collection includes records from the New Hampshire Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics as well as records from individual town and country clerks. The earlier records are handwritten. Later records are handwritten or typed on printed forms.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in most records of the New Hampshire Statewide Deaths are:


 * Name of deceased
 * Date and place of death Age
 * Length of time in the community
 * Date and place of birth
 * Gender
 * Color or race
 * Occupation
 * Marital status
 * Name of father and mother (including maiden name) and their place of birth
 * Name of spouse
 * Place and date of interment

How to Use the Collection
Death records are the best source of death and burial information. The death record may provide clues for further research: date and place of birth of the individual, names of parents, place of residence, etc. In addition to the information listed below, the later records also contain the name and address of the informant, the usual residence of the deceased, and if foreign born how long in the U.S.

Record History
Town clerks began recording deaths as early as 1640. However, the earlier records do not give much information and the information varies depending upon the clerk.

In 1866 the state passed laws requiring the registration of vital events. It is estimated that by 1883 almost half of the population was listed in the vital records with 90 percent coverage by the end of the decade.

The Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics was created in 1905. They have copies of records made by the town clerks dating from about 1640 to the present.

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 most reliable information is the date and place of death or burial. Other information will only be as reliable as the informant’s knowledge or memory.

Related Web Sites
Some of the cemeteries in New Hampshire have listings on this page at Interment.net: http://www.interment.net/us/nh/index.htm

Related Wiki Articles
New Hampshire Vital Records

Sources of Information for This Collection
"New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947," database, FamilySearch Record Search, 2010; from New Hampshire Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics. “Death certificates, 1901-1937," "New Hampshire Statewide Death Records, 1938-1947," "New Hampshire Statewide Death Records Early to 1900." Bureau of Vital Records, Concord. FHL microfilm. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Full bibliographic records are avaialable in the FamilyHistory Library Catalog:



Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection
New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947 digital images, From Family Searc Internet (www.familysearch.org: January 21, 2011). Death of Cora S. Williams, 25 March 1911, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, film number 2131634