Kentucky Death Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index and images of state death certificates located at the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics in Frankfort, Kentucky. Certificates are arranged first by year, then by month, then alphabetically by county. They have continuous certificate numbers for each year. Each month or certificates between months may have certificates for earlier months/years and certificates may also be for older deaths.The year date in the last column of the index indicates with which year the certificate is found. The collection covers the years 1911 to 1965.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:


 * Name of the deceased
 * Date of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Marital status
 * Gender
 * Race


 * Age at death
 * Occupation
 * Date of death
 * Time of death
 * Place of death
 * Address of the deceased


 * Parents’ names
 * Places of birth of the parents
 * Date of burial
 * Place of burial
 * Cause of death
 * Name and address of the informant

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching the collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate year of death
 * The place where your ancestor died
 * The names of family members and their relationships

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 given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details.

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

 * Use the information to search for the family in census records
 * Use information to search for church records
 * Use the information to search for obituaries
 * Continue to search the index to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have died in the same place or nearby
 * 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
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities

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

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.