Massachusetts Death Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

For detailed information about Massachusetts research, see the Massachusetts Genealogy Guide page.

Record Description
This Collection will include records from 1970 to 2003.

The collection consists of indexes to deaths from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Health Services in Boston. The index is provided by Ancestry.com.

Record Content
The index lists the following information:


 * Age at Death
 * Estimated Birth Year
 * DGS Number
 * Date of Death
 * Certificate Number or page number
 * GSU Film Number
 * Image number
 * Name of Deceased
 * Name of Father
 * Name of Mother
 * Name of Spouse
 * Place of Death
 * Sex
 * Page Number

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The name of the person at the time of death
 * The place where the death occurred
 * The approximate death date

Search the Collection
To search the collection fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at the information on several individuals comparing the information about them to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of their name, throughout their life.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

Using the Information
Use the locator information found in the index (such as page, entry, or certificate number) to locate your ancestor in the death records. When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * You may need to compare the information of more than one family or person to make this determination.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * 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.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.

Related Websites

 * Online Massachusetts Death Indexes and Records
 * Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Services

Related Wiki Articles

 * Massachusetts Vital Records
 * Massachusetts History

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. 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. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):