Massachusetts Death Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes 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.

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

Death
 * 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 Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:


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

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.

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

 * 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

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

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

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections

 * Massachusetts Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910
 * Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915, 1921-1924
 * Massachusetts Town Deaths Index, ca. 1640-1961
 * Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001

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.