Kentucky Death Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
These records cover the time period 1911-1955.

How to Use the Records
Death certificates are the best source of death information. Information about the birth of the individual and names of the parents could lead to further information regarding the parents.

Record Description
Deaths were recorded on a pre-printed form. Certificates are arranged first by year, then by month, then alphabetically by county. Each year has sequential certificate numbers. Each month and the section of certificates between each month may include certificates for earlier months or years. In the last column of the index, the year date indicates the year where certificate can be found.

Record Content
Information may include the following:

• Name of the deceased

• Date of birth

• Place of birth

• Marital status

• Sex

• 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

Record History
Beginning in 1852, death records were kept sporadically by individual counties and cities. In 1910, the Kentucky General Assembly passed a law to provide for the registration of births and deaths, which was instituted in 1911. By 1917, compliance with the law was about 90%.

Why This Collection Was Created?
Deaths were recorded to better serve public health needs. Death certificates were also used in connection with the probate of wills and the administration of estates.

Record Reliability
Information regarding the event of death is usually reliable. Other information, such as the birthplace of an individual or names of the parents, is only as reliable as the knowledge of the informant.

Related Web Sites
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Related Wiki Articles
Kentucky Vital Records

Kentucky Vital Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

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

Please add sample citations to this article following the format guidelines in the wiki article listed above. Examples of citations:


 * United States. Bureau of the Census. 12th census, 1900, digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: September 29, 2006), Arizona Territory, Maricopa, Township 1, East Gila, Salt River Base and Meridian; sheet 9B, line 71
 * Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886-1933, digital images, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: April 22, 2010), Baptism of Adolfo Fernandez Jimenez, 1 Feb. 1910, San Pedro Apóstol, Cuahimalpa, Distrito Federal, Mexico, film number 0227023

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Style Guide
For guidelines to use in creating wiki articles that describe collections of images and indexes produced by FamilySearch, see: FamilySearch Wiki: Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages

Sources of Information for This Collection:
“Kentucky Statewide Deaths, 1911-1955,” database, FamilySearch Historical Records, 2010; from Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics. “Kentucky Death Certificates, 1911-1955.” Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics, Frankfort. FHL microfilm. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: How to Create Source Citations for FamilySearch Historical Records Collections