Michigan Death Certificates - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of a name index of death records from the Michigan Department of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics in Lansing.

This is only an index. The listed GS film numbers do not correspond to any existing films. See the image availability section below for more of an explanation.

Record Content
The records usually contain the following information:


 * Name of deceased
 * Death date and place
 * Birth date and place
 * Age
 * Marital status
 * Names of parents
 * Name of spouse
 * Race
 * Gender
 * Residence
 * Name and relationship of informant

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

"Michigan, Death Certificates, 1921-1952." FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org). Michigan Department of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing, Michigan. FHL microfilm, 526 reels. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Information about creating source citations for FamilySearch Historical Collections is listed in the wiki article Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections

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


 * Name
 * Date of death
 * Place of death

Search the Collection
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. Look at the list of entries created by your search. 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.

Be aware that search returns may include a GS Film Number. This is not a searchable Family History Library microfilm number and will not lead you to images for your ancestor. The full record can be obtained from Michigan Department of Community Health.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at " FamilySearch Search Tips

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Make a photocopy 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.

The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the names and relationships as a basis for compiling family groups.
 * Use the names, date, and residence or place to locate the individual or family in the census.
 * Use the names and places to locate additional records about the individual or family such as church and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * You may need to compare the information of more than one family or person to make this determination.
 * Look for burial and probate records in the same location.
 * The informant is often a close relative.
 * If no birth date is given, use age listed to determine an approximate birth date.
 * If the deceased is a child, look for records of the parents.
 * Be aware that search returns may include a GS Film Number. This is not a searchable Family History Library microfilm number and will not lead you to images for your ancestor. The full record can be obtained from Michigan Department of Community Health.

If you are unable to find the ancestor you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * Search the records of neighboring counties.
 * Search for an index. Local historical and genealogical societies often have indexes to local records.

Image Availability
The rights to the images are held by the state of Michigan. The state rules prohibit the viewing in electronic copies of records less than 75 years old. Thus if any record within the digital folder is less than 75 years old, known of the records can be viewed. These images were made from digital images, and there is no corresponding film collection of the images. Thus only digital folders with all records pre-dating 1938 would at present be available.

The full record can be obtained from either the state of Michigan, or sometimes from a county. This would require writing to them, and in the case of Michigan paying a $26 fee.

Related Websites
Michigan Department of Community Health

Related Wiki Articles
Michigan Vital Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should 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 Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record Found in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.
 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.