West Virginia Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection is an index of deaths and burials for the years 1854 to 1932 taken from church records and civil registration. This index is not complete for any particular place, region or time period. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 2

Coverage Table
A Coverage table for this collection is available in the wiki article West Virginia Deaths and Burials, Coverage Table - FamilySearch Historical Records

How Do I Search This Collection?
To search the collection it is helpful to know the following:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of death
 * The residence of your ancestor
 * Names of other relatives

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the death date or age along with the place of death to find or verify their birth records and parents' names
 * Use the death date or age along with the place of death to find the family in census records
 * Use the residence and names of the parents (if the deceased is a child) to locate church and land records
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment records or military records
 * The name of the informant may be a relative. This can be helpful in identifying your ancestor
 * The name of the officiator is a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records which often include the names and residences of other family members
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have died or been buried in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * 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?

 * The records are very brief, so it is easy to confuse individuals in the index. In addition, an individual may be listed multiple times with slight spelling variations of their name
 * 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
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur
 * 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

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of West Virginia.
 * West Virginia Guided Research
 * West Virginia Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step West Virginia Research, 1880-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * West Virginia. Division of State Statistics. Certificates of deaths, 1917-1973; indexes, 1917-1991
 * West Virginia. Division of State Statistics. Disinterment and reburials, 1980-1993

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * West Virginia Historical Records Survey, Division of Community Service Programs, Works Projects Administration. Inventory of public vital statistics records in West Virginia. 2 volumes. Charleston, West Virginia : West Virginia Historical Records Survey, 1941-1942

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.