GuidedResearch:Why Can't I Find the Record - Massachusetts Deaths

This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find death information for your ancestor. Use this page after first completing the death section of the Massachusetts Guided Research page.

Additional Databases and Online Resources

 * 1620-1988:  Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records  - ($)
 * 1620-1850:  Massachusetts, Town Death Records  - ($)
 * 1862-2014:  United States Social Security Death Index 
 * 1935-2014:  U.S., Social Security Death Index  - ($)
 * 1936-2007:  U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index  - ($)

Additional Records with Death Information
Substitute records can contain information about more than one event, and are used when records for an event are not available. Because the substitute records may not be created at the time of the event, it may contain incorrect information. Search for as many substitute records as possible to corroborate information found in substitute records to help improve accuracy.

Tips for finding deaths
Success with finding death records in online databases depends on a few key points:
 * Your ancestor's name may misspelled. Try the following search tactics:
 * Try different spelling variations of the first and last name of your ancestor.
 * Try a given name search (leave out the last names)


 * Expand the date range of the search.
 * Try searching with the state name only instead of by county.
 * If your ancestor's name is common, try adding more information to narrow the search.

Known Record Gaps
Records Start
 * Death records begin in 1639 but registration was inconsistent in some areas.

Records Published Collection coverage tables show the places and time periods of original records published. Check the coverage table for the collections you searched which did not include your ancestor. Gaps in the online collection may require searches in other records or original birth records at an archive.
 * Massachusetts Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Records Destroyed The following counties had record loss. Click on the county for more information. United States Counties With Records Loss map - Zoom in to the state and click on a county marked in red to see date details.