Massachusetts Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection is an index of deaths and burials for the years 1795-1910 taken from the following sources:
 * Indexed church records
 * 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: • 3 Each entry in this index has a source listed which includes a batch number. You will need to trace the batch number for the individual entry to learn its source. Please see the following articles for more information on batch numbers:
 * IGI
 * IGI Batch Number Descriptions
 * IGI Batch Numbers for the British Isles and North America

If an Family History Library film number is given in the entry for your ancestor, search for it in the FamilySearch Catalog to get complete information about where it was filmed and the contents.

Coverage Table
The coverage table shows the places and time periods of the original records in this collection. The table indicates how many records the collection has from each place. Most of the records in the collection are from the time periods listed in the table; however, the collection may have a few records from before or after the time period.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of death or burial
 * The residence of your ancestor at the time of the death

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?

 * 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

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

Family History Library Holdings

 * Births, marriages (1841-1895), and deaths (1841-1899)
 * Massachusetts vital records, 1896-1897, 1899-1900
 * Register of births, marriages, deaths, 1901-1905
 * Massachusetts birth, marriage, death records, 1906-1910, from town clerks
 * Massachusetts vital records deaths, births, marriages, 1911-1915
 * Massachusetts, birth records, 1921-1924

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915, 1921-1924
 * Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003
 * Massachusetts Town Deaths Index, ca. 1640-1961
 * Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Guide to the public vital records of Massachusetts. Boston, Massachusetts : Historical Records Survey, 1942
 * Carroll D. Wright. Report on the custody and condition of the public records of parishes, towns, and counties. Boston, Massachusetts : Wright & Potter, 1889

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.