Washington Death Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes death records from the Washington State Archives for the years 1965 to 2014. There is an index and images of deaths recorded with the state. The following counties have free access:

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following facts can be found in these death records:
 * Name and age of deceased
 * Sex or gender of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Residence of deceased at time of death
 * Birth date of deceased

How Do I Search This Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:


 * Name of the person
 * The location or date of the event

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?

 * Copy the citation below, in case you need to find this record again later
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find other vital information such as birth, baptism, and marriage
 * Search for additional death or burial information in local obituaries and cemetery records
 * Use the information found in the record to find records related to land, property and probate
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in the census records
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family. Witnesses were often family members

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Consult the Washington Research Tips and Strategies and its Record Finder to search other records
 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

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.


 * Collection Citation:"Washington Death Index, 1965-2014." Database. FamilySearch. https://FamilySearch.org : 13 July 2017. From the Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2014. Database. Washington State Archives, Digital Archives. https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Collections/TitleInfo/472 : n.d. Citing Washington State Department of Health.

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