Canada, Prince Edward Island Death Card Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
This collection covers records from 1721 to 1905

Record Description
This collection is made up of index cards with an individual’s name typed onto the card. There is one card per death record. They are arranged alphabetically by family name. On some of the records the ink has faded or the image was blurred when the photo was taken, although almost all the records are legible.

Record Content
Burial records may contain the following:


 * Name of the deceased


 * Date of burial


 * Place of death


 * Religious denomination


 * Age


 * Place of birth (on some records only)


 * Place of internment (on some records only)

How to Use the Records
Begin your search by looking for your ancestors by their surname. The index cards in this collection are arranged alphabetically by an individual’s surname. Compare the information in the death record with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination. Be aware that transcription errors may have occurred.

When you have located your ancestor’s death record, carefully evaluate each piece of information about them. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

For example:

• Use the birth date along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.

• Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records.

• Use the place of burial to identify former residences and to help establish a migration pattern for the family.

It is often helpful to extract the information on all children with the same parents. If the surname is unusual, you may want to compile death entries for every person of the same surname and sort them into families. Continue to search the death records to identify siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same or other generations who were buried in the same county or nearby.

Keep in mind:

• The information in death records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.

• Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.

• There is also some variation in the information given from record to record.

Record History
The government of Prince Edward Island did not make the recording of deaths mandatory until 1906. This collection was created from newspapers, church records, and other sources. The information given is limited and the source of the information is not always clear or provided. The card index was prepared by the Prince Edward Island Division of Vital Statistics.

Why This Collection Was Created?
These records were created to provide information on deaths and burials in Prince Edward Island before the recording of deaths became mandatory.

Record Reliability
These records are generally reliable. The information was gathered from newspapers and other various sources the records are as reliable as the source.

Related Web Sites
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Related Wiki Articles
Prince Edward Island

Sources of Information for This Collection:
“Prince Edward Island Death Card Index, 1721-1905,” database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/); from Prince Edward Island Division of Vital Statistics. Digital images of originals housed at Public Archives of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. FHL microfilm, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: How to Create Source Citations for FamilySearch Historical Records Collections

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from the record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find th record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you do 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: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections

Please add sample citations to this article following the format guidelines in the wiki article listed above.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection
"Prince Edward Island Death Card Index, 1721-1905." index and images, FamilySearch www.familysearch.org: accessed April 1, 2011).  entry for Mrs. James Mitchell, buried 10 April 1894;  citing Death Card Indexes,  Mallard-McAree, Image 357; Prince Edward Island Division of Vital Statistics, Public Archives of Prince Edward Island, Charlotetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.