Iowa Mortality Schedules - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in this Collection?
The Iowa Mortality Schedules collection consists of an index and images of mortality schedules in Iowa from 1850–1880. Mortality schedules include individuals who died in the year preceding the federal census. Mortality schedules exist for the census year 1850, 1860, and 1880. Census enumerators requested information from the head of household about deaths that had occurred from June 1st to May 31st of the previous year. In 1918 to 1919, the Bureau of the Census distributed the original schedules to states or to the National Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution when states were not interested. Mortality schedules list a small percentage of the total population. At the time of the 1870 census, it was surmised that as many as one-third of all deaths were not reported. For instance, when a family was scattered by the death of the head of household, there was no one left to report it. In 1880, a supplemental report from attending physicians added 60,000 additional names to the schedules. In the absence of vital registration in many states, mortality schedules provided nationwide death statistics for one year of each decade, 1850–1880. According to the official statistical report for 1870, this was done to assess the death rate for age-groups, sex, race, nationality, and occupation and to “deduc[e] the effect of the various conditions of life upon the duration of life.” Census mortality schedules are usually accurate, but this accuracy depended on the knowledge of the informant and the care of the census enumerator.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Information in the records may vary by year, but they usually contain the following:
 * Name, age, gender, and color of deceased
 * Free person or slave
 * Whether married or widowed
 * Birthplace (state, territory, or country)
 * Month in which death occurred
 * Occupation (profession or trade)
 * Cause of death
 * If parents were foreign born (1870 Census only)
 * Length of residence in the United States (1880 Census only)
 * Father’s and mother’s birthplace (1880 Census only)

Coverage Table
Iowa’s first two counties, Demoine and DuBuque, were formed while Iowa was still part of Michigan Territory in 1834. New counties were by legislation as population warranted. Counties were first formed along the Mississippi River with the territory to the west of each county under the jurisdiction of the eastern county until an area gained enough population to form a county. Early counties were large and established to maintain law and order. These boundaries were not intended to be permanent. When Iowa became a state there were 33 counties, over time there have been as many as 100 counties. Some counties disappeared altogether and others were absorbed into other counites. Today there are 99 counties. Because shifting boundaries, not all cities reside in the county of the same name. The coverage table Iowa Mortality Schedules lists all the counties in Iowa that have images in this collection. Then under each DGS number across from the corresponding county are the image numbers.

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual
 * The place of residence

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.

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?
Mortality schedules are a national level file of state-by-state death registers. Using the death information, you can search for:
 * Obituaries, mortuary records, cemeteries, and probate records, all of which may provide additional genealogical information.
 * Mortality schedules also list ages and birthplaces for a time when births were not reported.
 * Use this information to look for other records that may provide information about the individual, parents, and siblings.
 * Add any new information you find to your records.
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference; see the section Citing this Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image.

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

 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name.
 * 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 name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * 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.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * 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.
 * There is also the possibility that the individual was missed in the mortality schedule.

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:

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