New York, State Death Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is in This Collection?
Index and images of the New York State Department of Health index to deaths registered between June 1880 and December 31, 1956. The index does not include deaths for New York City with a few exceptions for Flushing (Queens) and Canarsie (Brooklyn). Deaths for Yonkers, Buffalo and Albany are not included until 1915.


 * See also Finding New York State Death Records: Insights from the Experts New York Researcher: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society 34 1# (Spring 2023): 5-8. FS Library 974.71 D25n

What Can these Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in this record:
 * Place of death (Country, state, town)
 * Date of death (Month, day, year)
 * First and last name of deceased
 * Certificate number

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 online collections see the online article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the certificate number to request a copy of the death certificate
 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date
 * Use the location find the family in census, church, and land records
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have died in the same place or nearby
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur

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

 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * Look for a different index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of New York.
 * New York Guided Research
 * New York Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step New York Research, 1880-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * New York, state death index, 1880-1956

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * prepared by the Historical Records Survey, Division of Community Service Programs, Work Projects Administration, Guide to public vital statistics records in New York State (including New York City) 3 volumes. Albany, New York : Historical Records Survey (New York), 1942
 * New York State. Department of Health. Gazetteer, New York State Albany, New York : New York State Dept. of Health, 1980

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. Below are the proper citations to use for this whole collection as well as for individual records and images within it: