Virginia, Death Certificates - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection consists of images of death certificates from the Virginia State Department of Health for the years 1913 to 1987. Certificate images courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Record Content
Information found in death records may include:


 * Name of deceased
 * Date and place of birth
 * Date and place of death
 * Date and place of burial
 * Gender
 * Race
 * Marital status
 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Parent's names
 * Parent's birth place
 * Genealogical Society of Utah microfilm number
 * Volume, page, and certificate number

How to Use the Records
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The place where the death occurred
 * The name of the person at the time of death
 * The approximate death date

Search the Collection
To search by index: To search the collection fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at the information on several individuals comparing the information about them to your ancestors to make this determination.

To search by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the "Place" category ⇒Select the “Record Type and Year Range" category which takes you to the images

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of their name, throughout their life.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find or verify their birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth 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.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Occupations listed can lead you to employment records or other types of records such as military records.
 * 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.
 * If you are unable to find the ancestor you are looking for, check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * The most reliable information is the name, date and place of death and burial. Other information will only be as reliable as the informant’s knowledge or memory.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Related Websites
Virginia Department of Health

Related Wiki Articles
Virginia Vital Records

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.