Article summary: Death records contain more than just a date of death. You can find out important information about a relative searching these vital county records.

When searching county vital records in an effort to trace your family history or just out of curiosity, you probably look at birth record and marriage records. You may think that death records contain little information about a person except for when they died. That is not the case. Death records will provide you with important information about a person and may help you trace your family lineage back more steps than you could have imagined. Here’s some of the information you can find in death records:

• The birthplace of the person. You may not have known that your grandfather was born overseas until you looked at his death record. Sometimes a county coroner will not check other county vital records to verify the deceased’s birth place and will assume that the person was born in the town they died. Most of the time a family member or relative will be able to give someone the correct date of birth to be included on death records.
• The name of the deceased person’s parents. Have you always wondered who your great-great grandmother was? You can find her name on your great grandmother’s death certificate.
• Date of birth. Some people lie about their ages their whole life. However death records must be as accurate as possible and even if a person lied to everyone, the death record will reveal the truth.
• Cause of death. If a person died tragically, you may not want to know this information. However if your ancestors lived to be very old and the cause of death on the death records is listed as “natural causes”.
• Where they died. If you are searching through very old county vital records, knowing where someone died is important. Death records are normally filed where a person died. Your great-great grandfather may have been born in one place, but moved to and lived out his years in another place, where he died. If you know an ancestor died in the Civil War but you don’t know where, the place of death (and possibly the name of the battle), will be listed on the death record.

Searching through county vital records is not always easy. If you don’t know where someone died, you may have to call or visit many agencies and counties to find death records. This can be time consuming and expensive. However, using  online record search companies that compile this information in one place can make the job easier.  You don’t have to leave your home to find the death records you need and how to obtain a copy.

When a loved one dies, there must be time for grief. Especially if the death was unexpected, the survivors will need time to deal with their loss. In this time of despair, important issues like obtaining the death record, probating a will, filing a life insurance claim or filing for death benefits may not be handled. After all, there are many other considerations such as the funeral arrangements and notifying family and friends.

Fast forward to weeks or maybe months later and the surviving spouse or child realizes they need to make sure the death record is filed. And if the loved one died in another state or county, they may not know where it was filed, where or with what agency. Some states have different methods for filing death records and house them in different agencies. Even though the initial shock of the death has passed, finding a death record is a daunting, draining task on survivors.

Death records are needed if families are going to collect any kind of benefit—life insurance, military or Social Security. And if you are having a hard time finding the death records, your family could be suffering because you are not collecting money to provide for them.

Instead of making countless phone calls or driving from courthouse to courthouse, family members can find death records in one convenient place. Online record search companies obtain this important information and make it available to consumers. What are the advantages to searching for death records using an online record search company?

• You can search privately. You don’t have to talk to anyone on the phone and explain you situation or the circumstances of your loved ones death. You simply log onto the computer and find an online records company that lists vital statistics. You don’t have to tell anyone that you are searching for the death record.
• The searches are easy. All you have to do is go to the company’s site, enter your information and wait for the data to pop onto your screen. Even if you are not computer literate, you can easily navigate online search companies.
• The searches are inexpensive.

Genealogists have used online search engines since the late 1990s to help them in their search for death records as they trace their family history. Using this tool to find the death record is also a convenient way to find a death record if you are a grieving family. Especially if the death was sudden or tragic, you want to spend as little time searching for death records and dealing with these details and as much time as possible with your family.