Chicago "Burial Permit" Index, 1871-1933
About this index
The long title for this index is "Indexes to deaths in the city of Chicago during the years 1871 to 1933 : showing name, address and date of death" but that is somewhat misleading. This index is probably for burial permits, and it includes entries for deaths that occurred inside and outside of Chicago, including out of state. It also includes some stillbirths. One researcher who called the Cook County Clerk's Office to inquire told me that the burial permits are no longer available, but in some cases a register number from this index can lead to a death certificate. (see below)
Format
13 microfilm reels
Arrangement
Alphabetical
FHL Catalog
View Entry
Why search this index?
1) Sometimes an address can help distinguish between two or more individuals with the same name who appear in the Cook County Death Index, 1871-1916 or the Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916-1950;
2) The index lists individuals who died outside the city but are buried in Chicago. Sometimes this can help solve the "mystery" of why a person buried in a city cemetery doesn't appear in the Cook County Death Index. Local certificates for Out of Town Deaths, 1909-1915 are available on 11 microfilms through Family History Centers.
3) Sometimes this index can lead to a death certificate for an individual who does not seem to appear in the Cook County or Statewide Death Indexes mentioned above. If you find an entry for a pre-1916 death in this index, but aren't able to find a certificate number in the online or microfiche index, it is worth scrolling thorough the certificate film for the surname letter/month/year. I have found a number of certificates in this way.
For pre-1916 death certificates, the register number in this index matches the number that is stamped on the death certificates but not the one that is handwritten. It is not useful in locating the pre-1916 death certificates on films that are arranged by the second, handwritten number, but it is useful in locating certificates if they fall on the "mixed" films from 1908-1915.
4) If you find an entry for a death record 1916-1933, the register is the same as the certificate number that you'd find in the Illinois Statewide Death Index and it can be used to find the certificate on Family History Library films.
5) If you find an entry for a Chicago death before 1878, the Cook County Clerk's Office can most likely provide you with death information transcribed from a death register. (I have a copy of an 1874 death that I obtained that way.)
Information included in the index
name of the individual
date of death
address where the death occurred (for Chicago deaths) or city, state (for out-of-town deaths)
various coded notations, for example "OT" means "out of town"; "SB" means ""stillbirth"; I believe the other codes in front of pre-1916 entries refer to register books
a register or certificate number (to the right of the death date)