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Learn More About Chicago Death Records

Chicago Death Index, 1871-1933

Chicago Death Certificates, 1878-1915

Chicago Death Certificates, 1916-1947

Out-of-town Death Certificates, 1909-1915

Cook County Coroner's Death Certificates, 1879-1904

How to Find Chicago Death Records

Quick Links: Before 1871 | 1871-1877 | 1878-1922 | 1923-1947 | After 1947

How to Find Chicago Death Certificates Before 1871


Chicago death certificates are not available until late 1871 because the "Chicago Fire of October 8, 1871 destroyed all county vital records prior to that date." (See "Genealogy Records" at the Cook County Clerk's Office website)

Try checking alternate sources of information such as those listed below.

How to Find Chicago Death Certificates, 1871-1877


Step 1

Check the Chicago Death Index, 1871-1933 (microfilm index). It includes deaths before 1878 that are not included in the Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index.

If you find an entry in the index, proceed to Step 2.
If you don't find an entry in the index, proceed to Step 3.

Step 2
Check with the Cook County Clerk's office to see if they can provide the information you need. The County Clerk's office has early death registers and they can provide transcriptions on death certificate forms.

Step 3
Try checking alternate sources of information such as those listed below.

How to Find Chicago Death Certficates, 1878-1922

These certificates are online for free at FamilySearch's Record Search.

If you're not able to find the death record you're looking for there, try the suggestions below.

1. Check the Pre-1916 Statewide Death Index (online) or the Cook County Death Index, 1878-1916 (microfiche). If you find an index entry that says "Chiago" try finding the record at FamilySearch using the approach I describe in a blog post: Finding Chicago Death Records that "Aren't On" FamilySearch: Indirect Approach.

If the entry says "Cook County," it's possible the record isn't included in the database. Check with IRAD at NEIU to see if the record is available from there or email me for a lookup. Many Cook County death certficates from the late 1880s and early 1890s are missing on the Cook County death certificate films. If IRAD is unable to provide a copy of the certificate, check with the Cook County Clerk's office to see if they can provide death information from a death register.

2) Check the Coroner's Inquest Index, 1872–1911. If a name is there and the death was 1904 or earlier, then the person will have a coroner's death certificate instead of a "regular" one. As of July, 2010 those records don't seem to be included in the database. They are available on Family History Library films and I offer that lookup.

If you can't find an entry in the online index, try the suggestions below.

1) Search the Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index using Stephen Morse's One Step page. It will allow you to filter for age and year of death and it's a good way to find names that are misspelled. If you find an entry, follow the directions above to find the death certificate.

2) Check the Chicago Death Index, 1871-1933. (The actual title in the catalog is "Indexes to deaths in the city of Chicago during the years 1871 to 1933 : showing name, address and date of death.") It includes out-of-town deaths (OT), a common reason why a death doesn't appear in the online index, and stillbirths (SB).

If you find a match in this index for a death for deaths 1916-1933, the "register number" is the same as the "certificate number" or "state file number" found in the online index and it can be used to find the death certificate.

If you find a match in this index for a death 1878-1907, the register number from this index cannot be used to find the death certificate on Family History Center films. Look for a matching entry in the online or fiche index. If you find one, use that certificate number to locate the record. If you don't find one, "scroll through" the certificate film to see if you can find the record that way. (see below)

If you find a match in this index for a death 1908-1915 it is possible to use the register number to find a certificate IF you choose a film from the right group of certificate films for the year but use this approach only if you can't find the matching entry in the online or microfiche index.

If you find a match labeled "OT" it is an out-of-town death and you will need to look for the record on the Out-of-town death certificate films or contact the place of death to see if they can provide a certifiate.

3) Scroll through death certificates either online or on film for the right month/year/first letter of surname. Certificates before 1916 are grouped by first letter of the surname for each month/year on the death certificate films available through Family History Centers and so if you have a death or burial date, it is possible to "scroll through" the death certificate film to see if the record is there. To do this, use the One Step index to find an entry for a death with the same first letter of surname in the same month and year and use that certificate number to choose the film. Locate the beginning of the entries for the right surname letter, month, and year and scroll through. (If you don't find the record, check to make sure it's not on the coroner's certificate film or the Cook County certificate film.)

How to Find Chicago Death Certificates, 1923-1947

These records are available for download from www.cookcountygenealogy.com for $15 + a small handling fee but they can also be obtained from microfilm for a fraction of that cost. They're available in Springfield and through the Family History Library system.

Step 1: Search One or More of these Indexes

1) The Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916-1950. Can be searched in a fuzzy way using Stephen Morse's One Step access. Information can be used to locate the certificates on Family History Library microfilm.

2) Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947 at FamilySearch. Can be searched in a a fuzzy way. Results include information extracted from the records along with a Family History Library film number.

3) Cook County, Illinois Death Index, 1908-1988 at Ancestry.com. If you use the "old search" you can pull up deaths that happened on a particular date. This can be helpful if you think the name might be misspelled. You can click through to purchase the records from the county clerk's office or they are available on Family History Library microfilm up through 1947.

34) CookCountyGenealogy.com. Must be searched with exact spellings. Records are available for immediate download for $15 + a small handling fee or you can get them on Family History Library microfilm up through 1947.

If you find a matching entry, proceed to Step 2.
If you don't find a matching entry, proceed to Step 4.

Step 2

If the record is for death in the city of Chicago, proceed to Step 3a.
If the record is for a death from any other place, proceed to Step 3b.
If the record is for a death after 1947, proceed to Step 3c.

Step 3a

Once you have the certificate number for a Chicago death certificate, 1916-1947, you can request a lookup from me ($6), access the Chicago Death Certificates, 1916-1947 on film through your local Family History Center (about $5.50 to order a film; no cost if the film is at the FHC), or obtain a copy from the Cook County Clerk's Office ($15) or the Illinois Department of Public Health $10).

If you are going to use the Family History Center films, it's best to use the index at FamilySearch (#2 listed above). Or, if you need help finding a film number, the folks at the Wilmette Family History Center can probably help.

Step 3b

Once you have the certificate number for a Cook County death certificate (not Chicago) you can check with me to see if I have access to the film ($6 if I'm able to help), request a lookup from Molly Kennedy ($7), obtain a copy from the Cook County Clerk's Office ($15) or the Illinois Department of Public Health ($10).

Step 3c

Death certificates after 1947 are not available for public searching. Download these records from cookcountygenealogy.com or mail in a reqeust to the Cook County Clerk's Office or the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Step 4

 If you don't find a match in the index, try again using Stephen Morse's One Step approach. It will allow you to search on just a few letters for surname and/or given name and will let you limit the results to a year or range of years. Using the "age at death" field for 1916-1950 searches is likely to limit your results in a negative way. Make sure the drop-down menu at the top of the page says "1916-1950."

If you still can't find a match in the online index, try the Chicago Death Index, 1871-1933 , available on 13 rolls of LDS microfilm. It includes out-of-town deaths (a common reason why a death doesn't appear in the online index) and stillbirths. For deaths 1916-1933, the "register number" found in this index is the same as the "certificate number" or "state file number" found in the online index and it can be used to find the death certificate on the Family History Library films. (The actual title in the catalog is "Indexes to deaths in the city of Chicago during the years 1871 to 1933 : showing name, address and date of death.")

How to Find Chicago Death Certificates After 1947

Death certificates for 1948-1950 are indexed in the Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916-1950 but they are not available on Family History Library microfilm.

Death certificates 20 years or older can be obtained online (downloadable images) from the Cook County Clerk's Office for $15 each plus a small handling fee or they can be obtained through the State.

Cook County Clerk's Office
Cost: $15.00
Cook County's "Genealogy Online" Website




Illinois Department of Public Health
Cost: $17.00 certified; $10.00 non-certified
PDF Request Form