Search for Death Records in Delaware

Free Delaware Death Records Lookup

Our comprehensive guide to the death records in the state of Delaware will help you in finding death records as well as provide you with relevant information about the deceased and the life they lived.

Death Records in Delaware -
The Ultimate Guide 2024

Delaware Death Databases

Vital records – such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates – have been kept on file by the state of Delaware since the establishment of the Delaware Office of Vital Statistics in 1913. Delaware’s death records are only made public after 40 years, according to state law. With this in mind, public records dating back to 1970 and earlier have been made accessible since 2010. An official record is transferred from the Office of Vital Statistics to the Delaware Public Archives once it has reached the age of public availability. Additionally, the Delaware Public Archives has earlier death records that date back to before the state mandate in 1913. These have been compiled from a variety of sources, including church and Bible records, as well as newspaper notices and advertisements.
From 1811 to 1933, this database contains death records for the state of Delaware. These are taken from records that can be found on microfilm at the Delaware State Archives. The following information is typically found in a death certificate:

What Are Death Certificates?

Death certificates and death records differ. In obtaining a death certificate, the informant is required to provide all information on the application form at the next of kin or family section. The coroner, then provides other information including cause and time of death. The funeral home is the institution in charge of issuing out death certificates. You can obtain this vital document just a couple of days after the deceased’s passing; the funeral home allows you to make copies of the death certificate.

Why do states keep Death Records?

There are a couple of reasons why states maintain or keep death records. The biggest and rather obvious reason is to indicate that the person in question died. This way, the individual can be taken off the voting register. If there is a complaint about the person’s property, say overgrown grass or the trash not being taken out, the state can let the complainer know that the individual whose property they are complaining about is deceased.

Another reason as to why states keep death records is in order to help with court cases. Usually, it is not always the case that the deceased leaves behind a will, something that could cause serious rifts among members of the family. A death certificate could help in settling some family affairs. Death records also help in notifying the Internal Revenue Service of the individual’s death, helping in filing returns or taxes during the next year. Using the death certificate, you can be in a position to transfer the deceased’s possessions to your name or to the name of other beneficiaries. This document is quite vital in the opening of a probate case. The state of Delaware will also keep death records to help in keeping track of certain conditions and diseases that have an adverse effect on the population.

How to Find Delaware Death Records

The most reliable site to get a hold of Delaware death records is Archives.com As soon as you register for a user account, the platform gives you complete access to the death records in the state of Delaware. Below are the easy steps to get you going:

Step 1: Visit Archives.com and navigate to the sign in page.

Step 2: Navigate through the buttons across the very top of the user page. Hit the “Search” button, which loads the Delaware state death records page.

Step 3: Check on ‘Vital Records’, then the ‘Death’ button just below it. This way, the site filters out all other records and leaves you with only death records.

Step 4: Key in as much information about the deceased as possible.

Step 5: In the ‘Location’ box, key in Delaware’. You will notice that the site will provide a match as soon as you start typing. Be sure to search through all collections. However, if you are certain where the given record is, look through the specific collections. Once you are done, hit the ‘Search Now’ blue button.

Step 6: The site will provide you with an array of records; browse through until you get the person whose records you are interested in.

Step 7: Select the deceased’s name to see the available death record online.

Alternative Sources for Delaware Death Information

While Archives.com is a great platform to search death records in Delaware, there are tons of other sites that you might want to check out. One such platform is the U.S. Social Security Administration. Not only does the Social Security Administration send SS payments to Americans, but it also responsible for keeping track of death records. Many death records only include the individual’s name and date of death. However, this record also show all death benefits that the US Social Security Administration could have sent to the deceased’s beneficiaries.

Another platform you can check is the U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index. This site provides you with information on all claims that were filed from 1936 to 2007. As time elapses, this site will include more recently filed claims. To get access to this database, you will need to have a user account at Ancestry.com. The database features over 50 Mil names. It has information on the applicant’s name, their parents’ names, as well as any beneficiaries listed.

Another source of death records data in Delaware would be cemeteries, seeing as they usually have information that is accessible to the public. You can either call the cemetery or visit physically to ask about their records.

Conclusion

The state of Delaware is very particular when it comes to the accuracy of its tax and voting record. As such, they aim at maintaining a well-updated deaths record. With our comprehensive guide to Delaware death record searches, you can get a hold of any type of record that you might need

Disclaimer: OurPublicRecords mission is to give people easy and affordable access to public record information, but OurPublicRecords does not provide private investigator services or consumer reports, and is not a consumer reporting agency per the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You may not use our site or service or the information provided to make decisions about employment, admission, consumer credit, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance.