Allentown Death Records
Allentown death records are split between two primary systems based on the year of death. Records from 1893 through 1905 are held by the Lehigh County Clerk of Orphans Court. Deaths from 1906 forward come through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Allentown is the county seat of Lehigh County and the third-largest city in Pennsylvania, with a population of around 125,000. The city also has its own public records process for municipal documents managed through the City Solicitor's Office.
Allentown Quick Facts
Lehigh County Orphans Court Death Records
The Clerk of Orphans Court Office maintains birth and death records for Allentown and Lehigh County for the years 1893 through 1905. This office is Room 123 of the Lehigh County Courthouse at 455 West Hamilton Street in Allentown. These records predate the state's centralized system and are not available through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. If your research involves deaths from this period, the Orphans Court is the right starting point.
Applications to obtain records are available directly from the Clerk of Orphans Court Office. Staff can assist with locating specific records within the 1893 to 1905 range. The office also issues marriage licenses and maintains marriage records dating back to 1885. This makes it a useful stop for researchers working on family history across multiple record types at once. For deaths recorded after 1905, the Clerk of Orphans Court will direct you to the Division of Vital Records at the state level, which can be reached at 724-656-3100.
Visit the Lehigh County Clerk of Orphans Court birth and death records page for current contact information and instructions. Knowing the approximate year and full name of the deceased will help staff find the record quickly. If you are not sure whether the death falls in this period, start here and the office will point you in the right direction.
Note: Death records for Allentown before 1893 are generally not available through any centralized office.
Allentown Death Certificates Since 1906
Death certificates for Allentown residents from 1906 to the present are available through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. You can order online at mycertificates.health.pa.gov. The fee is $20 per certificate, plus a $10 processing fee for online orders. Mail requests go to the Division of Vital Records, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Phone: 724-656-3100 or 844-228-3516.
Two types of death certificates are available. The standard version includes medical information: cause of death, manner of death, and related data. A second version without medical information is available only for deaths after 2019. Most uses, including estate settlement and genealogical research, require the version with medical information. Eligible requestors include the spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild of the deceased, as well as legal representatives and those with a direct financial interest in the estate. All applicants must provide a valid government-issued photo ID and complete the application form. The PA vital records death certificates page has current forms, fee schedules, and instructions. Death certificates become public records 50 years after the date of death. Requests for older records are processed the same way but do not require proof of relationship.
There is no walk-in Vital Records office in Allentown. The nearest locations are Philadelphia (110 N. 8th St.) and Harrisburg. Plan accordingly if you need same-day service.
Note: The PA State Archives maintains free Death Indices covering 1906 through 1975 at the State Archives death indices page. These are useful for confirming a death before ordering a copy.
Lehigh County Coroner Allentown Death Records
The Lehigh County Coroner's Office investigates deaths that occur under unusual, suspicious, or sudden circumstances. The office is at 4350 Broadway, Allentown, PA 18104. Phone: 610-782-3426. The coroner is Daniel A. Buglio, D-ABMDI. This office has been nationally accredited by the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners since 2005, making it one of the longer-standing accredited offices in the state.
The coroner's mission is to investigate the cause of death and determine the manner of death for all deaths within Lehigh County boundaries. This includes deaths occurring within Allentown city limits. When the coroner investigates a death, a separate investigative report is generated in addition to the official death certificate. These reports are not the same as death certificates and are handled differently regarding public access. If your research involves a death that may have been investigated by the coroner, contact the Lehigh County Coroner's Office directly. The coroner's records can provide details not found on the standard death certificate, particularly in cases involving accidents, homicides, or undetermined causes. For the official death certificate, you still contact the PA Department of Health regardless of whether the coroner was involved.
Note: The coroner does not issue death certificates. Contact the PA Department of Health for all certified death certificate requests.
Allentown City Public Records
The City of Allentown manages public records through the City Solicitor's Office. The Open Records Officer handles all requests for city documents. All requests must be in writing using the City's Public Record Review and Duplication Request Form. The city makes a good-faith effort to respond within five business days of receiving a complete request. Most municipal records, including health department documents and city-managed databases, are accessible through this process.
This process covers records created or maintained by the city government itself. It does not cover death certificates, which are a state function. If you are researching a death that involved city services or municipal health data, a public records request to Allentown may supplement what you find through the state and county systems. Contact the City Solicitor's Office for the current request form and submission instructions.
Allentown Death Index in PA State Archives
The Pennsylvania State Archives holds original death certificates for Lehigh County from 1906 through 1974. Digital copies for 1906 through 1972 are on Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania residents can access Ancestry.com for free through the State Library of Pennsylvania. This makes older Allentown death records accessible without a trip to Harrisburg for many researchers.
The free Death Indices at the State Archives cover 1906 through 1975. Search them online by name and year to find Allentown and Lehigh County deaths within this range. Results include the death certificate number. Use that number to request a certified copy from the Division of Vital Records. Access the PA State Archives Death Indices 1906-1975 at no cost. For deaths after 1975, contact the Division of Vital Records directly by phone at 724-656-3100 or by mail. Death certificates become public records 50 years after the date of death. Certificates for deaths before 1976 are open to any requester and require no proof of relationship. For certificates within the past 50 years, eligible requestors must prove a direct family connection or legal interest. The digitized Ancestry.com records often include handwritten details on the original certificate that do not appear in the index alone, such as the attending physician's name, the informant's relationship to the deceased, and the place of burial. These details can be valuable for genealogical research and can sometimes point to other records worth investigating.
Note: Lehigh County death records before 1893 are not available through any centralized civil office. Church records and cemetery records are the best sources for that period.
Lehigh County Death Records
Lehigh County includes Allentown and surrounding municipalities. The county page provides broader coverage of death records, orphans court resources, and genealogical research tools for the Lehigh Valley area.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Neighboring cities in eastern Pennsylvania have their own death record offices and resources. Select a city below for local guidance.