Adams County Death Index
Adams County death records reach back to the early 1800s, making this one of the richer county-level archives in south-central Pennsylvania. The Register of Wills in Gettysburg holds a Decedents Index covering 1864 through 1937, along with estate files going back to 1849. Birth and death registers from 1852 through 1855 and 1893 through 1905 are kept at the county level. The Pennsylvania State Archives maintains the statewide Death Index for 1906 through 1975. Researchers can access many of these records online or in person at the courthouse.
Adams County Quick Facts
Adams County Register of Wills
The Register of Wills is the starting point for most Adams County death record research. The office sits at 111-117 Baltimore Street, Room 100, in Gettysburg. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The phone number is (717) 337-9835. Staff can help with basic inquiries, though they recommend in-person visits for any extensive research project.
The Adams County Decedents Index spans 1864 through 1937 and is available online for free searching. Estate files covering 1849 through 1976 have been digitized and made searchable. These files often contain death-related information well before the state began keeping formal records in 1906. The Index to Wills and Administration Bonds Books A through G covers 1800 through 1864. Orphans' Court Dockets run from 1800 through 1853, and a General Index to Orphans' Court Records is available for research. Researchers needing copies can expect a fee of $0.50 per photocopy and $5.00 per certified copy. Staff research costs $15 per hour with a one-hour minimum.
The eSearch system at landrecords.net gives the public free online access to estate and land records going back to 1800. This portal is useful for finding estate file numbers before visiting the office. Adams County was one of the 49 Pennsylvania counties with surviving 1852 through 1854 vital records, so birth and death entries from that early period do exist. Prior to Adams County's formation, this area was part of York County, which means some pre-1800 records may be found in York County archives instead. The Ancestor Hunt blog provides a guide to free Pennsylvania probate records and wills that includes Adams County sources.
Pennsylvania Death Index for Adams County
The Pennsylvania State Archives hosts free Death Indices online for the years 1906 through 1975. These cover Adams County deaths during that period and are searchable at the PA State Archives vital statistics page. The index gives names, dates, and certificate numbers. From there, you can order the full death certificate from the Division of Vital Records.
Death certificates from 1906 through 1974 are physically held at the State Archives. Digital copies of certificates from 1906 through 1972 are on Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania residents get free access to Ancestry at many public libraries throughout the state. Soundex phonetic indexing was applied to records from 1920 through 1924 and again from 1930 through 1951. This matters when searching for surnames with variant spellings. If a standard search turns up nothing, try a Soundex code search for those periods covering Adams County deaths.
Death certificates become public record 50 years after the date of death. This means researchers can access any Adams County death from 1975 and earlier without restriction. For more recent deaths, only immediate family members and legal representatives may request copies.
Note: The PA State Archives death index is free to search, but obtaining the actual certificate requires a separate request to the Division of Vital Records.
Ordering Adams County Death Certificates
The Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records handles certified death certificate requests for deaths from 1906 forward. Each copy costs $20. You can order online through mycertificates.health.pa.gov, which uses VitalChek as its sole authorized vendor. Mail requests go to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. The main phone line is 724-656-3100, with a toll-free option at 844-228-3516.
Walk-in service is available at several state offices, though the nearest to Adams County is the Harrisburg walk-in location. For deaths between 1893 and 1905, contact the Register of Wills in Gettysburg. For deaths before 1893, records are generally found in probate files, church registers, and cemetery records rather than formal vital records. The PA Department of Health vital records page explains current ordering options in detail. For genealogy-specific requests, the genealogy certificate page at the Department of Health outlines what documents are needed.
Adams County Historical Society Records
The Adams County Historical Society maintains a research library at 368 Springs Avenue in Gettysburg. Library hours run Tuesday through Saturday, 9 AM to 4 PM. Non-members pay a $10 per day research fee. Staff research costs $25 per hour for those who cannot visit in person.
The Historical Society's holdings go far beyond the county's formation. German and Swiss immigrant records from the 1700s and 1800s are part of the collection. These records often contain burial and death information not captured in official registers. Cemetery transcriptions, church records, and newspaper death notices supplement the official county death index. This is often the best place to search for Adams County deaths before 1852, when no formal vital records were kept at either the state or county level.
FamilySearch and Ancestry.com both have partnerships with Pennsylvania repositories that include Adams County material. FamilySearch offers free access to many records that Ancestry charges for. Both sites index some Adams County probate and death records, though the online collections are not complete. In-person research at the courthouse or Historical Society remains the most reliable method for thorough Adams County death record searches.
Note: The Historical Society collection includes German church records that may predate any civil registration in Adams County.
Early Adams County Death and Probate Records
Adams County was formed from York County in 1800. Records from 1800 through 1851 are primarily probate-based. The Register of Wills holds the Index to Wills covering 1800 through 1864. Will Books and Administration Bond Books are labeled A through G for that same period. These probate documents often contain death dates, names of survivors, and property details that serve as a proxy death record before formal registers existed.
The Orphans' Court Dockets from 1800 through 1853 track guardianship and estate proceedings that arise after a death. These dockets, combined with the General Index to Orphans' Court Records, allow researchers to reconstruct family histories and confirm death dates even without a formal death certificate. The estate files digitized for 1849 through 1976 bridge the gap between the early probate era and the state vital records era that began in 1906.
For Adams County deaths from 1852 through 1855, the county maintained birth and death registers under a short-lived state law. These records survived and are available at the Register of Wills office. The 1893 through 1905 registers followed a second state registration effort. Both sets of records are organized by year and indexed by name. They are among the most valuable resources for Adams County genealogy research covering the late 19th century.
Adams County is also notable for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, which produced a large number of deaths in a very short period. Military death records for Union and Confederate soldiers who died in Adams County are held at the National Archives and through various regimental records. County coroner's records from that period may also exist at the courthouse.
Nearby Counties
Adams County borders several counties in south-central Pennsylvania. If your ancestor lived near a county line, records may exist in more than one county courthouse.