Armstrong County Death Records
Armstrong County death records begin at the county level with the 1893 through 1905 vital registration period. The Register and Recorder in Kittanning holds birth and death registers from that era along with land and probate records going back to 1805. Records on microfilm cover 1805 through 1947. Computer records begin in 1947 and continue to the present. For deaths from 1906 forward, the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records in New Castle is the main source. The Pennsylvania State Archives also provides free online access to the statewide Death Index for 1906 through 1975.
Armstrong County Quick Facts
Armstrong County Register and Recorder
The Register and Recorder office is the primary source for Armstrong County death records from 1893 through 1905. The courthouse is at 450 Market Street, Kittanning, PA 16201. The main courthouse phone is 724-543-2500. The Orphan's Court line is 724-548-3220. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:15 PM.
County records on microfilm cover 1805 through 1947. Computer records begin in 1947 and run to the present. The Register and Recorder holds birth and death records from 1893 through 1905, marriage records from 1895, and probate and land records from 1805. Will Books from 1805 through 1918 have an accompanying Index to Wills from 1797 through 1961. Probate Records from 1805 through 1881 come with an Index covering 1805 through 1935. These probate files often contain references to death dates and family members, making them useful even when no formal death certificate exists for the period before 1893.
The Armstrong County Register and Recorder page on the county website provides current contact details and office information. Certified copies cost $5.50 each. People who qualify as eligible requestors include spouses, children, parents, siblings, and legal representatives. Online requests are available through a third-party vendor with a $10 processing fee. The Armstrong County Historical Museum and Genealogical Society can be reached at (724) 548-5707 for research assistance beyond the courthouse records.
Armstrong County Death Records on Landex
Death records from 1893 through 1905 are available for search on Landex.com. This online portal gives access to Armstrong County vital records from the county registration period before the state took over in 1906. Landex is a subscription service, though some searches may be done through partner access points. The records found on Landex include birth and death register entries made at the county level during the 1893 through 1905 window.
For deaths after 1905, the Division of Vital Records is the correct office to contact. That office is at 105 Nesbitt Road, New Castle, PA 16105, with a main phone of (724) 656-3100. Armstrong County sits in western Pennsylvania, and the New Castle walk-in office is the most convenient state walk-in location for county residents. Mail requests go to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Online ordering is available at mycertificates.health.pa.gov through VitalChek. Each certified copy costs $20.
The Pennsylvania court records site for Armstrong County provides another research entry point for death and estate records. Court-related death filings such as coroner's inquests and estate proceedings are tracked here. These records supplement the formal death registers and are especially useful for deaths that occurred under unusual circumstances in Armstrong County.
Note: Landex and the county Register and Recorder together cover the gap between early probate records and the 1906 state vital records system.
Pennsylvania Death Index for Armstrong County
The Pennsylvania State Archives hosts the free Death Index online for 1906 through 1975. This includes all Armstrong County deaths reported during that period. Access the index at the PA State Archives vital statistics page. Searching the index is free and gives you the certificate number needed to order the full document.
Death certificates from 1906 through 1974 are held at the State Archives. Digital copies for 1906 through 1972 are on Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania residents can access Ancestry free at most public libraries, including the Kittanning Public Library in Armstrong County. Soundex phonetic indexing applies to the 1920 through 1924 and 1930 through 1951 ranges. For unusual surnames common in Armstrong County's mining communities, a Soundex search can reveal certificates that a name-based search misses.
Death certificates become public record 50 years after the date of death. Any Armstrong County death from 1975 or earlier is now open to the public. Certificates for more recent deaths require proof of relationship or legal interest. The PA Department of Health death certificates page outlines who may request restricted records and what documentation to provide.
Early Armstrong County Probate and Death Data
Armstrong County was formed in 1800 from Allegheny, Lycoming, and Westmoreland Counties. Courthouse records begin with the county's formation. Probate records from 1805 offer the earliest reliable source of death-related information in Armstrong County. The Will Books and their index allow researchers to look up decedents by name and find when their estate was opened, which closely follows the actual death date.
Armstrong County was among the Pennsylvania counties that participated in the 1852 through 1854 vital records collection period. Records from that short window may survive at the courthouse or in transcribed form. The Armstrong County Historical Museum and Genealogical Society at (724) 548-5707 maintains records that supplement the courthouse holdings, including cemetery transcriptions and newspaper death notices that help fill gaps in the formal record set.
Researchers exploring multi-generation Armstrong County families should also check neighboring county records. Parts of present-day Armstrong County were once in Allegheny, Butler, or Westmoreland Counties, so early estate filings may appear in those courthouse records instead. Cross-referencing the Index to Wills for all four counties is a useful strategy for pre-1800 Armstrong County research.
What Armstrong County Death Records Include
Armstrong County death certificates from the state registration era provide the full name, date and place of death, age, birthplace, occupation, cause of death, the attending physician's name, and the names of surviving family members. The informant field often names a spouse or adult child, helping identify relatives not found in other records. County-level records from the 1893 through 1905 period are similar in content but less standardized in format. The Will Books and probate records from 1805 contain death-related information in the form of estate filings, and these can confirm death dates when no formal certificate exists.
Death certificates are public record 50 years after the death date. Any Armstrong County death from 1975 or earlier is now open to the public. Certified copies of post-1906 certificates cost $20 each. Order online at mycertificates.health.pa.gov through VitalChek, by phone at 724-656-3100 or 844-228-3516, or by mail to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. The PA State Archives provides free access to the statewide Death Index for 1906 through 1975 at the PA State Archives vital statistics page. Soundex phonetic indexing for the 1920 through 1924 and 1930 through 1951 periods helps with variant spellings. Digital copies from 1906 through 1972 are on Ancestry.com, free to Pennsylvania residents at most public libraries. Eligible requestors for restricted records and required documentation are explained on the PA Department of Health vital records page.
Nearby Counties
Armstrong County is surrounded by several western Pennsylvania counties. Ancestors near county borders may have records spread across more than one courthouse.