Bradford County Death Records
Bradford County was formed from Luzerne and Lycoming Counties on February 21, 1810. The Register and Recorder office in Towanda holds birth and death records from 1895 through 1905, marriage records from 1885, and probate records going back to 1812. Death records in the Register's Docket are indexed by the decedent's name, making name-based searches practical for records back to the county's earliest years. The Pennsylvania State Archives covers Bradford County deaths in the statewide Death Index for 1906 through 1975.
Bradford County Quick Facts
Bradford County Register and Recorder Death Records
The Bradford County Courthouse Recorder's Office is at 301 Main Street, Towanda, PA 18848. The Orphans' Court, Register, and Recorder phone is (570) 265-1702. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. The Register and Recorder holds birth and death records from 1895 through 1905, marriage records from 1885, and probate and land records from 1812.
The Register's Docket indexes wills by decedent's name, starting in 1812. This makes it possible to search for any Bradford County estate by name from the very beginning of the county's history. Marriage records are indexed by both male and female names. The birth index covers 1893 through 1905, and the death index covers the same county registration period. The Bradford County Register and Recorder page on the county website lists current services and provides contact information. The office processes several hundred genealogy letters per year, so staff are experienced with death record research requests.
Bradford County was formed from Luzerne and Lycoming Counties. Researchers tracing Bradford County families back before 1810 should check those parent county records. Both Luzerne and Lycoming Counties have courthouse archives predating Bradford's formation. Deaths in the Bradford County area before 1810 would appear in Luzerne or Lycoming County probate records depending on exactly which township the person lived in.
Pennsylvania Death Index Records for Bradford County
The PA State Archives provides free online access to the statewide Death Index for 1906 through 1975. Bradford County deaths across that period are fully included. Search the index at the PA State Archives vital statistics page. A successful search gives the certificate number. With that number, order the full death certificate from the Division of Vital Records.
Death certificates from 1906 through 1974 are at the State Archives. Digital copies for 1906 through 1972 are on Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania residents can use Ancestry at no charge through most public libraries. Soundex phonetic indexing applies to the 1920 through 1924 and 1930 through 1951 periods, which is useful for Bradford County's mix of English, German, and other surname origins. Death certificates become public record 50 years after the date of death.
Certified copies 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. Walk-in service at the Scranton state office is the most convenient option for Bradford County residents. The PA Department of Health vital records page has current ordering details.
Note: The Scranton walk-in office serves northeastern Pennsylvania counties including Bradford County.
Bradford County Death Record Research Resources
Researchers have several useful resources for Bradford County death records beyond the courthouse. FamilySearch has indexed some Bradford County probate and vital records as part of its Pennsylvania collections. The FamilySearch catalog for Bradford County, Pennsylvania lists specific microfilm reels available either online or through family history centers. The Bradford County Historical Society in Towanda maintains local history files, cemetery transcriptions, and newspaper collections that supplement the official records.
Newspaper death notices and obituaries from Bradford County papers often contain details not captured in any official record. A well-written obituary may give the birthplace, the names of all surviving children and grandchildren, the church affiliation, and the occupation of the deceased. These details are especially valuable for the 19th century, when official records were sparse. The Bradford County Genealogical Society also maintains research files and cemetery surveys for communities throughout the county that can help locate graves and confirm death dates.
Early Bradford County Probate and Death Research
Bradford County's probate records from 1812 are the oldest systematic source of death information in the county. The Register's Docket begins with the county's formation and runs continuously. Each entry marks when an estate was opened, which closely follows the actual death date. Wills and administration filings name the deceased, the heirs, and the property involved. These records are especially valuable for Bradford County deaths before 1893, when no formal death register was required at either the county or state level.
Bradford County is in the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania, a region with a strong tradition of land records and probate files. Many of the county's early settlers came from New England and New York, bringing legal practices that favored written wills over intestate proceedings. This means will probate rates were high in Bradford County, and the probate archive captures a large share of the adult population who died with any property at all.
For Bradford County deaths from 1895 through 1905, the county register is the source. For deaths from 1906 forward, the state system takes over. For deaths between 1806 and 1895, probate records are the primary source. Church records and cemetery transcriptions fill gaps for those who died with no estate to probate. The Bradford County Historical Society maintains local history resources that supplement the courthouse records.
What Bradford County Death Records Include
Bradford County death certificates from the state registration period give the full name, date and place of death, age, birthplace, occupation, cause of death, the physician's name, and the names of surviving family members. The informant field often names a spouse or adult child, which can reveal relatives not previously identified. Certificates from the 1895 through 1905 county registration period use a similar format but may vary in the level of detail recorded.
Death certificates become public record 50 years after the death date. All Bradford County deaths from 1975 and earlier are publicly accessible. For more recent deaths, the Division of Vital Records limits access to close family members and legal representatives. Certified copies 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. Soundex phonetic indexing for the 1920 through 1924 and 1930 through 1951 periods helps find Bradford County records for surnames with variant spellings. The PA Death Index for 1906 through 1975 is free to search at the PA State Archives vital statistics page. Digital copies of death certificates from 1906 through 1972 are on Ancestry.com at no cost to Pennsylvania residents at most public libraries.
Nearby Counties
Bradford County is in the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania. Its parent counties and neighbors may hold records for families who lived near county lines.