Cameron County Death Records
Cameron County was formed on March 29, 1860 from Clinton, Elk, McKean, and Potter Counties. Because it did not exist until 1860, Cameron County was not part of the 1852 through 1854 vital records collection period. The County Clerk holds birth and death records from 1860 through 1905. Probate records survive from 1854 and run to the present. Orphans' Court Dockets begin in 1859. For deaths from 1906 forward, the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records and the PA State Archives death index are the primary sources. Cameron County is among Pennsylvania's smallest counties by population, which makes the courthouse archive especially valuable for tracing individual families.
Cameron County Quick Facts
Cameron County Vital Records and Death Register
The County Clerk in Cameron County holds birth and death records from 1860 through 1905. This covers the county registration period that ran from the county's formation through the year before statewide registration took over in 1906. The Registers' Dockets run from 1862 through 1917 with an Index from 1862 through 1976. Orphans' Court Dockets from 1859 through 1882 have an Index covering 1854 through 1972. Probate Records from 1854 through 1976 are on file, along with Delayed birth certificates from 1941 through 1976.
Cameron County is one of Pennsylvania's smaller counties, covering 398 square miles in the north-central region of the state. The county seat is Emporium. Because the county population has historically been small, the courthouse death records are manageable in size and well-preserved. The small county size also means that many Cameron County families appear repeatedly in a short number of records, making it easier to follow family lines across multiple generations.
The Pennsylvania vital records guide at Lindsey's Histories covers Cameron County among other north-central Pennsylvania counties. The guide includes information on what types of records are available at the county level and how to request them. Cameron County death records from 1893 through 1905 are at the courthouse, while post-1906 records are through the Division of Vital Records in New Castle.
Cameron County Parent Counties and Pre-1860 Records
Cameron County did not exist before March 29, 1860. Deaths in the area before that date are recorded in one of the four parent counties: Clinton, Elk, McKean, or Potter. Which parent county holds the record depends on which township the ancestor lived in at the time of death. Township boundaries in north-central Pennsylvania shifted frequently during the 19th century, so identifying the correct parent county requires knowing the specific location of residence.
Cameron County was also not part of the 1852 through 1854 vital records collection. That collection required counties to keep death registers for three years starting in 1852. Since Cameron County did not exist yet, those records appear in the parent county archives. Clinton, Elk, McKean, and Potter Counties all participated in the 1852 through 1854 collection to varying degrees, though survival rates for those early registers vary by county.
For Cameron County deaths from 1860 through 1892, the only formal sources are the Orphans' Court Dockets and the Register's Docket of probate filings. When a person died without property, no estate was opened, and that death may leave no county-level record during this period. Church records and cemetery transcriptions from Cameron County's early congregations fill many of these gaps. The Cameron County Historical Society maintains local history files and can often direct researchers to church records or cemetery surveys for specific communities.
Note: Cameron County was one of three Pennsylvania counties, along with Lackawanna and Snyder, that did not exist in 1852 and therefore have no records from that early vital registration period.
Pennsylvania Death Index Coverage for Cameron County
The PA State Archives provides free online access to the Death Index for 1906 through 1975. Cameron County deaths during this period are indexed. Search at the PA State Archives vital statistics page. The index result gives the certificate number needed to order the full document. Death certificates from 1906 through 1974 are at the State Archives. Digital copies for 1906 through 1972 are on Ancestry.com.
Pennsylvania residents can access Ancestry at no charge through most public libraries. For Cameron County residents, the Emporium Public Library may have Ancestry access. Soundex phonetic indexing applies to the 1920 through 1924 and 1930 through 1951 periods. Death certificates are public record 50 years after the death date. For deaths from 1906 forward, order certified copies through the Division of Vital Records. Each certified copy costs $20. Mail requests go to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Phone ordering is available at 724-656-3100. Online ordering is through mycertificates.health.pa.gov via VitalChek. The PA Department of Health vital records page has full details.
What Cameron County Death Records Include
Death certificates from Cameron County's formal registration period include the full name of the deceased, date and place of death, age, birthplace, occupation, cause of death, and the attending physician's name. Surviving family members are also listed, and the informant field often names a spouse or adult child. Because Cameron County is small, many of the deaths recorded in the county register are for the same extended family networks that appear repeatedly across multiple generations in the courthouse records.
For post-1906 Cameron County deaths, 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. The PA State Archives hosts the free Death Index for 1906 through 1975 at the PA State Archives vital statistics page. Death certificates become public record 50 years after the death date. Any Cameron County death from 1975 or earlier is now publicly accessible. Digital copies of Cameron County death certificates from 1906 through 1972 are on Ancestry.com, accessible at no charge to Pennsylvania residents at most public libraries. The PA Department of Health vital records page outlines eligibility for requesting restricted records. The Cameron County probate records from 1854 are the oldest formal death-related documents in the county and remain an important research source for the pre-registration era.
Nearby Counties
Cameron County was formed from Clinton, Elk, McKean, and Potter Counties. Those parent county courthouses are the first place to look for deaths before 1860 in the Cameron County area.