Lancaster County Death Records
Lancaster County maintains a Death Registration Index covering the years 1893 to 1907. This index was compiled by local tax assessors and provides a unique view of death records in one of Pennsylvania's oldest and most populous counties. The Lancaster County Archives holds the collection, and the Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans Court at 50 N. Duke Street manages related vital records. An online portal allows researchers to search most Lancaster County records remotely. For all deaths after 1906, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Lancaster County Quick Facts
Lancaster County Death Registration Index 1893-1907
The Lancaster County Death Registration Index covering 1893 to 1907 was compiled by local tax assessors. This is a notable feature that sets Lancaster County apart from most Pennsylvania counties, where death records were compiled by the Clerk of Orphans Court rather than tax officials. The index records the name of each deceased person, their age, marital status, and place of birth. It also includes the deceased's occupation, the date of death, the place of death, and the cause of death. Duration of the last illness is noted, along with the place and date of interment.
One limitation affects the completeness of this collection. Many deaths were recorded six months or more after they occurred. This lag in reporting means that some records from a given calendar year may actually appear under a later year in the index. Researchers should search a span of years around the expected date of death rather than focusing on a single year. Additionally, the records do not include the names of parents unless the deceased was a minor. For children's death records, parents' names are listed, which can help establish family connections.
Contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health for all deaths occurring after 1906. The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans Court for Lancaster County is Anne L. Cooper, located at 50 N. Duke St., Lancaster, PA 17602, phone (717) 295-5994. The County Open Records Officer is Tammy L. Bender, 150 N Queen Street Suite 714, Lancaster, PA 17603, 717-735-1584. An online portal provides access to most Lancaster County public records.
Note: The Lancaster County Archives at 230 N. President Ave holds the primary collection of historical county records including the death registration index and supporting documents.
Lancaster County Archives and Death Records Access
The Lancaster County Archives is the repository for the historical records of county government. It holds the death registration index along with a wide range of other records including deeds, wills, court records, and tax assessments going back centuries. Researchers can access many of these records online through the Lancaster County court public records portal. The online system reduces the need for in-person visits and makes basic record searches possible from any location.
Lancaster County is one of the oldest and most historically significant counties in Pennsylvania. Settled largely by German-speaking immigrants in the 18th century, the county has a deep genealogical record stretching back to the early 1700s. Church records from Mennonite, Amish, Lutheran, and Reformed congregations predate any official county vital records by more than a century. Researchers working on Lancaster County families often find that church records are more detailed and more complete than the official county death index for the 1893 to 1907 period.
Probate records from the Register of Wills provide coverage for deaths before the 1893 registration start date. Estate files typically name the deceased, give a date of death or filing, list heirs, and describe assets. Lancaster County's long history means probate records extend back to the colonial era. These records are essential for tracing Lancaster County families in the 1700s and early 1800s when no official vital records existed.
State Death Certificates for Lancaster County
Deaths from 1906 onward are recorded by the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records. The PA State Archives Death Indices cover 1906 to 1975 and are free to search online. The index gives name, county, year, and certificate number. Original certificates from 1906 to 1974 are held at the State Archives. Digital copies for 1906 to 1972 are on Ancestry.com free for Pennsylvania residents.
Certified copies cost $20 each. Orders go through the PA Division of Vital Records online at mycertificates.health.pa.gov via VitalChek, by mail to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103, or by phone at 724-656-3100 or 844-228-3516. The Harrisburg and Philadelphia walk-in offices are both accessible to Lancaster County residents and are open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM. Statewide registration began in 1906 with full compliance by 1915. Soundex phonetic indexing applies to records from 1920 to 1924 and 1930 to 1951. Death certificates are public 50 years after death, so all records through 1975 are now accessible.
Cities in Lancaster County
Lancaster is the county seat and largest city in Lancaster County. Death records for Lancaster city residents fall within the county death index for the applicable period.
Nearby Counties
Lancaster County borders York, Dauphin, Chester, Berks, and Lebanon counties. Each holds its own death records collection. Searching neighboring counties is useful when an ancestor lived near a county boundary.