McKean County Death Records

McKean County death records span several distinct eras of vital registration in Pennsylvania. The county seat is Smethport, and the county was formed in 1804 from Lycoming County. Early death records from 1892 to 1905 are held at the county level through the Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court. The Bradford Death Index covers 1881 to 1905, and the Smethport Death Index runs from 1893 to 1906. Records from 1906 forward are held by the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records in New Castle.

McKean County Death Index Overview

McKean County holds a rich set of early death records for genealogists. Birth and death certificates from 1892 to 1905 are available at the county level. After 1905, vital records moved to the state system in New Castle. The Bradford Death Index covers deaths from 1881 to 1905, making it one of the longer local indices in the region. The Smethport Death Index runs from 1893 to 1906 and captures deaths in the county seat area during that same period.

The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court in McKean County maintains the official pre-state records. Birth Registers cover 1893 to 1905, and Death Registers cover the same span. Wills run from 1827 to the present day. Marriage records begin in 1885. Probate records go back to when the county was first created in 1804. If you need records from 1893 to 1905, the Orphans' Court at the McKean County Courthouse in Smethport is the place to start. For deaths recorded after 1906, contact the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records.

The PA State Archives holds death indices covering 1906 to 1975 for free online access. These indices include McKean County residents throughout that period. Digital images of death certificates from 1906 to 1972 are also available on Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania residents can access Ancestry.com free at many public libraries through a statewide partnership.

Note: Early McKean County deaths from 1893 to 1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court, not the state archives.

Bradford and Smethport Death Indexes

The Bradford Death Index is a key resource for McKean County research. It covers deaths from 1881 to 1905, predating the formal statewide death registration system. Bradford is the largest city in McKean County and served as a hub for the region during the oil boom era. The index captures a wide range of residents during a period of rapid growth. Many entries include the name, date, and cause of death along with the deceased person's age.

The Smethport Death Index covers 1893 to 1906. Smethport is the county seat, and its index overlaps with both the Bradford index and the early state registration period. Together, these two local indices fill in gaps that might otherwise exist in McKean County death research. Researchers working on families in either Bradford or Smethport should check both resources. The McKean County records page at Rootsweb provides access to transcribed records and index data for the county. This site is a volunteer resource and lists available county record sets by type and date range.

Note: The Bradford Death Index and Smethport Death Index are local resources that predate or overlap with formal state registration, which began in 1906.

How to Find McKean County Death Records

Finding McKean County death records depends on the year the death occurred. For deaths between 1893 and 1905, contact the McKean County Courthouse in Smethport. The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court holds these original records. You can visit in person or write to request a search. Bring the name of the deceased and an approximate year. Staff can check the death register and provide a copy if a record exists.

For deaths from 1906 onward, contact the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records. The office charges $20 per certified death certificate copy. You can order by mail, sending your request to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Phone contact is available at 724-656-3100 or 844-228-3516. Online orders go through the VitalChek platform at mycertificates.health.pa.gov. Walk-in service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at several state offices. The nearest walk-in sites to McKean County are in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Erie.

For historical research, the PA State Archives provides free online death indices from 1906 to 1975. Visit the PA State Archives death indices page to search McKean County records online. Death certificates from 1906 to 1974 are also held at the State Archives. Certified copies of these older certificates require a State File Number, which you can find in the index. For deaths after 1974, order through the PA Department of Health vital records page.

McKean County History and Vital Records

McKean County was formed on March 26, 1804 from parts of Lycoming County. It is located in the northern tier of Pennsylvania near the New York state border. The county seat, Smethport, is a small town that has served as the administrative center since the county's founding. Probate records and estate records date back to the county's creation in 1804. Wills from 1827 onward are on file with the Register of Wills office.

The county grew significantly during the oil and lumber booms of the late 1800s. Bradford, the county's largest city, sits in the heart of the Pennsylvania oil region. This growth explains why a local death index for Bradford exists as far back as 1881, well before the state required formal death registration. Marriage records in McKean County run from 1885 to the present. These records are also maintained at the Register of Wills office and can be accessed through the courthouse in Smethport.

Pennsylvania's statewide death registration system began in 1906. After that date, all death records went to the state system. For McKean County deaths from 1906 to 1974, the PA State Archives holds the original certificates. Digital scans of those certificates from 1906 to 1972 are available through Ancestry.com. Deaths from 1975 onward are handled exclusively by the Division of Vital Records. Death certificates become public records 50 years after the date of death under Pennsylvania law.

Note: Death certificates from 1906 to 1974 are held at the PA State Archives, while those from 1975 onward require a request through the Division of Vital Records in New Castle.

Searching the PA Death Index for McKean County

The Pennsylvania State Archives death index covers McKean County deaths from 1906 to 1975. The index is searchable online at no cost. Two indexing methods are used across this time span. Deaths from 1920 to 1924 and from 1930 to 1951 are indexed using the Russell Soundex method. This system groups names by sound rather than spelling, which helps when you are unsure of the exact spelling of a surname.

Deaths from 1906 to 1919, from 1925 to 1929, and from 1952 to 1975 use alphabetical surname groupings. These are more straightforward to search. Once you find a name in the index, note the State File Number. You need that number to order a certified copy of the death certificate from the State Archives or the Division of Vital Records. Searching the index is a good first step before placing an order, since it confirms whether a record exists and gives you the exact file number.

Note: The Soundex method applies to the 1920-1924 and 1930-1951 periods only. All other years in the McKean County death index use standard alphabetical order.

Nearby Pennsylvania Counties

McKean County borders several counties in northern Pennsylvania. Each county has its own set of death records and local indices. Check the county where your ancestor lived to find the right records.

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