Somerset County Death Records
Somerset County death records are accessible through the county Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Pre-1906 death records are held at the county courthouse. From 1906 onward, the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records handles certified copy requests. Somerset County sits in southwestern Pennsylvania and is home to the Great Allegheny Passage trail. The county seat is the borough of Somerset. State death indices from 1906 to 1975 are available free online through the PA State Archives.
Somerset County Quick Facts
Somerset County Register of Wills and Death Records
The Somerset County Register of Wills is the central office for early death records and estate matters in Somerset County. This office handles the probate of estates, which includes reviewing and filing wills, recording estate inventories, and maintaining permanent legal records. The Register of Wills also collects inheritance tax on behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue and handles the filing of inheritance tax returns. These functions tie the office directly to death records, since probate opens only after a person dies.
The Clerk of Orphans' Court is the companion office to the Register of Wills in Somerset County. The Clerk handles adoptions, appoints guardians for minors or incapacitated persons, and issues marriage licenses. The Clerk also maintains permanent legal records for all Orphans' Court proceedings. Together, the Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court hold most of Somerset County's historical vital records from the pre-1906 period. The official county website at co.somerset.pa.us provides contact details for both offices.
Pre-1906 Somerset County death records are at the courthouse in Somerset. These records cover the period from 1893 to 1905. For deaths from 1906 onward, contact the PA Division of Vital Records. The PA State Archives death index is free to search online and covers 1906 to 1975. Use the PA State Archives death indices page to begin your search.
Note: The Register of Wills in Somerset County also collects inheritance tax and files inheritance tax returns, making it a combined vital and financial records office for estate matters.
Somerset County History and Records
Somerset County sits in the Allegheny Mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania. The county seat of Somerset is known to many Americans as the community near the crash site of United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. The Flight 93 National Memorial is located in Somerset County and draws visitors from across the country. The county itself has a much longer history tied to German and Swiss settlement, farming, and coal mining in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The county's German and Swiss heritage means that many surnames in Somerset County records have German origins or spellings. This is worth keeping in mind when searching the state death index. The Russell Soundex method used for the 1920 to 1924 and 1930 to 1951 periods is helpful for these names, since it groups surnames by sound regardless of spelling variants. Before formal death registration began in 1893, estate records and church records from German and German-Reformed congregations are the best sources for Somerset County death information.
The Historical Center maintains county records and provides research resources for Somerset County genealogists. The Great Allegheny Passage trail runs through the county, connecting Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland. This route historically served as a travel corridor between western Pennsylvania and the East, which means some families passing through Somerset County may have died and been buried here even if their permanent homes were elsewhere. Records in these cases would still appear in Somerset County's vital records system.
Note: Somerset County's German heritage means many surnames have variant spellings. Use the Soundex method when searching the 1920-1924 and 1930-1951 periods of the state death index.
Accessing Somerset County Death Records
For deaths from 1893 to 1905, contact the Somerset County Courthouse. The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court are the right offices. Provide the full name of the deceased and an approximate year of death. Staff can search the registers and provide copies. Written mail requests are also accepted. The PA State Archives holds microfilm copies of early Somerset County vital records for researchers who cannot visit Somerset.
For deaths from 1906 onward, the PA Division of Vital Records handles certified copy requests. Certified copies cost $20 each. Mail requests to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Phone: 724-656-3100 or 844-228-3516. Online orders go through VitalChek at mycertificates.health.pa.gov. Walk-in service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Pittsburgh office is the closest walk-in location for Somerset County. The Harrisburg office is another option.
The PA State Archives death index covers Somerset County from 1906 to 1975 and is free to search online. Once you find the State File Number, you can order a certified copy. The PA State Archives holds original certificates from 1906 to 1974. Digital images from 1906 to 1972 are on Ancestry.com. For deaths after 1974, visit the PA Department of Health vital records page. Death certificates become public records 50 years after the date of death.
Note: The Pittsburgh walk-in office for the PA Division of Vital Records is the most convenient location for Somerset County residents seeking same-day or in-person service for death certificates.
Nearby Pennsylvania Counties
Somerset County borders several counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. Each county maintains its own death records. Search the right county for your ancestor's records.