Missouri Death Records and Death Index

It may surprise you to learn how often genealogists face this particular set of circumstances. They are aware of when their ancestor was born, when they may have married, when their children were born but they just can’t find out when they died.

There are a fair few instances where the only information missing is the death date which can be very frustrating. This is why knowing what death records may be available to you can be vital in your research.

It is important to note that one of the biggest issues in finding a death record can be looking in the wrong place. You may be surprised how often people miss records because they are looking in the wrong county and sometimes even the wrong state.

In this post we will be looking at Missouri state death records and indexes to try and help you find those elusive ancestors. So if you are confident that your ancestor likely died in the state of Missouri then read on and hopefully we can help you out.

About Missouri

Also known as the “Show Me State” Missouri was admitted to the Union on August 10th 1821 as the 24th state. There were some issues achieving statehood as the then territories government wanted to continue the practice of slavery.

The Missouri Compromise was the answer to the problem as it allowed the Missouri government to join as a slave state as long as Maine could join the union as a free state. It also prohibited any of the remaining Louisiana purchase territories north of latitude 36°30’ to practice slavery. This aspect was however overturned in 1857 by the Supreme Court.

Social Security Death Index 1935 – 2014

All American citizens, naturalized immigrants and resident aliens require a Social Security number for proof of identification and authorization to work. This number follows us throughout our life and when we die this nine digit code is very important.

The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) is a database of death records that was compiled from the United States Social Security Administration Death Master File. This was until 2014 when the rules changed and public access to the Death Master File had to take place through a certification program.

Those researching the deaths of ancestors in this state will likely find that most people who have died between 1936 and 2014 can be found on the Social Security Death Index. This does however only hold true if the person had a Social Security number when they died.

It is estimated that since 1973 the SSDI recorded 93% to 96% of the deaths of individuals aged 65 or over. The index was updated frequently and by June of 2011 there were 89,835,920 records available.

The index can be found on websites such as FamilySearch and Ancestry.com and offers details such as:

  • Given name and surname (middle initial since the 1990s)
  • Date of birth
  • Month and year of death (Full date of death for accounts active after 2000)
  • Social Security number
  • State or territory Social Security number was issued
  • Last place of residence when alive including ZIP code

Click here to search Social Security Death Index 1935 – 2014

U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

This is more or less an extension of the information you can find from the Social Security Death Index. It has been extracted from the SSDI records but features more details. It does not include all of the names found in the SSDI however but there are at least 49 million names included.

In this record you may find additional information such as:

  • Date and place of birth
  • Parents names if deceased would be over 75 when you are viewing the records (may be redacted if under 75)
  • Citizenship status
  • Gender
  • Sometimes race or ethnic group

Click here to search U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Missouri Death Certificates Index and Images, 1910-1971

This index of records can be found on the Missouri Secretary of State website and features free downloadable images of original death certificates. If the event occurred after 1971 you will have to order a copy of the certificate itself.

Click here to search Missouri Death Certificates Index and Images, 1910-1971

Indexes for Death Records, Cemeteries and Obituaries by County

Searching for death records on the county level can be harder than the state level but often for older records this is the only option. Thankfully Missouri has a large number of county level online databases that can be searched.

County Indexes for Death Records, Cemeteries and Obituaries by County
Adair
Andrew
Atchison
Audrain
Barry
Bates
Bollinger
Boone
Buchanan
Butler
Caldwell
Callaway
Camden
Cape Girardeau
Carroll
Cass
Cedar
Christian
Clay
Clinton
Cole
Columbia
  • See Boone County
Cooper
Daviess
Dent
Gasconade
Gentry
Greene
Grundy
Harrison
Henry
Independence
  • See Jackson County
Iron
Jackson
Jasper
Jefferson
Johnson
Joplin
  • See Jasper County
Kansas City
  • See Jackson County
Lafayette
Lee’s Summit
  • See Jackson County
Lincoln
Linn
Livingston
Macon
Maries
Marion
McDonald
Mercer
Miller
Moniteau
Montgomery
New Madrid
Osage
  • See Maries County
Ozark
Perry
Pettis
Pike
Polk
Putnam
Randolph
Ray
Reynolds
St. Charles
St. Clair
St. Francois
St. Joseph
  • See Buchanan County
Ste Genevieve
Saline
Schuyler
Shannon
Shelby
Springfield
  • See Greene County
Stone
Sullivan
Vernon
Warren
Washington
Wayne
Worth
  • See Gentry County
Wright

Conclusion

Many of Missouri’s death records and indexes can be found online especially at Ancestry.com. Be aware, this does mean you will need a paid membership to view them but there are still plenty of other records which are free to view online.

Neil Edwards

Neil Edwards

Genealogist and family-tree research specialist

Neil was born in Shropshire, England surrounded by centuries of living history. His interest in the past has been a lifelong passion leading to undergraduate degrees in both Economic History & Geography and History & Politics.

This interest in history quickly translated to family history when he moved to the U.S. in 2010. It was here that he began working on his own family tree as well as that of his American wife. That research allowed him to gain a wealth of experience working with both U.S. and European genealogical documents and studying their best uses in researching family history.

Following 9 years of honing his genealogical research skills, Neil was proud to have earned a certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University in late 2019. Neil also took part in the research process for a Duke University study into the families of 19th Century UK Members of Parliament.

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  • " Missouri Death Records and Death Index". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 28, 2024. https://namecensus.com/blog/missouri-death-records-and-death-index/.

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