New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire then read on and hopefully we can help you out.

About New Hampshire

One of the original 13 colonies when New Hampshire ratified the U.S. constitution as the 9^th state on June 21^st 1788 the document could finally come into effect. This early political importance continues today with the state being the first in each election cycle to hold national primaries.

New Hampshire also holds the distinction of being just one of 9 states that does not require residents to pay state income tax. It is also known for having been the only state to hold the formal conclusion of a wholly foreign war. The treaty ending the Russo-Japanese war was signed in Portsmouth in 1905.

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

New Hampshire Death Records, 1650-1969, Index and Images

This is a card index that can be found on Ancestry.com a paid genealogy website. Records from the early county clerks and information from death certificates created after standardized vital records became mandatory have been typed up in a card format. These cards have been scanned and are now available as digital images in this collection.

The details you might find in these records include:

• Name (including maiden name)
• Gender
• Birthdate
• Birthplace
• Age at death
• Race
• Spouse name
• Date and place of death
• Father's name
• Mother's maiden name
• Certificate number

Click here to search New Hampshire Death Records, 1650-1969, Index and Images

New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947

This collection of over 1 million cards is essentially the same as the above Ancestry.com database but has a more limited year range. The other big difference however is that as this comes from FamilySearch it is entirely free to use with a registered account.

Click here to search New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947 from FamilySearch

Death Records Indexes, Obituaries and Cemeteries by County

The county level is often the best place to find older death records and indexes as originally it was county clerks who recorded local major life events such as births, marriage and death.

Conclusion

New Hampshire was one of the original 13 colonies and as such has a long and varied history. Some death records date back to the 1600s but of course not every one who lived and died in the state in those early years is recorded.

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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