Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont then read on and hopefully we can help you out.

About Vermont

European settlement in Vermont started in the early 18^th century when both British and French settlers moved to the area. This would lead to a great deal of conflict in the region up until France ultimately lost the French and Indian War.

Having come under British rule all was well until the American Revolution when Vermont, rather than join the original 13 colonies in declaring group independence, decided to go it alone declaring their own independence. Vermont would ultimately join the union 14 years after the end of the war but as an independent republic on March 4^th 1790. They were the 14^th official state and the first that was not an original colony.

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 who, if deceased, would have been 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

Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008

This collection is made up of information from two different sources. Firstly, Vermont death records between 1901 – 2003 came from the State Archives and Records Administration. The second part of the collection, Vermont death records between 2004 – 2008 came from the Vermont Department of Health.

Together this collection which is found on Ancestry.com covers records from 1909 – 2008. These include various death certificates which may contain information such as:

• Name of deceased
• Gender
• Death date and place
• Birth date and place
• Residence
• Spouse’s name
• Parents’ names
• Cause of death

It should be noted that Ancestry requires a paid membership to view and use this collection.

Click here to search Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008

Searchable Index of Vermont Births and Deaths, 1909-recent

This collection from the Vermont government website is a searchable index of all state recorded deaths since 1909. You can search both birth and death records with this index and find the certificate numbers for the recorded vital record.

Using these certificate numbers and as long as you qualify to order the certificate you can order one for a fee from the state. There will be restrictions on more recently issued certificates obviously due to legal reasons that may result in stolen identities and the like.

Click here to search Searchable Index of Vermont Births and Deaths, 1909 - present

Vermont Vital Records

This is a huge collection of vital records with over 3 million entries. It can be found on the FamilySearch website which is free to use as long as you have a registered account on the site. In this collection you can find transcripts of vital records as recorded by local clerks.

It is a complete collection between 1871 – 1908 but has spotty coverage between 1760 – 1870 and 1909 – 1954. The information has been transcribed to index cards.

Click here to search Vermont Vital Records at FamilySearch

Vermont Probate Files, 1800-1921

Another collection from FamilySearch this set of records includes some forms from multiple Vermont counties. This features over a century of Vermont probate records which may offer information about dates of death, close family and the financial status of the deceased.

Click here to search Vermont Probate Files, 1800-1921

Death Records Indexes and Cemetery Burials by County

County level genealogy websites can be very helpful for older death records due to the fact that state vital recording didn’t start in Vermont until the start of the 20^th century. Deaths and other life events were reported to the county clerk who would record them in registers.

Conclusion

Vermont has a good collection of vital records available online especially when it comes to death indexes. You can find details at both the state and county reporting levels which can be very helpful for genealogists.

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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