Canada, New Brunswick Provincial Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection covers the deaths registered from 1815 to 1938.

The death registrations are recorded on individual, printed forms and consist of completed statements regarding deaths in New Brunswick. These statements were submitted to district registrars and registered by the registrar or director of Vital Statistics.

New Brunswick is one of the four original provinces of Canada. It entered into the Canadian Confederation on July 1, 1867. Following the passing of the Vital Statistics Act of 1887, registrations of death were collected and kept by the provincial government. In this collection, there are a number of records which date from before the passing of the act. The oldest of these dates is 1815.

Registration of deaths began in 1887 in order to keep a written record of the population for use by the government.

Death registrations are the best source of death information in New Brunswick beginning in 1815.

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in the New Brunswick, Provincial returns of Deaths, 1815-1919 collection, select the Browse.

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in the New Brunswick, Death Certificates, 1920-1934 collection, select the Browse.

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in the New Brunswick, Death Certificates, 1935-1938 collection, select the Browse.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Records collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts that may be found in the death registrations are the following:


 * Name, age, sex, and residence of the deceased
 * Date of death
 * Profession (if known)
 * Date of birth
 * Cause of death
 * Name of physician
 * Name and residence of informant
 * Religious affiliation
 * Registration district name or number
 * Date and number of registration
 * In later registrations, marital status and parents’ names and birthplaces

How to Use the Records
To search the collection, select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the County/City ⇒ Select the Year Range ⇒ Select the Parish/Town which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

The death registrations are recorded on individual, printed forms. These forms have been digitized and can be seen for free by clicking on the link in the box at the top of this article. The records are sorted by year and winthin each year the forms are alphabatized by each persons ending name. To find an individual's record, it is best to have the approxomate year of death and the ending name used at the time of death.

Death registrations are the best source of death information for an individual. These records may list a person's age, occupation, religious affiliation, and birthplace. You can use this information to then search for additional records. In addition, death records may provide clues for searching for other individuals, ones related to your ancestor. Usually the person who provided the death information was a child or other relative of the deceased. Death registrations after 1907 list the names and birthplaces of parents. Use this information to begin compiling a family group and to extend your lineage.

Related Websites

 * New Brunswick Provincial Archives
 * Online Death Indexes Records for Canada

Related Wiki Articles

 * New Brunswick
 * New Brunswick Genealogy
 * New Brunswick Vital Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"New Brunswick Provincial Deaths, 1815-1938," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XGZP-6JF : accessed 22 Aug 2012), Elizabeth M Broadhurst, 1931; New Brunswick Vital Statistics Branch. New Brunswick provincial returns of deaths. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.