Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh City Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection consists of death registrations for the city of Pittsburgh from the Allegheny County Courthouse. The records are arranged in numbered bound volumes and are chronological by month and year.

The city of Pittsburgh began registering deaths in 1870. The records were house at the Allegheny county courthouse until 2008 when they were transferred to the state department of vital records. The state of Pennsylvania took over recording deaths in 1902.

This collection covers records that date from 1870 to 1905.

Deaths were recorded to better serve public health needs. Death records were used in connection with the probate of wills and the administration of estates.

The information in this index is very reliable. However, keep in mind that it still may contain alternate spellings or misinterpretations.

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

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Helpful genealogical facts included in the index are:


 * Name of deceased
 * Race, gender and age of deceased
 * Marital status and occupation
 * Date and place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Names of parents if a minor
 * Birthplace of deceased
 * Residence and length of residence
 * Previous residence
 * Date and place of interment
 * Name and address of attending physician
 * Date of Certificate and number

How to Use the Record
Use the index to find the death certificates of individuals residing in Pittsburgh at the time of their death. When searching the index it is helpful to know the following:


 * The name of the person at the time of death
 * The approximate death date

Use the locator information found in the index (such as page, entry, or certificate number) to locate your ancestor in the death records. Compare the information in the death record to what you already know about your ancestor to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

Search the Collection
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

When you have located your ancestor’s death record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family.

For example:


 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find or verify their birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth and parents’ names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Search for any alternate names your ancestor might have used, such as a nickname or alias.
 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search for names of their parents, if known.
 * Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Keep in mind there is some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

For a summary of this information see the wiki article: United States, How to Use the Records Summary (FamilySearch Historical Records).

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * Allegheny County
 * Online Pennsylvania Death Records and Obituaries

Related Wiki Articles

 * Pennsylvania
 * Pennsylvania Vital Records
 * Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also 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
"Pennsylvanina, Pittsburgh City Deaths, 1870-1905" database and digital images, FamilySearch, (https://.familySearch.org: accessed 9 September 2011). John Quincy, 27 February 1882; citing City Records, FHL microfilm 505831; Allegheny Courthouse, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.