South Carolina Deaths, 1944-1955 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
Records from 1944-1955 were acquired from the South Carolina Division of Health and Environmental Control. The collection consists of a name index to South Carolina deaths.

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
Key genealogical facts found in this collection may include:

The key genealogical facts found in most South Carolina death certificates are:




 * Name of the deceased
 * Marital status and name of spouse
 * Dates of death
 * Birth date and place of the deceased
 * City, county, and state of death
 * Burial date and name of cemetery
 * Place of death and name of funeral home
 * Birthplace of the deceased
 * Name of the informant, who is often a child or other family member and names of additional relatives
 * Age, race, and sex of the deceased
 * Names and birthplaces of parents
 * Residence of the deceased
 * Occupation of the deceased

How to Use the Records
To begin your search, it is helpful to know
 * The name
 * Other identifying information such as the birth place or birth date.

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.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example:


 * 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 to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents (if the deceased is a child) to locate church and land records.
 * Use the parent’s birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * The name of the officiator is a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Occupations listed can lead you to employment records or other types of records such as military records.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname, this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have died or been buried in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals with the same family number.

General Information About These Records
The trend of keeping state-wide death records throughout the United States expanded in the early 20th century after Congress passed a resolution in 1901 asking each state to gather information about births and deaths on a statewide basis. Because Congress did not fund it, it took several more years before it happened in every state.

Death certificates were usually filled out by a mortician or medical professional. They filled in the information concerning the death and then obtained personal information on the deceased from an informant, usually a relative. Then, they sent the information to the county, who sent a copy to the state. The South Carolina Division of Vital Records is responsible for maintaining and issuing certified copies of vital records, including death certificates for deaths. Death certificates become public records fifty years after the death.

Deaths from 1915 to 1957 are available to the public at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History Monday through Saturday. City of Charleston death records from as early as 1821 are on file at the Charleston County Health Department. Florence City deaths for 1895-1914 are available at the Florence County Health Department. Newberry City deaths from the late 1800’s are available at the Newberry County Health Department. The state generally achieved compliance after 1915.

Death certificates were created to record deaths in South Carolina in compliance with state law and to better serve public health needs. They were also used in connection with the probate of wills and the administration of estates.

Information pertaining to death is reliable; including death, name of the attending physician or attending medical professional, name and address of the funeral home used, and the exact date and place of burial. Other information is dependent upon the reliability of the informant.

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 Web Sites

 * Online South Carolina Death Records &amp; Indexes
 * South Carolina Olive Tree Genealogy

Related Wiki Articles

 * South Carolina
 * South Carolina Vital Records

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
"South Carolina, Deaths, 1944-1955," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FPMZ-L9T : accessed 10 May 2012), George Edgar Jackson, 1946.