Chicago death certificates, 1878-1915

Notes

. HOW TO ACCESS DEATH CERTIFICATES . The index to Chicago death records is found on 70 microfiches, #6016533. The fiche are alphabetically divided [if you desire to see the alphabetical division per fiche in this catalog see "Death Record Index, 1871-1916" / Cook County (Illinois). County Clerk]. Once you locate a person in the index, you must note the certificate number found on the right-hand side of the entry. This certificate number is the key to locating your ancestor. These numbers are found in the upper right-hand corner on each death certificate.

. The numerical order of certificate numbers found on death certificates usually begins with #1, 3 times every year. By month, the division would be: Jan.-Apr.; May-Aug.; Sept.-Dec. So, if your ancestor died in March of a given year, you should look in the 1st sequence of numbers for his/her death certificate. . There are variations in the above logic. With earlier years, the sequences may start over only twice a year. At other times there may be 4 sequences per year. In either case, the years are divided chronologically. . At other times, unfortunately, the sequences for a year may not be divided in any logical order. This means that you may be required to look at all the films for a year that include the certificate number you are looking for, hopefully no more than 4 films.

Further, many certificates are missing or filmed out of numerical sequence. Check coroner's death certificates. Some certificates may be found in alphabetical order, which may help with certificates out of numerical sequence. Also, some county certificates have been interfiled with city certificates.

Microfilm of original records in the Cook County Courthouse, Chicago, Illinois.

An index for Illinois, Cook County Deaths is available online, click here

Subjects

Locality Subjects

Film/Digital Notes