Bensalem Pennsylvania Death Records
Bensalem Township is in Bucks County with a population of more than 60,000. It is not an incorporated city, so all vital records flow through Bucks County government. What makes Bensalem death records research exceptional is the depth of Bucks County's historical holdings. The county's Register of Wills maintains records dating back to 1684, making it one of the oldest record collections in Pennsylvania. Bensalem itself is among the earliest settled areas in the state, with colonial ties to Benjamin Franklin and a history that spans more than 300 years.
Bensalem Quick Facts
Bucks County Death Records for Bensalem
Because Bensalem is a township without its own vital records office, Bucks County government is the starting point for all formal death records research. The Bucks County Register of Wills holds birth and death records from 1893 through 1906 as well as original county documents from 1684 through 1936. That 1684 start date is notable. Bucks County is one of the three original Pennsylvania counties, and its records are among the oldest in the commonwealth. The Register of Wills office on site holds original documents that go back to the earliest years of European settlement in the Bensalem area.
For genealogical research requests, the county charges $25 per name searched. That fee is non-refundable regardless of whether a record is found. Certified copies of birth and death records from 1893 through 1906 cost $25 per copy. Researchers should have the full name of the deceased, approximate year of death, and any known address information before submitting a request. These details help staff locate the correct entry in what is a very large and very old collection.
| Office | Bucks County Register of Wills 55 East Court Street, Doylestown, PA 18901 Phone: (215) 348-6265 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM |
| Records | Birth and death records 1893–1906; original county documents 1684–1936; genealogical search $25/name |
Note: Bucks County's genealogical search fee of $25 per name is non-refundable; have as much identifying information as possible before submitting a request to maximize the chance of locating the correct record.
Bensalem Death Records at Spruance Library
The Bucks County Historical Society's Spruance Library holds death records from 1852 through 1855 and from 1893 through 1906. These two ranges reflect distinct periods in Pennsylvania's history of vital records registration. The records from 1852 to 1855 come from an early state attempt at death registration that was later abandoned. When the system was relaunched more formally in 1893, registration became more consistent.
The Spruance Library is located at 84 South Pine Street, Doylestown, PA 18901. Researchers working on Bensalem family history will find the library's collection valuable for both death records and the broader county genealogy materials that place individual deaths in context. Church registers, probate files, and newspaper death notices in the library's collection can supplement the formal death registration entries.
The Bucks County Historical Society's genealogy resources at the Spruance Library are among the most complete in southeastern Pennsylvania. The combination of early death records from the 1852 experimental period and the standard 1893 to 1906 collection gives Bensalem researchers more historical coverage than most Pennsylvania townships can offer.
The image below is from the Bucks County Government website, the primary county resource for Bensalem residents seeking death records and vital statistics.
Bucks County Government in Doylestown serves as the county-level hub for Bensalem vital records, maintaining death registrations from 1893 to 1906 and original county documents reaching back to 1684.
Bensalem Colonial History and Early Death Records
Bensalem is one of Pennsylvania's earliest settled townships. European settlement in the area dates to the late 1600s, and the township has been home to some of the most historically significant figures in American history. Benjamin Franklin frequently visited Bensalem and was familiar with the area's leading families. Colonial-era deaths in Bensalem before formal civil registration began in 1893 are documented primarily through church records, Quaker meeting registers, and private family papers.
The Bucks County Record Office holds documents from 1684. Those early materials are not death certificates in the modern sense, but they include wills, estate inventories, and probate records that capture death-related information in the colonial style. An ancestor who died in Bensalem in the 1700s might appear in a probate record at the county courthouse rather than a death register.
Bucks County's Genealogical and Archival Search Request page provides information on how to submit research requests, fees, and what records are available. This page is the official gateway for remote genealogy research requests to the county.
Note: For Bensalem deaths before 1852, researchers should focus on church records, Quaker meeting registers, and Bucks County probate records from the 1684 collection rather than formal death registration, which did not exist in that period.
Bensalem Death Certificates After 1906
From 1906 forward, all Bensalem death certificates are held by the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records. You can order certified copies online through the MyCertificates portal, by mail to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103, or by phone at (724) 656-3100. VitalChek also processes orders for Pennsylvania vital records. Each certified copy costs $20.
Under 35 P.S. §450.801, death certificate access is restricted to family members, legal representatives, and others with a recognized interest. The state's vital statistics regulations at 28 Pa. Code Chapter 1 govern the full registration and certification process. Genealogical researchers may have access to older records under open records provisions that apply after a qualifying period has passed.
The image below is from the Bensalem Township website, which provides municipal services for residents but does not maintain vital records at the township level.
Bensalem Township's website at bensalempa.gov provides general municipal information, but all formal death records for Bensalem residents are handled through Bucks County government and the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records.
Bensalem Death Records Research and Genealogy
For Bensalem genealogy, the research path depends on the time period. Deaths before 1852: church and Quaker records plus Bucks County probate files from 1684. Deaths from 1852 to 1855: Spruance Library. Deaths from 1856 to 1892: church records and newspaper obituary files. Deaths from 1893 to 1906: Bucks County Register of Wills or Spruance Library. Deaths from 1907 onward: Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records.
The PA State Archives death indices cover Bucks County from 1906 and are free to search online. FamilySearch has digitized Pennsylvania records that include some Bucks County materials, and their database is searchable at no cost. These free resources are worth checking before paying for certified copies or county research requests.
Bensalem Bucks County Death Records
Bucks County provides the county-level framework for all Bensalem death records research. The Register of Wills holds records from 1893 to 1906 and original county documents from 1684. The Spruance Library at the Bucks County Historical Society holds the 1852 to 1855 death records and the 1893 to 1906 collection.