Berks County Death Records and Vital Certificates
Berks County death records offer a rich resource for anyone researching families in the Reading area and across this historically significant Pennsylvania county. Formed in 1752, Berks County has maintained vital records through the Register of Wills for the county-level period from 1893 to 1905. What makes Berks County unique is the City of Reading's separate death registration system, which produced independent death records dating back to 1873. The Berks History Center adds a research library with genealogical collections spanning more than 150 years of county history.
Berks County Quick Facts
Berks County Register of Wills Death Records
The Berks County Register of Wills is located at 633 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Reading, PA 19601. Phone: (610) 478-6600. Email: rwills@countyofberks.com. This office maintains the official county-level death and birth registrations from 1893 through 1905, as well as marriage records from 1885 and probate records going back to the county's founding in the mid-1700s. For any Berks County death in the late 1800s and early 1900s, this is the first place to check.
The Berks County Government website provides current contact details and links to county offices. The Register of Wills can answer questions about what records are available, what format they are in, and how to request copies. In-person visits are the most efficient way to search for records, but staff can also assist by phone or email for basic inquiries.
| Office | Berks County Register of Wills 633 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Reading, PA 19601 Phone: (610) 478-6600 Email: rwills@countyofberks.com |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM |
| Records | Birth and death records 1893–1905; marriage records from 1885; probate records |
City of Reading Death Records Dating to 1873
Berks County has a record-keeping feature that many researchers overlook. The City of Reading maintained its own separate death registration system independent of the county. Reading death records go back to 1873, more than 20 years before the county began keeping records in 1893. The city also kept separate birth records from 1876 through 1906. This means that for anyone who died in the City of Reading between 1873 and 1905, there may be a city record that predates the county registration system.
Knowing whether the death occurred within the city limits of Reading or in the surrounding county is important before deciding where to search. The boundaries of Reading have changed over time, and some areas that were once outside the city are now within it, and vice versa. If a search of county records turns up nothing, the separate city records are worth checking. The Berks History Center at 940 Centre Avenue, Reading, PA 19601, has city and county records in its research library and can help determine which collection applies to a given death.
The image below is from the Berks County PAGenWeb site, which provides free genealogy resources and volunteer lookup services for Berks County death records.
Berks County PAGenWeb offers free online genealogy resources and volunteer assistance for researching Berks County death records and vital certificates.
The PAGenWeb site links to county-specific collections and provides contact information for local genealogical societies that can assist with Berks County research.
Berks History Center Research Library
The Berks History Center was founded in 1869, making it one of the oldest historical societies in Pennsylvania. The center is located at 940 Centre Avenue, Reading, PA 19601, and operates a research library with extensive genealogical collections covering Berks County from colonial times through the modern period. The library holds cemetery records, church registers, newspaper indexes, and family history files that can fill gaps in the official death record system.
Researchers visiting the Berks History Center will find that the staff are well versed in the county's unique record-keeping history, including the separate Reading city records. The library's newspaper holdings are particularly valuable for finding death notices and obituaries that can confirm dates and family relationships not found on death certificates.
The center's museum and library together make it one of the best resources in southeastern Pennsylvania for tracing German immigrant families. Many of Berks County's early settlers were German speakers, and church records in German are common. The Berks History Center has experience helping researchers work with these records.
Note: Berks County death records from 1906 forward are not held at the Berks History Center or the county Register of Wills; those must be ordered from the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records in New Castle.
State Death Records for Berks County
Pennsylvania began centralized death registration in 1906. All Berks County deaths from that date forward are managed by the PA Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103-1528, phone (724) 656-3100. Certified copies cost $20. Online orders through mycertificates.health.pa.gov carry a $10 processing fee on top of the base cost. The state also works with VitalChek for authorized online orders.
The 50-year access restriction established by 35 P.S. §450.801 applies to all Pennsylvania death certificates, including Berks County records. Records older than 50 years are more broadly accessible. The Pennsylvania State Archives holds death certificates from 1906 through 1975, and online death indices for this period make it easy to confirm a name and date before placing an order.
Under 28 Pa. Code Chapter 1, death certificates must be filed within 96 hours of death. This requirement has helped maintain complete records in Berks County since the state took over registration in 1906.
Free Genealogy Resources for Berks County Death Records
Several free resources are available for researching Berks County death records without paying for certified copies. The Berks County PAGenWeb site provides volunteer genealogy assistance and links to online collections. FamilySearch has indexed many Berks County records and offers free image access to most of its collections. Pennsylvania residents can also access Ancestry.com at no cost through the State Archives partnership program.
Here are the main free resources available for Berks County death records research:
- Pennsylvania State Archives death indices (1906–1975), free online
- FamilySearch Berks County genealogy collections, free with account
- Ancestry.com, free for PA residents through State Archives
- Berks County PAGenWeb, free volunteer lookups and links
- Berks History Center research library, in-person access
The CDC guide to Pennsylvania vital records provides a plain-language overview of how the Pennsylvania death certificate system works. It is a useful reference for anyone who is new to searching Berks County death records.
Cities in Berks County
Reading is the county seat of Berks County and the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania. As described above, Reading maintained its own separate death registration records dating back to 1873. Researchers with Reading ancestors should check both city and county sources when searching Berks County death records.
Nearby Counties
Berks County sits in southeastern Pennsylvania and shares borders with several populous counties. Families in the region frequently moved across county lines, so death records in neighboring jurisdictions may contain information about Berks County ancestors.