Northampton County Death Records
Northampton County is one of the original Pennsylvania counties, established in 1752 from Bucks County. Its county seat is Easton, located at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh rivers. Northampton County holds a distinction that sets it apart from most Pennsylvania counties: the Register of Wills maintained vital records through 1936, well past the typical 1905 or 1906 cutoff when the state took over. That extended range means a researcher looking for deaths in Northampton County can often find county-level records that other jurisdictions would not have kept. Probate files date back to 1752, giving the county some of the deepest historical records in all of Pennsylvania.
Northampton County Quick Facts
Northampton County Register of Wills Death Records Through 1936
The Northampton County Register of Wills is the local custodian of vital records collected before the state system fully took over. Most Pennsylvania counties stopped keeping birth and death records at the local level around 1905 or 1906 when the Commonwealth began statewide registration. Northampton County continued to maintain vital records at the county level through 1936. That means deaths occurring well into the 1930s may appear in county records held in Easton, not just in the state system in New Castle.
Probate records at the Register of Wills date from 1752, the year the county was formed. Will Books from 1752 through 1907 are among the oldest continuously maintained will records in Pennsylvania. These files often contain information about deceased individuals that supplements or predates formal death certificates, including names of heirs, dates of death, and descriptions of property. Researchers working on Northampton County families from any era should consult the Register of Wills early in the research process.
| Office | Northampton County Register of Wills 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042 Phone: (610) 559-3000 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM |
| Records | Vital records 1893–1936; will books from 1752; probate records from 1752 |
Note: Northampton County vital records extend through 1936, meaning deaths in the 1906 to 1936 window may appear in both county and state repositories.
Northampton County Death Records at the Pennsylvania State Archives
The Pennsylvania State Archives holds death certificates for all Pennsylvania counties from 1906 through 1975. Northampton County deaths from that period are part of this collection. Researchers can use the online death indices to search by name before requesting a copy. Because Northampton County also maintained records through 1936, the period from 1906 to 1936 is covered at both the county and state levels, giving researchers two places to look for the same death.
The State Archives also participates in the free Ancestry access program for Pennsylvania residents. This program allows state residents to search multiple vital record collections through Ancestry at no cost by accessing the service through the Archives' terminals or affiliated locations. Non-residents can use the Ancestry platform with a paid subscription or visit a public library that provides free access.
Note: For deaths from 1906 to the present, the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records at P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103 issues certified copies at $20 each.
Bethlehem and Easton Death Records in Northampton County
Northampton County contains two of the most historically significant cities in eastern Pennsylvania. Easton is the county seat and sits at the point where the Lehigh River meets the Delaware River. Bethlehem is the largest city in the county and is actually shared with neighboring Lehigh County, with parts of the city falling in each county. Researchers looking for death records tied to Bethlehem should be aware of this split and may need to check both Northampton and Lehigh county records depending on which part of the city the individual lived in.
The steel industry shaped Bethlehem's history through most of the twentieth century, and death records from the industrial era reflect that heritage. Many deaths in the region were tied to the steel mills and related industries. Church records from Bethlehem's Moravian community are particularly rich for genealogical research and can document deaths going back centuries before formal registration began.
The image below is from the Pennsylvania Department of Health vital records page, which handles certified death certificate orders for Northampton County deaths from 1906 to the present.
Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records is the source for certified death certificates for Northampton County residents who died in 1906 or later.
Northampton County deaths from 1906 and later can be ordered directly from the state through the Division of Vital Records or through VitalChek.
FamilySearch Collections for Northampton County
The FamilySearch Northampton County genealogy page lists free collections available for this county. Given the county's age and importance in Pennsylvania history, the FamilySearch catalog holds a wide range of digitized records covering vital statistics, wills, deeds, and church records. These can be searched at no cost and provide a strong starting point before visiting the county courthouse or the State Archives.
FamilySearch also indexes Moravian church records from Bethlehem, which are among the most detailed early records in Pennsylvania. The Moravians kept meticulous registers of births, marriages, and deaths from the mid-eighteenth century onward, providing a parallel record system that long predates formal government registration. Researchers with Northampton County ancestors who were members of the Moravian church should search these collections thoroughly.
The image below is from the Pennsylvania State Archives death indices page, which provides online access to death records for Northampton County from 1906 through 1975.
Pennsylvania State Archives death indices are searchable online and cover Northampton County deaths in the post-1906 period.
The death indices can be searched by name and date range, making it practical to locate specific individuals before requesting a certified copy or full-image document.
Using Northampton County Death Records for Genealogy
Northampton County's combination of deep probate records going back to 1752 and extended vital records through 1936 makes it one of the richest counties in Pennsylvania for genealogical research. Researchers working on families here can trace death-related records through several distinct time periods: estate files from 1752 onward, formal death registrations from 1893 to 1936 at the county level, and state death certificates from 1906 forward. Few other Pennsylvania counties offer this kind of layered coverage.
Church records, cemetery registers, and newspaper obituaries provide additional context for death records across all time periods. Northampton County's long settlement history and diverse ethnic heritage mean that researchers may encounter records in German, Welsh, and other languages, particularly for deaths in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The county courthouse in Easton and the FamilySearch collections are both good places to look for translated or indexed versions of these older records.
The Northampton County government website provides contact information for the Register of Wills and other offices that hold historical records. Checking the website before contacting the office can help you confirm hours, fees, and what types of requests are accepted by mail versus in person.
Cities in Northampton County
Northampton County contains several historically significant cities. Researchers may find city-specific records that complement county-level death records.
Nearby Counties
Northampton County borders several other Pennsylvania counties in the Lehigh Valley and Pocono regions. Death records for families who crossed county lines may be held in more than one repository.