Wayne County Death Records
Wayne County was created in 1798 from Northampton County. Honesdale is the county seat, a borough in the Pocono region of northeastern Pennsylvania that also borders both New York and New Jersey. Death records at the county level cover 1893 through 1906. The Wayne County Historical Society maintains death records from 1893 through 1905 and marriage licenses from 1885 through 1906 on microfilm, offering a research option that is separate from the county courthouse. Lake Wallenpaupack, the largest lake in Pennsylvania, is located in Wayne County and gives the region much of its appeal as a resort and recreation destination.
Wayne County Quick Facts
Wayne County Death Records at the Courthouse
The Wayne County Courthouse at 925 Court Street in Honesdale holds historical vital records for the county. The phone number is 570-253-5970. Death and birth records from 1893 through 1906 are on file here, covering the period of county-level registration before and including the year Pennsylvania began its statewide system. Researchers looking for Wayne County deaths from that thirteen-year period can find the records at the courthouse in Honesdale. Probate records at the courthouse predate the formal registration period and can document deaths going back to the county's founding in 1798.
Wayne County was carved from Northampton County in 1798, and researchers tracing families in this area before that date should look at Northampton County records. The county's northeastern location and border with New York and New Jersey mean that some families had records in multiple states. The Lackawaxen River valley and the Delaware River corridor were active trade and transportation routes in the nineteenth century, and many families who appear in Wayne County death records had connections to communities in New York or New Jersey as well.
| Office | Wayne County Courthouse 925 Court Street, Honesdale, PA 18431 Phone: 570-253-5970 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM |
| Records | Death and birth records 1893–1906; probate records from 1798 |
Wayne County Historical Society Death Records and Research
The Wayne County Historical Society maintains death records from 1893 through 1905 and marriage licenses from 1885 through 1906 on microfilm. Having these records on microfilm at the Historical Society gives researchers a second access point that is sometimes more convenient than the courthouse, particularly for those who are not sure exactly what date range they need to search. The Society's microfilm collection covers most of the pre-state registration period for both deaths and marriages.
Research fees at the Wayne County Historical Society are $8 per name for members and $10 per name for non-members. These fees apply to name searches of the Society's collections by staff or volunteers. Researchers who join the Society as members benefit from the reduced research fee and may also gain access to other member resources and publications. For genealogists with extensive Wayne County research needs, membership may be cost-effective if multiple name searches are needed.
The image below is from the Wayne County Historical Society records research page, which describes death records on microfilm and genealogy research services available in Honesdale.
Wayne County Historical Society records page describes death records on microfilm from 1893 to 1905 and marriage licenses from 1885 to 1906 available for genealogy research.
The Society's microfilm collection is a practical alternative to the courthouse for accessing Wayne County death records from the pre-state registration period.
Note: The Wayne County Historical Society's research fee for non-members is $10 per name. Members pay $8 per name. Joining as a member may be worthwhile if you anticipate multiple name lookups in the Society's collections.
Pennsylvania State Death Certificates for Wayne County
Deaths in Wayne County from 1906 forward are documented by the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records. Certified copies cost $20 each. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Phone orders are placed at (724) 656-3100. Online ordering is available through the MyCertificates portal or through VitalChek.
The Pennsylvania State Archives holds Wayne County death certificates from 1906 through 1975. The online death indices allow researchers to search by name at no cost. Pennsylvania residents can use Ancestry at no charge through the State Archives program.
FamilySearch Collections for Wayne County Death Research
The FamilySearch Wayne County genealogy page lists free online collections available for this county. FamilySearch has indexed and digitized records from many Pennsylvania counties, and Wayne County is included in several collections covering vital records and church registers. Searching the FamilySearch catalog before visiting the courthouse or the Historical Society can help identify which records are available online and which require an in-person visit or written request.
Church records from Wayne County communities are an important supplement to formal death records, particularly for deaths before 1893 when no county-level registration existed. Methodist, Presbyterian, and Reformed congregations that served the Pocono region kept burial registers from the early nineteenth century. Some of these records have been digitized and are searchable through FamilySearch without visiting the county.
Cemetery transcriptions for Wayne County have been compiled by local volunteers and are available on several genealogical websites. These cover many of the rural burial grounds in the county and provide burial location information for individuals who died before and during the formal registration period. Combining cemetery records with death certificates and Historical Society microfilm gives the most complete picture of a death in Wayne County history.
Wayne County Cross-Border Death Records Research
Wayne County's location at the corner of Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey creates a unique research challenge for genealogists. Families who lived near the Delaware River or along the state lines may have had legal residency in Pennsylvania while having social connections and sometimes even vital records in neighboring states. Researchers who find a Wayne County family but cannot locate a death record in Pennsylvania should consider checking New York and New Jersey records as well before concluding that no documentation exists.
The Gravity Railroad, which connected Honesdale to the coal fields of the Wyoming Valley, brought workers and commerce through Wayne County in the mid-nineteenth century. Death records from that era may include individuals who were transient workers rather than permanent residents. This is worth keeping in mind when a death record appears but no family connection to the county can be found in other records.
Nearby Counties
Wayne County borders several northeastern Pennsylvania counties as well as New York and New Jersey. Researchers may find family records spread across multiple jurisdictions in this corner of the state.