York County Pennsylvania Death Records
York County is one of Pennsylvania's oldest counties, created in 1749 from Lancaster County. The city of York is the county seat, and the county holds a unique place in American history: during the American Revolution, York served as the temporary capital of the United States from September 1777 to June 1778, when Congress met there while British forces occupied Philadelphia. Death records held at the York County Archives reach back to 1852, when Pennsylvania conducted a voluntary registration period. Death indexes from 1852 through 1855 and again from 1893 through 1906 give researchers an unusually early documentary record. Wills at the county level date from 1773, and Death Affidavits from 1877 through 1958 add another eighty years of death documentation.
York County Quick Facts
York County Death Records at the Clerk of Orphans Court
The York County Clerk of Orphans' Court at 45 North George Street in York, PA is the local custodian of historical death records and related documents. The phone number is 717-771-9288. The York County Archives holds death indexes from 1852 through 1855, covering the period of Pennsylvania's voluntary registration experiment, and again from 1893 through 1906, when formal county-level registration was required. Having death index records from 1852 makes York County one of a small group of Pennsylvania counties with documented death data from the mid-nineteenth century well before the standard 1893 start date. Wills at the county go back to 1773, and Death Affidavits span from 1877 through 1958, a remarkable 81-year documentary record of sworn statements about deaths in the county.
The Death Affidavits from 1877 through 1958 are a particularly unusual resource. These sworn statements about deaths were often filed in connection with pension claims, estate settlements, or other legal proceedings. They contain more narrative detail than a standard death certificate and may include the names of witnesses, descriptions of the circumstances of death, and information about the decedent's family that is not available anywhere else. For researchers who have already found a death certificate and want more context, the Death Affidavit collection is worth searching.
| Office | York County Clerk of Orphans' Court / County Archives 45 N George Street, York, PA 17401 Phone: 717-771-9288 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM |
| Records | Death indexes 1852–1855, 1893–1906; Birth indexes 1852–1853, 1893–1906; Death Affidavits 1877–1958; Marriage Records 1852–1853, 1885–1949; Wills from 1773; Delayed Births |
Note: York County death records from 1852 to 1855 place this county among the small group that participated in Pennsylvania's voluntary registration period, giving researchers access to mid-nineteenth century death documentation that most counties do not have at the local level.
York County Death Records from 1852: The Voluntary Registration Period
Between 1852 and 1854, Pennsylvania attempted a voluntary vital registration system in which county officials were asked to collect birth, marriage, and death records. Not all counties participated fully, and the resulting records are patchy across the state. York County did participate, and as a result the York County Archives holds death indexes from 1852 through 1855. These records predate the mandatory county registration period by more than 40 years and provide the earliest formal death documentation available for York County families.
The 1852 to 1855 death records are indexes rather than full death certificates. They typically record the name of the deceased, the date of death, and sometimes the age, cause of death, and place of residence. The level of detail varies, but even a name and date from 1852 can provide a critical anchor for genealogical research that otherwise must rely on church records, estate files, and census mortality schedules. Researchers who find an ancestor in the 1850s census in York County should check the 1852 to 1855 death index as a first step when the individual does not appear in later records.
The image below is from the York County Clerk of Orphans' Court page, which provides access information for the county's historical death records, death affidavits, and other vital record collections.
York County Clerk of Orphans' Court maintains historical death records going back to 1852, Death Affidavits from 1877, and wills from 1773 at the York County Archives.
The county archives holds an unusually broad range of death-related documents, from the 1852 voluntary registration records through the twentieth century, making it one of the richest county-level repositories in Pennsylvania.
York County Historical Society and Genealogy Resources
The York County History Center in York is an important resource for genealogists researching families in this county. The History Center maintains a library and archives with a wide range of local history materials, including newspaper death notices, church records, cemetery transcriptions, and genealogical files compiled over many decades. Staff at the History Center are experienced in helping researchers navigate the multiple layers of York County death records, from the 1852 voluntary registration records through the twentieth century state certificates.
York County's long history and large population have produced a substantial body of local history publications, family genealogies, and county history volumes that can be found at the History Center. These publications often include transcribed death records and obituaries that are not available in any official archive. Researchers who have located official death records and want more context about the individual or family should check the History Center's collection of published genealogies and local histories as a next step.
Pennsylvania State Death Certificates for York County
Deaths in York 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 York County death certificates from 1906 through 1975. The online death indices allow researchers to search by name at no charge. Pennsylvania residents can access Ancestry free through the State Archives program. The CDC Pennsylvania vital records guide summarizes ordering procedures and eligibility rules.
York County and Its Revolutionary War History
York's role as the temporary capital of the United States from September 1777 to June 1778 gives this county a special place in American history. During that period, the Continental Congress met in York while British forces held Philadelphia. The Articles of Confederation were adopted by Congress while meeting in York on November 15, 1777. This history has drawn historians and genealogists to York County who are researching individuals connected to the Revolutionary War period, and the county's local history collections reflect this interest.
Death records from the Revolutionary era are not available in formal government registration form, since mandatory death registration at the county level did not begin until 1893 and the voluntary period not until 1852. Estate files from the Register of Wills going back to 1773 are the primary official documentation for deaths during the Revolutionary period and the early republic. Researchers tracing York County families from that era will find the wills and estate files at the county archives to be their most reliable official source.
Church records from York's German Lutheran, German Reformed, and Anglican congregations are an essential supplement for Revolutionary War era deaths. York City was a significant religious and cultural center in the eighteenth century, and the church records from that period are among the richest genealogical sources in south-central Pennsylvania. FamilySearch has digitized some of these records, and the York County History Center holds additional materials that can help fill gaps in the official record.
Death Affidavits and Other Unique York County Records
The Death Affidavit collection at the York County Archives covering 1877 through 1958 is one of the most distinctive record collections in Pennsylvania genealogy. These affidavits were sworn statements about deaths, typically filed in connection with legal proceedings, pension claims, or estate matters. Over the 81-year span of the collection, thousands of York County deaths are documented in narrative form that often provides more information than a standard death certificate. Researchers who have found a death certificate but want more context about the circumstances of a death should search the affidavit collection.
The combination of resources available for York County death research is exceptional: death records from 1852 through 1855 from the voluntary period, death records from 1893 through 1906 from the mandatory county period, Death Affidavits from 1877 through 1958, marriage records from 1852 through 1949, wills from 1773, and Delayed Birth certificates. Together these collections give York County researchers access to death-related documentation for virtually every period from the county's founding to the present day. Few counties in Pennsylvania can offer this level of documentary coverage across such a long time span.
Nearby Counties
York County borders several south-central Pennsylvania counties. Researchers tracing families in this region often find records in multiple county archives.