Over the past few decades, thanks to volunteers, librarians, and archivists (as well as the largest of them all – FamilySearch), a great number of indexes to death collections have been provided for free online. These searchable indexes provide specific death information, and sometimes scanned images of the actual death certificates themselves. These free online collections have hundreds of millions of records in them in total.
There are a great number of online and offline collections that may include death information that is not included in the lists below. For example, newspapers and obituaries have death info, but most times obituary indexes include the date of the obituary but not the date of death. To find out which types of other records may include death information, please see:
The lists below are specific death indexes and record collections that are available for free online for the state of North Carolina.
Note: Some of the links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage, please make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Note: I have included links to Free Ancestry records and indexes. You do not need a subscription, but do need an Ancestry account. Without a subscription, you can view indexes. If there is an image associated with a record, in most cases you will need a subscription, but the index does include very usable information.
(Updated March 2023)
North Carolina Death Records
- Alamance County Death Indexes
- Alamance County Death Records Index, 1913-1962
- Alamance County, Death Index, 1913-1962
- Alexander County Index to Vital Statistics, Births, Deaths, 1913-1966
- Alexander County, Deaths Index, 1913-1995
- Alleghany County Index to Vital Statistics, Births, Deaths, 1879-1969
- Alleghany County, Death Index, 1800-1958
- Anson County Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1962
- Anson County Miscellaneous Records
- Anson County, Death Indexes
- Anson County, Deaths Index, 1913-1973
- Ashe County Ashe County Delayed Births and Deaths, 1913-1966; Marriage Records, 1799-1966; Index to Births, 1913-1946, 1799-1966
- Avery County, Death Index, 1932-1998
- Beaufort County, Death Index, 1913-1981
- Beaufort County, Index to Vital Statistics, Deaths, 1913-1963
- Berkeley Births, Deaths and Marriages
- Bertie County Index to Vital Statistics, 1877-1959
- Bertie County, Death Index, 1916-1983
- Bladen County Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1961
- Bladen County, Death Index, 1914-1972
- Bladen County, Death Records, 1913-2003
- Brunswick County Births, Marriages, and Deaths Index
- Brunswick County Deaths
- Brunswick County, Death Records, 1914-1974
- Brunswick County, Death Certificates, 1913-1991
- Brunswick County, Index to Vital Statistics, 1914-1963; Marriage Records, 1850-1961
- Buncombe County Birth Record of Asheville, 1892-1904; Register of Deaths in Asheville, 1898-1909, 1892-1909
- Buncombe County Coroners’ Inquests 1875-1929
- Buncombe County Index to Births, 1887-1904, 1913-1956; Index to Deaths, 1892-1963; Marriages Registers, 1851-1961; Marriages Records,1851-1889
- Buncombe County, Death Index, 1964-1977
- Burke County Death Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1963
- Burke County, Death Records, 1946-1978
- Cabarrus County Index to Vital Statistics: Births, 1914-1965; Delayed Births, 1890-1965; Deaths, 1913-1965
- Cabarrus County, Death Index, 1921-1981
- Cabarrus County, Death Indexes
- Caldwell County Index to Vital Statistics, Birth, Death, 1914-1967
- Caldwell County, Death Index, 1940-1980
- Camden County Genealogical Records of Camden County and Pasquotank County
- Camden County Index to Vital Statistics: Births and Deaths, 1913-1960
- Camden County, Death Records, 1913-1982
- Carteret County Index to Vital Statistics, 1870-1960
- Carteret County, Death Records, 1913-2006
- Caswell County Death Records Index, 1913-1963
- Caswell County, Death Records, 1913-1985
- Catawba County Index to Vital Statistics, Births, Deaths, 1909-1979
- Catawba County, Death Records, 1909-1979
- Catawba County, Abstracts of Death Records, 1915
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Marriage and Death Indexes
- Chatham County Coroners’ Inquests 1796-1971
- Chatham County Index to Deaths, 1913-1980
- Chatham County, Death Records, 1913-1998
- Cherokee County, Death Records, 1913-1945
- Cherokee County, Index to Vital Statistics, Births and Deaths, 1913-1945
- Chowan County Index to Deaths 1913-1958
- Chowan County, Death Records, 1913-1946
- Chowan County, Death Records, 1947-1993
- Clay County Index to Vital Statistics; Births, Deaths, 1913-1970
- Clay County, Death Records, 1913-1985
- Cleveland County Index to Births and Deaths, 1913-1939; Index to Delayed Births, 1908- 1935
- Columbus County Death Indexes
- Columbus County Coroner’s Inquest 1914-1968, 1981
- Columbus County Index to Vital Statistics: Births, Deaths, 1913-1973
- Columbus County, Death Records, 1911-1997
- Concord, Rocky River Presbyterian Church, Baptisms, 1827-1857; Deaths, 1832-1859
- Craven County Coroners’ Inquests 1782-1905
- Craven County, Death Indexes
- Cumberland County Death Records, 1913-1973
- Cumberland County Coroner related Records, 1791-1909
- Cumberland County Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1962
- Currituck County Death Certificates
- Currituck County Index to Vital Statistics, 1914-1960
- Currituck County, Death Records, 1914-2005
- Dare County, Births, Deaths, Delayed Birth Certificates, 1913-2003
- Davidson County Vital Records, 1867-2006
- Davidson County Births and Deaths Index, 1954-1980
- Davidson County Deaths, 1914-2005
- Davidson County Index to Vital Statistics: Births & Deaths, 1914-1967
- Davidson County Miscellaneous Records, 1822-1946
- Davie County Index to Vital Statistics: Births & Deaths, 1913-1971
- Davie County, Death Records, 1913-1990
- Duplin County Death Index, 1913-1981
- Duplin County Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1962
- Edgecombe County Death Records, 1914-1987
- Edgecombe County Death Records Index, 1914-1961
- Edgecombe County Slave Related Documents 1780-1871
- Fayetteville, Cumberland County, First Presbyterian Church, Minutes, Church Records, and Sermons, 1792-1957
- Franklin County, Death Records, 1913-1977
- Franklin County, Death Records, 1978-1995
- Franklin County, Death Records, 1912-2005
- Franklin County, Vital Statistics Index, Births and Deaths 1913-1963
- Gaston County Index to Vital Statistics; Births, 1913-1962, Delayed Births, and Deaths, 1913-1962
- Gaston County, Death Records, 1913-1991
- Gates County Index to Vital Statistics, Births and Deaths, 1913-1964
- Gates County, Death Records, 1914-2005
- Graham County General Index to Vital Statistics; Births, Deaths, 1913-1969
- Graham County, Death Records, 1913-1991
- Granville County Coroners’ Inquests, 1755-1905, 1920
- Granville County, Index to Vital Statistics and Delayed Births, 1913-1961
- Greene County Indexes to Marriages, Births, Deaths, 1876-1966
- Greene County, Death Records, 1913-1999
- Greensboro Death Records from the Files of the Greensboro, N.C. Patriot, 1826-1899
- Guilford County Marriage and Death Records, 1771-1899
- Guilford County, Death Records, 1913-1980
- Guilford County, Deaths
- Guilford County, Index to Vital Statistics, Birth and Death, 1913-1981
- Halifax County Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1961
- Halifax County, Death Records, 1961-1999
- Halifax, Halifax Methodist Church, Marriages, Membership Lists, Deaths, and Baptisms, 1778-1886
- Harnett County, Cypress Presbyterian Church, Minutes and Births, Deaths, and Marriages, 1833-1952
- Harnett County, Death Records, 1855-1998
- Haywood County Coroner’s Inquests and Reports, 1822-1967
- Haywood County Indexes to Vital Statistics, 1850-1965
- Haywood County, Death Records, 1939-1978
- Henderson County Coroners’ Records, 1853-1934
- Henderson County Index to Vital Statistics, 1800-1867
- Henderson County, Death Records, 1914-2000
- Hertford County Index to Births and Deaths, 1911-1961
- Hickory Death Index
- Hoke County Vital Statistics, 1911-1970
- Hyde County Deaths 1913-1991
- Hyde County Vital Records Indexes
- Hyde County Index to Vital Statistics, 1877-1958
- Iredell County Funeral Register Index
- Iredell County Coroners’ Inquest, 1854-1968
- Iredell County Index to Vital Statistics, 1872-1965
- Iredell County, Death Records, 1913-1965
- Jackson County Coroner’s Inquests 1937-1974
- Jackson County, Death Records, 1913-1992
- Johnston County Miscellaneous Death Indexes
- Johnston County General Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1962
- Johnston County, Death Records, 1913-1988
- Jones County Index to Vital Statistics, 1914-1961
- Jones County, White Oak Primitive Baptist Church, Church Records, 1854-1960
- Laurinburg, Lauringburg Presbyterian Church Records, 1855-1970
- Lee County Index to Vital Statistics; Births, Deaths, 1876-1969
- Lee County, Death Records, 1969-1987
- Lenoir County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Lenoir County Index to Deaths 1914-1975
- Lenoir County, Death Indexes
- Lenoir County, Death Records, 1914-1999
- Lexington Dispatch Death and Obituary Indexes
- Lincoln County Vital Records Index; Births and Deaths, 1913-1964, Marriage Index, 1869- 1964, and Marriage Records, 1851-1869
- Lincoln County, Death Records, 1912-1991
- Macon County Deaths 1913-1978
- Macon County Index to Vital Statistics; Births and Death, 1913-1966
- Macon County, Death Records, 1913-1979
- Madison County Index to Vital Statistics, Births, Deaths, 1913-1968
- Madison County, Death Indexes
- Madison County, Death Records, 1913-1993
- Martin County Births and Deaths Index, 1914-1957
- Martin County Death Index, 1937-1962
- Martin County, Death Records, 1913-1985
- McDowell County Index to Vital Statistics, Births, 1914-1967; Delayed Births and Deaths, 1850-1975
- Mecklenburg County Death Index, 1992-2012
- Mecklenburg County Index to Vital Statistics; Births, Deaths, 1909-1947
- Mecklenburg County, Death Records, 1909-1947
- Mecklenburg County, Deaths
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Mitchell County Vital Records
- Mitchell County Marriages, 1861-1969; Indexes to Births, Delayed Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1860-1970
- Mitchell County, Death Indexes
- Mitchell County, Death Records, 1913-1992
- Montgomery County Vital Statistics Index, Births and Deaths, 1913-1964
- Moore County Miscellaneous Records, 1785-1818
- Moore County, Death Records, 1913-1999
- Moore County, Index to Vital Statistics, Deaths, 1913-1999
- Nash County Index to Vital Statistics, Births, Deaths, and Delayed Births, 1913-1962
- Nash County, Death Records, 1956-1987
- Nash County, Death Records, 1911-1930
- New Hanover County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- New Hanover County Death Notices from Various Newspapers
- New Hanover County Coroner’s Inquest Records 1768-1880
- New Hanover County Miscellaneous Records, 1843-1863
- New Hanover County Record of Births and Deaths 1903-1910
- New Hanover County Vital Statistics Index, 1913-1960
- New Hanover County, Death Records, 1913-1998
- North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994
- North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930
- North Carolina Deaths, 1931-1994
- North Carolina Digital Collection – Deaths and Obituaries
- North Carolina Federal Census Record Mortality Schedules 1850-1860 by County
- North Carolina Death Certificates,1906-1994 and Indexes 1906-1967; Still Births,1914-1953; Fetal Death Indexes,1950-
- North Carolina, World War I American Expeditionary Forces, Deaths, 1917-1919
- North Carolina. County Court Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1964
- Northampton County Death Records 1913 – 1916
- Northampton County Coroner’s Inquests, 1793-1905
- Northampton County Coroner’s Inquest 1793-1905
- Northampton County Indexes to Births and Deaths, 1870-1960
- Northampton County, Death Records, 1913-1994
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
- Onslow County Births, Marriages and Deaths
- Onslow County Abstracts of Records 1734-1850
- Onslow County Death Records, 1912-1933; Index to Vital Statistics, 1914-1960
- Onslow County, Death Records, 1907-1995
- Orange County Coroner’s Inquest 1785-1911
- Orange County General Index to Deaths, 1913-1962
- Orange County, Death Indexes
- Orange County, Death Records, 1913-1961
- Orange County, St. Mary’s Episcopal Chapel, Parish Registers, 1839-1901
- Pamlico County Vital Record Indexes
- Pamlico County Vital Statistics; Index to Births, Deaths, 1913-1968
- Pamlico County, Death Records, 1913-1981
- Pasquotank County Deaths Index, 1903-1959
- Pasquotank County Vital Records 1691-1822
- Pasquotank County, Death Records, 1903-1994
- Pender County Coroner’s Inquest, 1876-1968
- Pender County Index to Vital Statistics; Births, Deaths, Delayed Births, 1913-1968
- Perquimans County Birth, Death, Marriage Records 1659-1739, Vital Statistics Index, 1913-1960, 1659-1960
- Perquimans County Coroner’s Inquest 1794-1892
- Perquimans County, Certificates of Death, 1909-2005
- Person County Marriage and Death Records, 1851-1966
- Person County, Death Records, 1913-1986
- Pitt County Coroners’ Inquests 1861-1960
- Pitt County Deaths, Index, 1913-1962
- Pitt County, Death Records, 1916-2005
- Raleigh Register and North Carolina State Gazette Marriage and Death Notices
- Raleigh, Marriage and Death notices in Raleigh Register and North Carolina State Gazette 1856-1867
- Raleigh, Marriage and Death notices in Raleigh Register, North Carolina State Gazette, Daily Sentinel, Raleigh Observer and News and Observer
- Randolph County Death Index
- Randolph County Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1964
- Randolph County, Death Records, 1913-1980
- Richmond County Marriage and Death Indexes
- Richmond County Index to Vital Statistics (Births and Deaths), 1914-1963
- Richmond County, Coroner’s Inquests, 1906-1967
- Richmond County, Death Records, 1913-1985
- Robeson County Index to Vital Statistics, 1911-1965
- Robeson County Coroner’s Inquest, 1857-1965
- Robeson County, Death Indexes
- Robeson County, Death Records, 1911-1983
- Rockingham County, Death Records, 1945-2000
- Rowan County Historical Records
- Rowan County Index to Vital Statistics-Deaths, 1913-1962
- Rowan County, Death Records, 1942-1972
- Rutherford County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Rutherford County Vital Statistics Index, Births, 1914-1946, Delayed Births, 1880-1932, and Deaths, 1913-1963
- Rutherford County, Death Records, 1913-1993
- Rutherford County, Miscellaneous Records, vol. II, 1750-1970
- Sampson County Index to Deaths, 1913-1964
- Sampson County, Death Records, 1913-1989
- Sanford, Salem Presbyterian Church minutes, 1868-1960
- Scotland County Coroner’s Inquest, 1902-1946
- Scotland County Funeral Register 1904-1914
- Scotland County, Death Records, 1950-1976
- Scotland Neck Deaths
- Scotland Neck, Trinity Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1832-1963
- Stanly County Vital Records
- Stanly County Index to Vital Statistics, Birth, Death, 1913-1953
- Stanly County, Coroner’s Inquests, 1781-1964
- Stanly County, Death Records, 1913-1993
- Stanly County, Poplar Grove Church, Deaths, 1862-1899
- Stokes County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records
- Stokes County Coroners’ Inquests 1805-1916
- Stokes County Index to Vital Statistics; Birth and Death, 1913-1964
- Stokes County, Death Records, 1913-1995
- Surry County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Surry County Death Register Index, 1909-1962
- Surry County, Death Records, 1909-1994
- Transylvania County Death and Obituary Index
- Transylvania County Death Certificates
- Transylvania County Index to Vital Statistics; Births, Deaths, 1913-1969
- Transylvania County, Death Records, 1913-1995
- Tyrrell County Death Certificates
- Tyrrell County Death Index
- Tyrrell County Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1961
- Tyrrell County, Death Records, 1913-1986
- Tyrrell County, Death Records, 1912-2003
- Union County Index to Vital Statistics, 1869-1968
- Union County, Death Records, 1960-1981
- United States Deaths and Burials, 1867-1961
- United States Korean War Battle Deaths, 1950-1957
- United States Social Security Death Index
- United States, World War I American Expeditionary Forces Deaths, 1917-1919
- Vance County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Vance County Index to Vital Statistics; Births, Deaths, 1881-1969
- Vance County, Birth and Death Indexes, 1881-1969
- Wade, The Bluff Presbyterian Church, Miscellaneous Church Records, 1784-1963
- Wake County, Death Certificates, 1900-1909
- Wake County, Death Records, 1900-1909
- Wake County, Shady Grove Baptist Church, Church book of the Baptist Church at Shady Grove, 1823-1852
- Wake County, Death Certificates, 1900-1909
- Warren County Deaths
- Warren County Index to Deaths, 1914-1977
- Warren County, Coroner Records, 1800-1848, 1902-1967
- Warren County, Death Records, 1914-1991
- Warren County, Index to Vital Statistics, 1914-1965
- Washington County Death Index
- Washington County Index to Vital Statistics, Births, ca. 1901, 1910-1966; Deaths, ca. 1911-1966
- Washington County, Death Certificates, ca. 1911-1990, 2002-2004; Death Index, ca. 1911-2002
- Washington County, Death Records, 1912-1986
- Watauga County Index to Vital Statistics; Births, Deaths, 1880-1969
- Watauga County, Death Records, 1914-1984
- Wayne County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Wayne County Index to Births and Deaths, 1913-1965; Index to Delayed Births, 1891- 1914, 1891-1965
- Wayne County, Death Records, 1944-1970
- Wilkes County Deaths, Index to Vital Statistics, 1913-1964
- Wilkes County, Death Records, 1913-1994
- Wilkesboro, First Methodist Church, Church History, Marriages, Births and Deaths, 1892-1964
- Wilmington, Marriage and Death notices in newspapers published in Wilmington
- Wilson County Coroner’s Inquest 1859-1915
- Wilson County Index to Births, 1913-1958; Index to Deaths, 1913-1960
- Wilson County, Death Records, 1948-1988
- Winston County, Register of Deaths, 1888-1910
- Yadkin County, Death Records, 1943-1993
- Yancey County Index to Vital Statistics: Delayed Births, 1865-1975; Deaths, 1913- 1986; Births, 1913-1940
- Yancey County, Death Indexes
- Yancey County, Death Records, 1913-1986
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
For other Free North Carolina Links, click on the category of interest:
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Research Toolkit
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For other Free North Carolina Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Yearbooks
Births
Marriages
Deaths
BMD Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Church Records
Coroner Records
Criminal Records
Digital Archives
Directories
Divorce Records
Immigration Records
Institutional Records
Military Records
Mortuary Records
Naturalizations
Obituaries
Photos
Probate and Wills
Research Toolkit
School Records
Tax Records
Voter Records
