The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is December 2024)
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One of the main goals for genealogists is finding death information about their ancestors.
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 West Virginia.
Note: Some 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 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.
West Virginia Death Records
- Barbour County Death List
- Barbour County Death Records, 1887-1905
- Barbour County Deaths
- Barbour County Deaths 1853-1874
- Barbour County Vital Records, 1853-1969
- Barbour County Vital Records, 1914
- Barbour County, Deaths
- Berkeley County Births and Deaths: 1869-1899
- Berkeley County Death Records, 1865-1945
- Berkeley County Vital Records, 1865-1970
- Berkeley County, Deaths
- Boone County Deaths 1865-1899
- Boone County Death Records, 1865-1968
- Boone County Index to Registers of Birth, Marriage, and Death Records: 1865-1883
- Boone County, Deaths
- Braxton County Deaths
- Braxton County Vital Records, 1858-1875
- Braxton County, Deaths
- Brooke County Marriages, Deaths, Wills and Inventories, 1795-1899
- Brooke County Register of Deaths 1889-1962
- Brooke County Register of Marriages, Births, Deaths, 1853-1897; Birth Book, 1889-1905
- Cabell County Death Records, 1853-1967
- Cabell County Deaths, Wills, Inventories, etc., 1850-1899
- Cabell County, Death Indexes
- Calhoun County Death Index, 1855 – 1899
- Calhoun County Births, Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Inventories, Church Records
- Calhoun County Early Records Births 1855-1875, Marriages 1856-1875, Deaths 1855-1867
- Charleston, Kanawha, Deaths from the Charleston Daily Mail and Gazette, 1945-1952
- Clay County Birth and Death Records, 1858-1968
- Clay County Births, 1858-1899; Deaths, 1858-1899; Marriages, 1858-1899; Wills, 1858-1899
- Clay County Births, Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Inventories and Cemetery Records
- Doddridge County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Doddridge County Births, Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Inventories
- Early Records of Berkeley & Marion Counties, 1759-1923
- Early Records of Cabell and Mason Counties, W. Va.
- Early Records of Lewis, Mercer & Monongalia Counties 1799-1899
- Fayette County Deaths
- Fayette County Death Records, 1888-1948
- Fayette County Deaths, 1866-1899; Marriages, 1830-1899; Wills, Inventories, 1830-1899; Births 1866-1893
- Fayette County Deaths, Wills, Inventories 1832-1899
- Fayette County, Deaths
- Gilmer County Deaths
- Gilmer County, Deaths
- Gilmer County, Register of Deaths, 1853-1893
- Grant County Births, Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Inventories and Church Records
- Greenbrier County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Greenbrier County Deaths, 1853-1909; Death Index, 1853-1925
- Greenbrier County Deaths, Wills, Inventories, Church and Bible Records
- Greenbrier County Vital Records, 1853-1969
- Greenbrier County, Death Indexes
- Greenbrier County, Deaths
- Hampshire County Death Records (1866 – 1922)
- Hampshire County Births and Deaths: 1888-1903
- Hampshire County Births, 1865-1880; Deaths, 1866-1894; Marriages, 1824-1828, 1865-1899
- Hampshire County Death Records, 1866-1939
- Hampshire County Early Records
- Hampshire County Vital Records, 1824-1970
- Hancock County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Hancock County Deaths, Deeds, Wills, Inventories, Church and Cemetery Records
- Hancock County Register of Deaths 1940-1967
- Hardy County Births and Deaths
- Hardy County Births, 1853-1882; Deaths, 1853-1899; Marriages, 1795-1899
- Harrison County Deaths
- Harrison County Vital Records Indexes
- Harrison County Birth and Death Records, 1853-1906
- Harrison County Deaths, Births, 1853-1970; Index to Births, Deaths, 1852-1933
- Harrison County Miscellaneous Records, 1801-1928
- Harrison County, Deaths
- Jackson County Vital Records, 1853-1919
- Jefferson County Births, Deaths, 1853-1949
- Jefferson County, Index of Names Appearing in the Death Records, 1853 through 1910
- Kanawha County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Kanawha County Death Records, 1853-1967
- Kanawha County Marriages, Deaths and Wills 1866-1899
- Kanawha County, Death Indexes
- Kanawha County, Deaths
- Lewis County Births, Deaths, 1833-1970
- Lewis County Births, Deaths, 1853-1899; Marriages, 1817-1864; Wills, Inventories, 1864-1899, 1853
- Lincoln County Death Records, 1909-1936
- Logan County Death Records
- Logan County Births, Marriages, Deaths, Wills and Bible Records 1872-1900
- Logan County Death Records, 1888-1966
- Logan County Marriages, Deaths, Births, 1872-1892
- Logan County, Births, 1872-1900; Deaths, 1776-1900; Marriages, Wills, 1873-1900
- Marion County Deaths, 1864-1900
- Marion County Death Records, 1861-1986
- Marion County Register of Deaths 1865-1919
- Marion County Vital Records, 1853-1861
- Marion County Wills, Inventories and Church Records 1842-1900
- Marion County, Death Records to Jan. 1944
- Marshall County Deaths
- Marshall County Births, 1853-1859; Deaths, 1853-1860; Marriages, Inventories, Wills, 1835-1899
- Marshall County Births, Marriages and Deaths
- Marshall County Death Records, 1853-1949
- Marshall County Wills, Inventories, Family and Church Records 1795-1900
- Marshall County, Death Indexes
- Marshall County, Deaths
- Mason County Vital Records, 1853-1968
- McDowell County Deaths, 1894-1964
- Mercer County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Mercer County Births, Marriages, Deaths and Wills
- Mercer County Deaths, 1853-1960
- Mercer County Vital Records, 1853-1905
- Mercer County, Deaths
- Mercer County, Deaths 1853-1882
- Mercer County, Deaths, 1853-1882
- Mineral County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Mineral County Births, 1866-1869; Deaths, 1866-1899; Marriages, 1866-1899
- Mineral County Deaths, Births, 1865-1934
- Mineral County Marriages, Deaths, Wills and Family Records 1800-1900
- Miscellaneous BMD Records by County
- Monongalia County Vital Records
- Monongalia County Births, Deaths, 1853-1924
- Monongalia County Deaths and Estate Books 1-2-3 1853-1934
- Monongalia County, Death Records, 1856-1863
- Monroe County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Monroe County Births, Deaths, List of Sales and Church Records 1831-1900
- Monroe County Death Records, 1853-1948
- Morgan County Births, 1861-1893; Deaths, 1866-1899; Marriages, 1820-1900; Wills, Inventories, 1820-1900
- Morgan County Deaths, 1865-1956
- Morgan County Marriages, Deaths, Wills and Inventories 1817-1900
- Morgan County Vital Records, 1853-1875
- Morgan County Vital Records, 1865-1916
- Morgan County, Record of Accidental Deaths, 1913-1958
- Nicholas County Births, 1882-1899; Deaths, 1853-1891; Wills, Inventories, 1820-1899; Births, 1855-1899
- Nicholas County Death Records, 1853-1889
- Nicholas County Miscellaneous Records, 1839-1949
- Ohio County Births, Deaths, Wills, 1853-1899
- Ohio County Church and Parish Records, 1828-1899
- Ohio County Deaths, 1853-1970
- Ohio County, Deaths
- Online Searchable Death Indexes
- Pendleton County Births, 1853-1862; Deaths, 1853-1892; Land Owners; 1789-1804; Voters, 1790-1797; Surveys, 1789-1797; Marriages, 1843-1899; Wills, etc., 1791-1818, 1825-1899
- Pendleton County Loose Papers: 1789-1859
- Pleasants County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Pleasants County Births, 1853-; Deaths, 1853-1893; Marriages, 1853-1899; Wills, Inventories, 1865-1899
- Pleasants County Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1853-1965
- Pleasants County Marriages, Deaths, Wills and Church Records, 1853-1899
- Pleasants County, Death Indexes
- Pocahontas County Birth and Death Indexes
- Pocahontas County Births, Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Church and Cemetery Records 1748-1935
- Preston County Deaths, 1868-1886
- Preston County Births, Marriages, Deaths and Wills 1871-1899
- Preston County Deaths, 1868-1886; Marriages, 1869-1881; Wills, 1862-1899; Births, 1868-1882
- Preston County Deaths, 1868-1920
- Preston County Deaths, 1880-1886
- Putnam County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Putnam County Death Registers, 1853-1927
- Raleigh County Births, 1853-1875; Deaths, 1852-1872; Marriages, 1850-1875; Wills, Inventories, 1850-1900
- Raleigh County Births, Deaths, 1853-1941
- Raleigh County Births, Marriages, Deaths and Wills 1850-1900
- Randolph County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Randolph County Deaths
- Randolph County Births, Deaths, and Marriages, 1787-1899
- Randolph County Death Records, 1853-1959
- Ritchie County Vital Records Indexes
- Ritchie County Births, 1853-1872; Marriages, 1843-1864; Deaths, 1853-1874; Wills, Inventories, 1843-1881
- Ritchie County, Death Indexes
- Roane County Deaths
- Roane County Death Records, 1856-1966
- Roane County Miscellaneous Records, 1856-1880
- Summers County Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes
- Summers County Deaths
- Summers County Birth, Death Records, 1871-1905
- Summers County Births, 1893-1899; Deaths,1871-1900; Marriages, 1871-1899; Wills, 1867-1900
- Summers County Births, Deaths, Marriages, Wills, Inventories and Church Records 1867-1900
- Summers County, Deaths
- Taylor County Marriage and Death Indexes
- Taylor County Birth, Death Records, 1853-1941
- Taylor County Deaths, 1854-1862, 1865-1899; Marriages, 1853-1899; Wills, 1844-1899; Births, 1877-1899
- Tucker County Births, 1856-1898; Deaths, 1856-1890; Marriages, 1856-1881; Wills, etc., 1854-1898
- Tucker County Deaths, 1852-1932
- Tyler County Deaths, 1853-1899; Marriages, 1816-1899
- Tyler County Births, Deaths, 1853-1915
- Tyler County Marriages and Deaths, 1853-1899
- Tyler County, Deaths
- 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
- Upsher County Births, 1853–1879; Deaths, 1853-1880; Marriages, 1851-1890; Wills, 1851-1899
- Upshur County Births, Marriages, Deaths Index, 1853-1889
- Upshur County Deaths, 1853-1880
- Upshur County Deaths, 1853-1880
- Upshur County, Deaths
- Upshur County, Vital Records, 1853-1970
- Wayne County Birth and Death Records, 1853-1898
- Webster County Births, 1888-1905; Deaths, 1888-1916; Marriages, 1888-1935; Wills, etc., 1890-1931
- Wellsburg High School Deaths
- West Virginia Ancestry – Deaths
- West Virginia Certificates of Deaths 1917-1973; Indexes, 1917-1991
- West Virginia County Records, 1772-1859
- West Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1854-1932
- West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999
- West Virginia Mortality Schedules 1850-1880
- West Virginia Vital Records Indexes, by County
- West Virginia, World War I American Expeditionary Forces, Deaths, 1917-1919
- Wetzel County Births, 1854-1898; Deaths, 1854-1899; Marriages, 1854-1899; Wills, Inventories, 1847-1899
- Wetzel County Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Inventories and Church Records 1854-1899
- Wetzel County, Deaths
- Wirt County Births, 1870-1874; Deaths, 1888-1899; Marriages, 1854-1899; Wills, Inventories, 1848-1900
- Wood County Death Records
- Wood County Deaths
- Wood County Deaths 1940-1949
- Wood County Births, 1853-1866; Deaths, 1853-1890
- Wood County Death Certificates 1913-1920; Index for Certificates of Death 1913-1920
- Wood County Death Record, 1853-1967; Death Index, 1853-1906
- Wood County Deaths, 1853-1890
- Wood County Early Deaths, 1853-1879
- Wood County Miscellaneous Records, 1801-1900
- Wyoming County Births, Marriages, and Deaths
- Wyoming County Births, 1853-1895; Deaths, 1853-1895; Marriages, 1855-1890; Wills, etc., 1850-1900
- Wyoming County Death Records, 1853-1955
- Wyoming County Deaths 1853-1885
- Wyoming County, Deaths
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!