What do we consider a "death certificate?"

There have been several questions lately about the Death screen and particularly about the Personal Information and Parent Information sections for which we take only information from death certificates.  

A death certificate is any official death record, whether a detailed state/municipal index or something called "Death Record," that records information that is normally found on a death certificate, particularly cause of death.

Below are examples of records we consider to be death certificates for which you may mark the death certificate box on the Death screen and fill out the Personal Information and Parent Information sections.

Example 1: Here is a LINK to a death record we consider to be a death certificate.  Note, these records are sometimes double-sided, so make sure you look at the second page.

Example 2: Here is a LINK  to a death index that can  be considered a death certificate. This information looks like it has been transcribed from the death record.

Example 3: Here is a  Link that comes from a Report of deaths from Hamilton, Ohio.  This can count as a death certificate as well.

Example 4:  This Funeral record would count as death certificate. Link It has death cause and parents' names, date of death, doctor's name.


NOT A DEATH CERTIFICATE:

Example 1: Here is a death record with parents' names, and age at death.  Link  This is not detailed enough to be a death certificate, even though it is a state death record.

Example 2: state index (not detailed) This is just an index, and does not contain enough information to be considered a death certificate.

Example 3: obituary index This is an index for obituaries and contains a link to the text of the obituary. It has useful information, but it is not a death certificate.

One additional note. Please do not use Find A Grave and obituaries to fill in information on the Personal Information and Parent Information sections of the Death screen.

Remember, just because you're not inputting a document as a death certificate, doesn't mean it's not good information. You'll still save it to your tree and use the information for searching and matching people.