How to Find Chicago Death Certificates, 1871-1877
Step 1Check the Chicago Death Index, 1871-1933. It includes deaths before 1878 but they are not included in the Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index.
If you find an entry in the index, proceed to Step 2.
If you don't find an entry in the index, proceed to Step 3.
Step 2
Check with the Cook County Clerk's office to see if they can provide the information you need. The County Clerk's office has early death registers and they can provide transcriptions on death certificate forms.
Step 3
Try checking alternate sources of information such as those listed below.
- Obituaries and Death Notices
Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage, & Death Announcements, 1851-2003
Subscription database available at Ancestry.com
Includes the Chicago Tribune, 1850-1985
Sam Fink's Index to Deaths Mentioned in Chicago Newspapers, 1856-1889
Newspapers covered include the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Evening Journal, Chicago Democrat, Chicago Evening Post, Chicago Record-Herald, Chicago Daily News, Chicago Examiner, Inter-Ocean, and Democratic Press.
- Burial Records
Catholic: Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic parish records have been filmed to 1915. Check the Family History Library Catalog to see what's available. Do a place search for "Chicago" and then select "Church Records."
- Family records