Iowa death records are maintained at the Iowa Department of Public Health in their vital records division. You’ll find this easily accessible page leads you straight to the death records you need to obtain. The department explains that the recording of vital statistics began way back in 1880 on July 1st. Since then, they’ve recorded births, deaths, marriages, and other vital statistics for residents.
Can Anyone Obtain Iowa Death Records?
If you’re searching for Iowa death records, chances are that you want them for a specific reason. The great news is that thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, you don’t have to explain anything to obtain a copy of death records. They’re simply available. You don’t even have to physically go into the Department of Public Health to obtain them, although this is certainly an option as well. Thanks to the expanding information highway, there are more ways than ever to get to the vital records you need.
How to Obtain a Copy of an Iowa Death Record?
The Iowa Department of Public Health maintains a section of death records on their vital records page. They go into detail about how you can obtain copies of Iowa death certificates and other vital records. This isn’t a lengthy, arduous process. It simply takes a few searches online to find these records if you don’t want to go through the official channels. This can reduce the amount of time you spend waiting on the records and can be very handy if you’re doing family history research. Some people don’t need official copies of any death record. They simply need to view the death record so that they get more information about the family member they’re tracing. Death records usually contain birth and parental records as well, leading you straight to another relative you might not have known existed before looking up the record.
In some cases, looking up Iowa death records can be an emotional experience, especially if you are looking up death certificates for a recently deceased relative. It’s always important to undertake your search only when you are absolutely emotionally ready to undertake the search without undue emotional consequences. In general, the more recent the death the more difficult it will be to view information about it. For those who need a cause of death, the death certificate will have this official information. For many, it brings closure.
The Iowa Department of Public Health can be reached at (515) 281-4944. If you’re lost on where to begin your search, this is a handy number to keep on hand. From there, you can ask all the questions you need about the death records you’re seeking. If you don’t enjoy talking on the phone, there’s no reason to go this route. There’s a handy contact us form on the Iowa Department of Public Health website that allows you to text in your question and receive a response within 48 hours. For less chatty people, this is an excellent option.
Iowa death records contain vital information about a person’s birth, parents, education, occupation, cause of death, time of death, and date of death. All of this information contributes to the records people make of their family histories. This information can also be important to have on hand in important legal matters after a loved one has passed away. No matter what your reason for obtaining Iowa death records, you’re going to find that the process is a smooth one these days. The Freedom of Information Act made it much easier for anyone to obtain public records such as this and use them for whatever legitimate purposes they might have. If you’re looking for death records, the Internet is an excellent place to begin your search.
Death Records Nationwide Search
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
I have a Johann Friedrich Albert Beyer
1837–1911
BIRTH 29 MARCH 1837 • Pommern, Cochem-Zell, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
DEATH 11 OCTOBER 1911 • New Albin, Allamakee, Iowa, USA
My question is “Can you tell me if it lists his parents on his death certificate and who those parents might be?” I have read on the Iowa state website that there might be a chance that I could find out this information without having to request a certified copy of a death certificate.
Hi, I have a David Burdette Graham dob 21 Jan 1833 and dod 19 Oct 1909. Buried in Liberty Center Cemetery, Liberty Twsp, Warren County, Iowa, USA and my question is “Can you tell me if it lists his parents on his death certificate and who those parents might be?” I have read on the Iowa state website that there might be a chance that I could find out this information without having to request a certified copy of a death certificate. This David might be a brother to my great grandfather and I am trying to track down all the children of a particular couple. I am wondering if this David had a father listed by the name of Robertson Graham, and a mother by the name of Pheobe Moberly? I would also like to know the cause of death if it is listed. Thank you for your time and consideration of this matter.
Karen, we ran an Iowa death record check and did not find the information you requested in our Iowa database records, unfortunately they have very limited information for that time frame. You may also want to check some genealogy websites to see if you can locate this Iowa death record information
Hi, I would like to know the cause of death for: Ronald Dwain Abbott, DOB: 13 April 1927, Waterloo, Black Hawk, Iowa. Date of death: 25 December 1955, Ames, Iowa. He died under suspicious circumstances at a greenhouse while on leave from the military, to visit his ill mother. There was an autopsy done. Father: Emmett Howard Abbott. Mother: Jerine Kraft. I don’t need an official copy, just to know what the cause of death ended up being. Thanks for any information. Wendy Stillman
Wendy, our Iowa death record resources do not include the “cause of death” and are for online reference only. That being said, in order to find out the cause of death in Iowa you will need to view the actual Iowa death certificate. You can do this, if you’re immediate family, by contacting the Iowa Department of Health. You can call them directly @ 515-281-7689
Iwould like a copy of the Death records of
Sarah Conlin died Sept. 16, 1902 and
Jas (James) Conlin died Sept 6, 1899
Jim, unfortunately those records are much older than records we currently have access to in our Iowa death record index. You might consider using a genealogy website to lookup that information
I am interested in obtaining the death record for Lois Evelyn Cory Walton. 1916-1967. I believe she lived in Toledo, Iowa. I know she passed away at Marshalltown hospital.
Kris, we’re happy to assist you with looking up an Iowa death record but this will be for reference only. If you want to obtain a copy of Lois’ death certificate then you will need to contact the Iowa Department of Public Health. They are the managing state agency in Iowa for vital records which include Iowa death records, birth records and marriage records. You can make a request through their website or call them directly @ 515-281-7689
looking for death certificate for eva brown married to benjamin brown jr. (iowa)and homer thurman (illinois). Her father was dan granville curry new boston Illinois.
We are happy to assist you with looking up an Iowa death record however, if you’re looking for a copy of an Iowa Death Certificate you will want to reach out to the Iowa Department of Public Health as they can offer you a certified copy of the death certificate you’re interested in. Below are specifics on how you go about obtaining a certified copy of an Iowa death certificate. You can also obtain a copy of this record by visiting this office in person. A third option is to use the 3rd party Vital Check website resource used by the Iowa Department of Public Health. Please note that you can obtain a rushed copy of an Iowa death certificate copy from VitalCheck.com in 2-3 business days but there is a premium you will have to pay to obtain this rushed service. Normally processing by all three options will take 4-6 weeks
3 Ways to Get an Iowa Death Certificate
1. Request a death certificate copy from the Iowa DPH website
2. Request a death certificate copy from the Iowa DPH in person
3. Use VitalCheck.com to get a copy of a death certificate via mail
Thanks so much for the information !
You are most welcome. Please reach out to us Sharon if there is anything else we can assist you with. We are happy to help
Hello,
How do I obtain a death certificate for two people : ( I am trying to find the name of their parents)
Phillip Mcguire …born 1810 in Killeshandra, Cavan, Ireland. Died 1871 in Monona, Iowa. Do not know the day or month.
And
James McGuire ….born August 15, 1797 in Cavan, Ireland. Lived in Grand Meadow, Clayton County, Iowa. Died December 12? 1873 in Clayton County. He is buried in Fayette, Clermont, Iowa.
Thank you for any help.
Since these death records are very old you will want to contact the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs as they manage death records that are more than 50 years old. Iowa started recording vital records such as marriage, birth and death records in 1880. Since the records you are searching for are older than those documented by the state you might also want to check with genealogical websites or the national archives.
How to Obtain Old Iowa Death Records
1. Contact the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
2. Fill out the historical research form
3. Pay the fee for a copy of the vital record
4. Processing time may take several weeks