Michigan death records public and available for anyone to reference, via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The State of Michigan has death records have recorded deaths as far back as 1867 and these can be easily researched online through public record websites. You will need to have the full name of the person you are researching, including their middle name. Then you can proceed with your MI death record lookup by entering the full name of the person into the search field and searching. Once your results have displayed, it is possible that you will have multiple listings since many people that have died in Michigan have the same first and last name. It will also be helpful to know their age at death, birth date or the year they died, which will help you identify the right record for the correct person.
Why Run a Michigan Death Record Search?
Whether you are tracing your ancestry, researching something historical, or handling a loved one’s estate after they have died, public record repositories and the State of Michigan makes it easy for you to research MI death records. The United States is one of the few countries where public records are so accessible and the state of Michigan has a multitude of public record resources that you can access online. These types of public records are classified as vital records, which basically means it’s a recorded life event that is publicly documented. A person’s birth record and marriage record are also considered vital records.
What You Can Find on a Michigan Death Record
A Michigan death record can include important information about a person’s public identity, vital records, circumstances about the death, and immediate family. Some information may vary depending on what was recorded and what is publicly available. The following list outlines what you might find online:
- Full name of the deceased
- Date, and possibly time of death
- Location of the death, county and state
- Address and residency at time of death
- Birth date, time and location
- Age, Gender and Ethnicity
- Marital status and spouse’s name
- Education level, academic degrees
- If they are a veteran or served in the military
- Occupation or what industry they worked in
- Full name and maiden name of mother and father
- Birthplace and DOB of parents (not always listed)
- The cause of death (not always listed)
- Medical examiner, coroner or the medical physician
- Place of rest, burial or cremation
Official Michigan Death Certificates are maintained by the state and only immediate family can access the actual death certificate however, the information contained on this certificate is part of a person’s public death record that can be viewed online for reference and research by anyone. It is also important to note that some of the MI death record information may vary depending on the county or jurisdiction it was reported in and what information was available about the death.
How to Get a Michigan Death Certificate
A certified copy of a Michigan death certificates are available for immediate family or court order only. They are official government document that must be obtained directly from the state. When applying for a Certified Copy of a Michigan Death Certificate, it will contain an official seal and can be requested from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. You can visit their website and make a request online or via mail for a nominal fee. They are the managing state agency that archives and indexes these records. They offer access to MI death certificates and records from 1867 to the present. You will need to verify your identity and relation to the deceased in order to obtain an official certificate of death. Processing times may vary, and the physical certificate of death will be mailed to the requestee.
This type of record is necessary when you are reporting a loved one’s death to the Social Security Administration, banks, insurance company, or other lenders, etc. It serves as a proof of death. A MI death certificate will also hold much more information about a person’s death, such as cause of death, the medical examiner or coroner, and a more detailed account of a person’s family. Unofficial death records that are only useful for research may include obituaries, copies of wills, photographic evidence of a tombstone, or cemetery records.
Accessing Michigan Death Records Online
There are a few options when researching Michigan death information online. Many people want to know more about their family history and want to lookup older death information, while others may want to verify a recent death of a friend or relative. Below are a few ways to access the vital records you are interested in:
- Public record websites: You can quickly research most any public record of death in Michigan with a simple name search. These third party public record resources offer fast results and anonymous searching. You can often find a lot more information though these resources than state run agencies. The only caveat is how far back you can search, some online public record resources only have records for the last 50 years, so you will want to determine how far back to go
- Genealogy websites are great for access historical information to build a family tree. These website often also have immigration information, naturalization information and vital records that go back hundreds of years.
- The Michigan Vital Statistics Office is a good resource if you are looking for death records from 1948 through present day, you can search records yourself online for free through the Michigan Vital Statistics web portal, provided by the State of Michigan. It is a simple website that includes search tips to help you, and it can be searched with as little as a last name. You can however only request a certificate of death if you are immediate family or you were given permission by the court.
- The Michigan Department of Human and Health Services is another good state run agency that offers access to much older vital records from 1867- present day, there is a fee for the search and retrieval of the record you wish, and the initial fee only covers searching within one death year, so you will want to be certain of that information when you begin. When you are ready with the information and your valid driver’s license or state ID, you can make the request through the Michigan Department of Human and Health Services, and pay with credit or debit card online. This resource is mainly used for people wanting to obtain an official Michigan certificate of death.
Obtaining Michigan Death Records In Person
Requesting a death record in person is also an option, and this can be done by visiting the Vital Records Office, located at 333 S Grand Ave, Lansing, MI. The office is open Monday through Friday 8:00am-5:00pm, but you must present your request by 3:00pm to receive same day service. There is a fee for this service, and you will be required to show proof of identification. For additional information prior to your visit, you can visit their website or email them.
Michigan strives to respect the Freedom of Information Act and make death records available. The State of Michigan Vital Records Office provides easy to follow instructions for your security and ability to obtain the records you need.
Top Causes of Death in Michigan
Many people want to know the cause of death when researching MI death records however, this is not always available. There are circumstances where the cause of death was inconclusive and it was not recorded on the certificate of death. This can be because an autopsy was not performed or the medical examiner could not conclusively figure out the event that led to the person’s death. According to the State of Michigan Health Statistics, the following are some of the leading causes of death in Michigan for 2021:
- Major Cardiovascular Disease
- Heart Diseases
- Various Forms of Cancer
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Covid-19
- Vehicle Related Accidents
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Respiratory Disease
- Diabetic Disease
- Influenza, and pneumonia
- Chronic Liver Disease
Looking for a possible death /murder of a relative Oluf Johannessen in about 1900 to 1905? He was a baker from Oslo Norway. May have been involved with a hotel he was investing in. He was short in the back but we have very little info on him other than:
He was born Gronland Parish Oslo Oslo Norway. He marries Josephine Mathilde Laurentze Halvorsen in 1876
He comes to USA in 1888 but no evidence of wife coming she seems to die 1892 in Norway.
He had a daughter Betsy who marries Alex Janson 1-25-1900 in Menominee Michigan
Dawn, unfortunately this is much older than the Michigan death records we have in our database resources. You may want to research this through genealogy websites or newspaper archives
I’m looking for the death of Charles Russell Daniels III the past away in Hamtramck, Michigan February if 2023 please
looking for death certificate of my wife Bessie Rebecca Stoner Grand rapids Michigan Birth 11/29/1956
I am looking for a death record of Dougald McNaughton & his wife, Katherine, who were both buried in the Findley Cem. in Ada, Michigan. “Find a Grave” states their headstone shows their death as 1852 & 1864.Is there somewhere I can find a record of this?
I am searching for the burial place of 5 children who died Sept 6, 1949. It was a house fire. The eldest of the five children was: Samuel Walters b. 29 Sep 1935
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, USA d. 6 Sep 1949 (aged 13) Buena Vista Township, Saginaw County, Michigan, USA his siblings were: Mary, Angeline, George & Walter. I have all other death information I need, so I do not need the Certificates… only their place of Interment. Can I get that info? Thank you for you time.
Lettie, there is a great online resource called FindAGrave.com that you can search for the people in question
I am on FindAGrave for almost 13 years. These children were placed on FindAGrave by me. I would like to find where they are buried to place those memorials into the proper Cemetery.
I am researching death of a great grandmother, Anna Radeka. She was residing in Three Oaks MI with her son, Emil Radeka. Anna was in a car accident in 1929 at the age of 70. Have never been able to find a record of her death. Any Assistance you can provide would be very much appreciated.
I was trying to find and old step dad James Edward Young or step sis charlotte young and still NO luck can some one tell me of a free site to look for them ???
Trying to locate death record for Resman Albert Kunesh. I have tried doing this online but I don’t know his date of death so I’m not getting anywhere. Where do I go from here? All I’m interested in is his date of death. He had no living relatives and has been existing on welfare and disability benefits since the early 80’s.
Thank you.
Cause of death?
I would like to obtain death record for an ex-husband, Edward Demski, an iron worker and union member who passed away, I believe, on 9-10-1982 in Michigan.
In approx. 1967, I posted a bail bond for Mr. Demski. I secured a divorce from Mr. Demski in approx. 1969. Mr. Demski’s name is showing up on the title to my home and I need to clear up this issue. Mr. Demski was never an owner of my home; his name appears only thru papers by a bails bond man. I would like to secure copy of his death certificate. Please advise what is necessary.
Thank you. Margaret A. Froehling
I am trying to obtain a death certificate in order to cancel a loan. I do not know how to reach the deceased family to obtain one. What can I do? The year of death is 2002.
Try calling the Michigan Department of Health, they manage death record for the state of Michigan. They can advise you on your options for obtaining a Michigan death certificate for official purposes. Their phone number is 855-275-6424 for your convenience
1985
Charles, how can we help with your Michigan death record inquiry?
I have a copy of my grandfather’s death certificate. On the certificate it mentions an autopsy was performed. Is there a process to obtain a copy of the autopsy or view it online?
Jim, you will want to reach out to the Michigan Department of Health to obtain a certified copy of your grandfather’s death certificate. Typically there will be listed a cause of death and you can inquire with this department on how to obtain a copy of the Michigan autopsy. Our Michigan death record resources are for online reference only and they don’t include the cause of death in our records.
I would like a copy of my Mothers Death Certificate. Her name is Maxine Amelia Herrick. She lived in Mason, Michigan. Ingham County.
Ray, we are happy to assist you with looking up a Michigan death record however if you want to obtain a copy of her death certificate then you will want to reach out to the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services directly. You can login to their website and download the forms to make your Michigan death certificate request by mail. Since you are immediate family this should be a simple process. There will be a nominal fee for this Michigan death certificate copy and it will be mailed to you in a few weeks once your application is processed. Their phone number is 866-443-9897 if you would like to order this vital record by phone.
Are there any death records for Michigan from before 1867? The ancestors I’m looking for died in 1841 and 1861. Thank you for your time.
Ginny, our Michigan death records only go back about 50 years. Since these are very old Michigan death records you’re looking for you will want to reach out to the Michigan state archives, the Michigan Department of Health or an Ancestry website.
How to Find Old Michigan Death Records
1. Search the Michigan State Archives Website
2. Contact the Michigan Vital Records Department
3. Research via Ancestry Websites
4. Lookup Old Newspaper Obituaries
Is it possible to find out the cause of death without obtaining a certificate.
This person is not a relative.
Thank you
The short answer, yes. The typical public information that is available for Michigan death records is the name of the person, their residency, birth date and date of death. If you’re interested in finding out more about how to obtain a Michigan Death Record then contact the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. They are the managing state agency for vital records such as a death record. Below is their phone number for your convenience.
Michigan Department of Health Phone Number
MI Department of Health Phone Number: 517-335-8656
Why can’t I locate my father’s death record ? He passed 1982 in washtenaw county ,Ann Arbor Mi.
It’s unclear why your father’s Michigan death record is difficult to locate. Another option to obtain a copy of your father’s Michigan death certificate is to visit the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services website. They are the controlling state agency of Michigan for vital records. These include birth and death records and marriage and divorce records. See below on more instructions on how to obtain a copy of your father’s Michigan Death Certificate.
How To Obtain a Copy of a Michigan Death Certificate
1. Visit the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services website
2. Request a copy of a Michigan Death Certificate
3. Fill out the form and all required fields
4. Pay the $10 fee and recieve the death record in 4-5 weeks
5. You can pay an extra $12 fee to expedite the order in 2-3 weeks
Please tell me how to get a death certificate for:
Maude E. Mulder
She had been married to Pete Mulder who I believe passed away about 1946.
They at one point lived in Almont , Michigan .
Thank you for your help.
Jane,
In order to obtain an official death certificate copy you will need to contact the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services directly.
How to Get a Death Certificate in Michigan
1. Contact the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services
2. You can contact them directly, by phone or online
3. For online Michigan Death Certificates use VitalCheck
4. You must show valid identification & pay the fees
5. Processing of death certificate is 2 weeks