History of the Death Certificate
Such a fun part of history we never think about. Death certs date back to Ancient civilizations like Egypt and Rome, which kept some death records, mainly for census, taxation, and inheritance purposes. Back then, they were only issued to heads of households rather than to individuals.
In Europe, especially under the Catholic Church, parish priests kept registers of baptisms, marriages, and deaths (called parish registers). These were the first systematic community records of deaths but were not issued to families. It wasn't until more modern times that they were issued to families to handle administrative affairs of death. You will see how process-oriented death vs ritual-driven has become in modern times.
1600s–1800s: Civil Registration Begins
England began formal civil registration in 1837 with the establishment of the General Register Office.
Other European countries followed suit, transitioning from church-held to state-held records.
These early civil death records included name, date of death, age, cause of death, and family relationships.
United States
In the U.S., death registration was decentralized, with states and counties adopting it at different times:
Massachusetts was the first to require local officials to record deaths in 1842.
Most states didn't have complete systems until the early 1900s.
The U.S. Public Health Service pushed for standardized death certificates in the early 20th century for public health tracking.
Modern Use and Public Health
Over time, the death certificate evolved into a vital tool for:
Tracking epidemics (e.g., influenza, tuberculosis, COVID-19)
Analyzing health trends
Settling legal matters (wills, insurance, taxes)
The World Health Organization (WHO) helped standardize causes of death globally with the ICD (International Classification of Diseases) coding system.
Today
Death certificates are issued by state or local governments, and:
Include personal, medical, and statistical information.
Are needed for legal, financial, and family purposes
Are submitted electronically in many places (e.g., EDRS: Electronic Death Registration Systems)
You'll need certified copies of the death certificate to settle the deceased's affairs. These might include:
Bank accounts (to close or transfer funds)
Life insurance (to file claims)
Pensions or Social Security (to apply for survivor benefits)
Probate court (to administer the estate)
Property deeds or vehicle titles (to transfer ownership)
Credit cards and loans (to cancel or settle debts)
Utilities and subscriptions (to cancel services)
Employer benefits (to claim any pending compensation or retirement benefits)