Jersey City Death Records and Index Search
Jersey City is the second most populous city in New Jersey and sits in Hudson County along the Hudson River. The Jersey City Health Department serves as the local registrar of vital statistics. This office holds death, birth, and marriage records for people who died in the city. Jersey City death index entries span from 1901 to 2017 with some gaps. You can search these records through the free online death index or by contacting state and local offices that hold the original files.
Jersey City Death Index Quick Facts
Jersey City Death Index Years
The Jersey City death index has entries for 1901 to 1903, 1920 to 1929, and 1949 to 2017. Gaps exist in this index. The years 1904 to 1919 are not in the data. The years 1930 to 1948 are also absent. The state could not find these files when they were asked for them. Still, the actual death records may exist on microfilm at the State Archives.
In the 1920s, Jersey City death records are listed in their own group. The state kept big cities apart from the rest of the county in that era. This means Jersey City entries for 1920 to 1929 show up in a block sorted by city name, then by year, and then by last name. This makes it a bit faster to search just Jersey City records from that time frame. Other Hudson County towns are in a county block for the same years.
The New Jersey Death Index from Reclaim The Records lets you search all of these years at no cost. You type a name and get a list of matches. Each match shows the date of death, age, and a file number. You then use that file number to order the full death record from the state.
Note: About half of the 1920 to 1924 block is lost statewide, so some Jersey City deaths from those years may not appear in the death index.
State Archives and Jersey City Death Records
The New Jersey State Archives holds Jersey City death records from May 1848 through 1900 in their original form. These are among the oldest vital records in the state. New Jersey began requiring death registration in 1848, and Jersey City was one of the first towns to comply. The Archives also has microfilm copies of Jersey City death records through 1963.
The Jersey City death index image below shows the State Archives portal where you can start your search.
Researchers can visit the Archives Search Room at 225 West State Street, Level 2, in Trenton. You can view the microfilm in person. You can also write to the Archives or call 609-292-4087 to ask about a record. The Archives search page has online tools that may help you find a match before you visit. The fee for a mail lookup is $10 per search.
For deaths in Jersey City before 1848, no civil records exist. You would need to check church logs, old cemetery lists, or probate files held at the Hudson County Clerk office. Some of these go back to the 1600s.
Note: As of January 2009, the Department of Health moved all vital records through December 31, 1900 to the State Archives. This change made it cheaper and faster to get old Jersey City death records.
How to Get a Jersey City Death Record
You have three main ways to get a copy of a Jersey City death record. The path you pick depends on the year of death and what type of copy you need. Each source has its own fee and form. Some are faster than others.
The first option is the Jersey City Health Department. This is the local registrar. They hold records for deaths that took place in Jersey City. You can go to the office in person. Bring your ID and the name of the person who died, plus the date of death if you know it. The staff will search their files. If they find a match, you can buy a copy. The fee may differ from the state fee.
The second option is the New Jersey Department of Health. They hold death records from 1901 to the present. The state fee is $25 for one copy. Each extra copy of the same record at the same time costs $2. You can order by mail, in person at 140 East Front Street in Trenton, or online through VitalChek. The state office covers all of New Jersey, so it works for any Jersey City death after 1900.
The third option is the State Archives. They hold records from May 1848 to 1900 and microfilm through 1963. The fee is $10 per lookup. This is the best source for very old Jersey City death records. The Archives genealogy page has full details on what they hold.
- Local registrar for deaths in Jersey City (any year on file)
- NJ Department of Health for deaths from 1901 to the present
- State Archives for deaths from 1848 to 1900 and microfilm through 1963
Eligibility for Jersey City Death Records
New Jersey law limits who can get a certified death record. Not all people can order one. The rules are the same for Jersey City as for the rest of the state. Under N.J.S.A. Title 26, only certain people may receive a certified copy of a death record.
Those who can get a certified copy include the spouse, civil union partner, parent, child, grandchild, or sibling of the dead person. A legal rep or guardian can also get one. State and federal agencies can get copies for work purposes. A court order works too. If you are not on this list, you may still get a copy with some facts blocked out. The cause of death and Social Security number are often hidden on those copies.
For genealogy, copies of death records more than 40 years old have fewer limits. The Archives will issue these with less proof. This is useful for family tree work on old Jersey City deaths. You do not need to prove you are a close relative for records that old.
Note: The Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness page for Hudson County can help with free lookup aid for Jersey City death index research.
Jersey City Death Index for Genealogy
The Jersey City death index is a strong tool for family history work. Death records can tell you a lot. They show the full name, age, date of death, and place of death. Older records also list the names of both parents, which is key for tracing a family line back through time.
Jersey City was a major port of entry for people coming to the United States. Many passed through nearby Ellis Island. Some stayed in Jersey City. Others moved on. For those who stayed and died in the city, the death index holds their record. This makes it a rich source for finding immigrant ancestors who lived in Hudson County.
Start your search at the free death index online. Type the last name and first name. If you get a match, note the file number. Then order the full death record from the state or the Archives. The full record has much more detail than the index entry. It may list the street address, the name of the doctor, the cause of death, and where the person was born.
FamilySearch also has indexes for New Jersey deaths. Ancestry has a deaths and burials index for the state. Both can fill in gaps for years not in the free death index. The State Archives has their own search tools for older Jersey City records.
Death Registration Law in Jersey City
New Jersey law governs how deaths are recorded in Jersey City. Under N.J.S.A. Title 26, the local registrar must enforce death registration rules. The registrar checks each death record for errors and sends the original to the State Registrar in Trenton. A burial permit cannot be issued until the death is filed. This means almost every death in Jersey City has a record on file.
The funeral director is the one who files the death record. They fill out the form with facts from the family and the doctor. The doctor signs the cause of death. The funeral director then files it with the Jersey City registrar. This must happen within five days of the death. Late filings need a court order in some cases.
Jersey City death records are vital records. They are not the same as public records under the Open Public Records Act. You cannot just file an OPRA request to get a death record. You must go through the proper channels at the Health Department or the state office. The death index itself is public, but the full death record has limits on who can see it.
Hudson County Death Records
Jersey City is in Hudson County. The county clerk and other county offices hold records that may help your search. Hudson County has 12 municipalities, and Jersey City is the largest. For more on county resources, fees, and the full list of towns in the county, visit the Hudson County death records page.