Plainfield Death Records and Death Index
Plainfield death records are filed with the City Clerk, who acts as the local registrar of vital statistics for this Union County city. The Plainfield death index includes entries from 1901 to 1903, 1920 to 1929, and 1949 to 2017 as part of the statewide New Jersey Death Index. Researchers can search for Plainfield death records through the city registrar, the Plainfield Public Library, and the New Jersey State Archives. This page walks you through the steps for finding and obtaining copies of death records from Plainfield, New Jersey.
Plainfield Death Index Quick Facts
Plainfield City Clerk and Vital Records
The Plainfield City Clerk is the local registrar of vital statistics for the city. This office records and stores death certificates for all deaths that take place within Plainfield. When a death occurs in the city, the funeral director files the death certificate with the Plainfield registrar. The clerk then forwards the original to the New Jersey State Registrar in Trenton as required by state law.
You can request a certified copy of a death certificate from the Plainfield City Clerk for deaths that occurred within city limits.
The clerk office processes requests for both recent and older death certificates. For deaths that occurred in Plainfield, the local office may have copies on file going back many decades. The state fee for a certified copy is $25 for the first copy, with additional copies at $2 each when ordered at the same time. Contact the Plainfield City Clerk to confirm their office hours and what documents you need to bring when requesting a death record.
Under N.J.S.A. Title 26, the local registrar must enforce vital records laws, supply blank forms to funeral directors, review each death certificate for completeness, and send the originals to the State Registrar. The Plainfield City Clerk carries out all of these duties for the city. The registrar also issues burial permits, which must be obtained before any interment or cremation can take place in New Jersey.
Plainfield Death Index Year Coverage
The New Jersey Death Index includes Plainfield death records across three time periods. The first block covers 1901 to 1903 and contains index entries for deaths throughout the state. The second block covers 1920 to 1929, where Plainfield deaths appear within the Union County section of the index. The third and largest block covers 1949 to 2017 with all Plainfield deaths registered during those years.
There are gaps in the index data. The years 1904 to 1919 are missing because the New Jersey Department of Health could not locate the index files when they were requested under the Open Public Records Act. The years 1930 to 1948 are also absent for the same reason. If you need a Plainfield death record from one of these gap periods, the actual certificate may still exist on microfilm at the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton. The Archives holds death record microfilm from 1848 through 1963.
For the 1920s portion, records are organized in five-year blocks and sorted by county or major city, then by year, and then alphabetically by last name. Plainfield entries fall under the Union County grouping. About half of the 1920 to 1924 block is missing statewide, which may affect some Plainfield records from those early years. Each death index entry shows the name of the deceased, the date of death, and a certificate number that you can use to order the full death certificate from the State Archives or the Department of Health.
How to Search Plainfield Death Records
You have several options for searching death records connected to Plainfield. The free online New Jersey Death Index is the quickest way to start. You can search by name to check whether a Plainfield death record exists in the index for the covered years. This database was created from records obtained through the Open Public Records Act by the Reclaim The Records organization.
The New Jersey State Archives holds death records from 1848 through 1963 on microfilm. Their Search Room at 225 West State Street in Trenton is open to the public. The Archives also maintains online searchable databases with millions of entries that continue to grow. For Plainfield deaths before 1901 or during the gap years of 1904 to 1919 and 1930 to 1948, the Archives is the best resource to check.
To search for a Plainfield death record, you will need:
- Full name of the deceased person
- Approximate year of death
- Certificate number if available
The New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry holds vital records from 1878 forward. You can request a death certificate by mail, in person at their Trenton walk-in center, or through VitalChek. Certified copies are limited to close family members, legal representatives, and certain government agencies under New Jersey law. Genealogical copies of records older than 40 years have fewer restrictions on who may request them.
The Plainfield Public Library also offers local history and genealogy resources to support your death record search.
The library maintains collections of city directories, historical newspapers, and local history materials. These resources help researchers identify Plainfield residents and narrow down time periods for their searches. Old city directories list people by name and address, which is especially useful when you know someone lived in Plainfield but are not sure exactly when they died. Library staff can help direct you to the most relevant materials.
Union County Resources for Plainfield Death Records
Plainfield is located in Union County, and several county-level resources can help with death record research. The Union County Clerk handles property records, marriage licenses, and other county-level filings. When settling an estate after a death in Plainfield, you may need to visit the county clerk for deed transfers and other property documents. The county clerk office is in Elizabeth, the county seat.
The Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness page for Union County lists volunteers who may assist with record lookups in Plainfield and other Union County municipalities. These volunteers sometimes check local records or visit courthouses on behalf of researchers who cannot make the trip in person. This can be a real help if you live far from the area and need someone to check a Plainfield record.
Union County death records in the 1920s index include entries from Plainfield, Elizabeth, Rahway, Linden, and other municipalities. All of these are grouped together in the Union County section. If you are looking for a Plainfield death from the 1920s, search through the Union County listings for that decade. Records within each year block are sorted alphabetically by last name, making it possible to scan through a specific year for a known surname.
How to Order a Plainfield Death Certificate
Once you find a record in the Plainfield death index, you can order a certified or genealogical copy of the full death certificate. There are three main ways to obtain a copy. Each option has different processing times and fee structures.
Your options for ordering a Plainfield death certificate are:
- Contact the Plainfield City Clerk for deaths that occurred in the city
- Request from the New Jersey Department of Health by mail or in person
- Order through the State Archives for deaths from 1848 to 1963
The Department of Health charges $25 for the first certified copy and $2 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. The State Archives charges $10 per lookup for older records. Make checks payable to "Treasurer, State of New Jersey" when ordering from either state office. Include the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death in your request. Providing the certificate number from the death index helps the staff locate your record faster.
Certified copies include a raised seal and are printed on official state safety paper. They are accepted for legal matters such as estate settlement, insurance claims, and property transfers. Genealogical copies do not carry the raised seal but contain all the same information from the certificate. For Plainfield deaths that are more than 40 years old, genealogical copies are available to a wider group of requesters than certified copies.
Vital Records Law and Plainfield Death Records
New Jersey law sets the rules for how death records are created and maintained in Plainfield. Under N.J.S.A. Title 26, a death must be registered within five days. The funeral director files the death certificate with the local registrar in the municipality where the death took place. If a Plainfield resident dies in another New Jersey town, the death is recorded in that other town rather than in Plainfield.
This rule means you may need to search outside Plainfield if you are unsure where a person actually died. A Plainfield resident who passed away at a hospital in neighboring Scotch Plains or North Plainfield, for example, would have their death registered in that municipality. Knowing the exact place of death is important because it tells you which local registrar holds the original death record.
Vital records in New Jersey are not classified as public records under the Open Public Records Act. Access to certified copies is restricted to close family members, legal representatives, and authorized government agencies. A court order can also grant access. The death index, however, is a public record. That is why the free online database at newjerseydeathindex.com exists and is available to anyone. It provides enough detail to identify a record so you can then request a copy through the correct channels.
Note: The New Jersey State Archives continues to add new entries to their searchable databases. If you do not find a Plainfield death record on your first search, return later as the collection grows over time.
Genealogy Research Tips for Plainfield
Death records are a key resource for tracing family history in Plainfield. A New Jersey death certificate typically includes the full name of the deceased, the date and place of death, the cause of death, the person's age or date of birth, their occupation, their residence address, and the names of both parents including the mother's maiden name. The parent details make death certificates one of the most valuable sources for connecting generations in a family tree.
When researching Plainfield families, begin with the most recent known death and trace backward through the records. The death index has solid coverage from 1949 to 2017, which captures multiple generations of Plainfield residents. For earlier periods, check the 1920 to 1929 block under Union County and the 1901 to 1903 entries. For deaths before 1901, visit the New Jersey State Archives to search their microfilm collection.
The Plainfield Public Library is a helpful starting point for local family history research. The library holds city directories, local history files, and other materials that add context to the names you find in the death index. Cemetery records from Plainfield and surrounding Union County towns are another good source. Many cemetery offices maintain burial registers with information that can confirm dates and family connections found in the death index.
Union County Death Index
Plainfield is located in Union County, and many death records connect to county-level resources. The county clerk, surrogate, and other offices maintain records related to death record research in the area. For a full overview of death index resources across the county, including other municipalities like Elizabeth and Rahway, visit the Union County death index page.