Union County NJ Death Index Search

Union County was formed in 1857 from Essex County. The county seat is Elizabeth. With 21 municipalities and land records from 1857, Union County has a solid base of public records. The death index covers 1901 to 1903, 1920 to 1929, and 1949 to 2017. This guide covers where to search, who can get copies, and what resources are on hand for death record research in Union County.

Union County Clerk Office

The Union County Clerk is at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth, NJ 07201. This office keeps land records from 1857. The clerk also has divorce records from 1848, which predates the county itself because those files came from Essex County. The clerk does not hold death certificates, but land and divorce records often link to death index data when tracing a family line in Union County.

Land records show property sales, deeds, and mortgages. When a death leads to a property transfer, the deed records at the clerk office can confirm dates and names. Divorce records from 1848 onward are also on file. Staff at the Union County Clerk office can help you find records and explain what is on hand.

Visit the Union County Clerk website for hours, fees, and forms. Walk-in visits are welcome during business hours. Call first to check what ID you need. The clerk staff can direct you to the surrogate if you need death certificates or probate files.

Union County Surrogate Office

The Union County Surrogate is also at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth, NJ 07201. This office handles probate, estate cases, and death certificate requests. When a person dies in Union County, the surrogate may be involved in the will and estate process. You can also request death certificates through this office.

To get a certified copy of a death record from Union County, you must be an eligible party. The list includes a parent, guardian, legal rep, spouse, child, grandchild, or sibling. State and federal agencies get copies for official use. A court order works for anyone else. For records older than 40 years, genealogy copies are available with some details left off.

Note: The surrogate handles both death certificates and probate records. If you need both, plan one visit to the Union County office.

Union County Death Index by Year

The Union County death index has three time blocks. The first is 1901 to 1903. The next is 1920 to 1929. The last runs from 1949 to 2017. These match the statewide data released under the Open Public Records Act. The years 1904 to 1919 and 1930 to 1948 are gaps because the state lost those files.

The free New Jersey Death Index site lets you search by name. You can look across all counties or just Union County. Each entry shows the name, date of death, and a reference number. Use that number to order the full death certificate from the New Jersey Department of Health or a local registrar in Union County.

For deaths before 1901, the New Jersey State Archives holds microfilm copies of records from 1848 to 1963. Since Union County was formed in 1857, pre-1857 deaths in this area were filed under Essex County. Keep that in mind when you search older death index records. The Archives staff can help you locate records that span the county split.

Under N.J.S.A. Title 26, local registrars in each of Union County's 21 municipalities must register all deaths and send the originals to the State Registrar. This means the state has a copy of every properly filed death record from Union County.

Local Vital Records in Union County

Union Township in Union County has Birth, Death, and Marriage Returns from 1872 to 1873. These local files add to the statewide death index for that brief time span. The State Archives may hold copies as well. Not all towns in Union County kept records that early, so these files from Union Township are a rare resource.

Union County has 21 municipalities. Each one has a local registrar who files death records when a death occurs in that town. The local registrar checks each certificate for errors and sends the original to the State Registrar. The local office keeps a copy too. You can call the municipal clerk in any Union County town to ask about death records on file.

The city of Elizabeth is the largest municipality in Union County. The Elizabeth City Clerk handles vital records for that city. If a death took place in Elizabeth, the city clerk may have the record on file. For deaths in other parts of Union County, contact the local registrar in the town where the death occurred.

The Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness page for Union County lists volunteers who may do free lookups at local offices. This is useful if you cannot visit in person.

Union County Historical Society

The Union County Historical Society holds local history items, old maps, and genealogy files. While they do not have official death certificates, their collection can help you trace families and find context for death index entries. Old newspapers, church records, and cemetery lists may name people found in the Union County death index.

The society can point you to local resources that go beyond the official death index. Members often know about private collections, family papers, and local archives that are not online. If you are doing deep genealogy work in Union County, a visit or call to the historical society is worth your time.

State Death Index Resources

The New Jersey Department of Health holds death certificates from 1878 to the present. You can order by mail, in person at the walk-in center in Trenton, or through VitalChek. The fee is $25 for the first search and one certified copy. Each extra copy costs $2 when ordered at the same time.

The State Archives holds older records on microfilm. Their search room is open to the public at 225 West State Street in Trenton. You can also search their online databases from home. As of January 2009, all vital records through December 31, 1900 are at the Archives. Lookups cost $10 each, which is less than the Health Department fee.

For deaths in Union County before 1848, there are no civil records in New Jersey. Check church files, cemetery stones, or probate papers. Elizabeth was settled in the 1600s, so church records from that era may cover deaths that predate any civil registration.

Note: The State Archives adds new entries to its online death index database on a regular basis. If a Union County search turns up nothing today, try again in a few weeks.

Cities in Union County

Union County has 21 municipalities. Each one files death records through its local registrar. The largest city is Elizabeth, which is also the county seat. All local registrars send copies of death records to the State Registrar in Trenton.

Other towns in Union County include Westfield, Cranford, Linden, Rahway, Scotch Plains, Summit, and Roselle. All file death records with local registrars who report to the state.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Union County. If a death took place near a border town, the record may be filed in the next county. Deaths are filed where they happen, not where the person lived.