Access Hampden County Death Records
Hampden County death records are maintained by the individual city and town clerks across the county's 23 municipalities, since the county government was abolished in 1998, meaning there is no central county clerk for death certificates, and each community keeps its own records independently.
Hampden County Overview
Hampden County Death Records: Where to Start
Hampden County no longer has an active county government. The county was abolished on July 1, 1998. Since then, each of the 23 municipalities in Hampden County handles its own vital records independently. There is no county clerk or county vital records office. To get a death certificate for an event that happened in Hampden County, you contact the city or town clerk where the death occurred.
Springfield is the county seat and the largest city. If the death occurred in Springfield, the Springfield City Clerk is where you start. Chicopee is the second largest city in the county, and the Chicopee City Clerk handles records for events in that city. The same applies to Holyoke, Westfield, Agawam, and every other community in the county. Find the right town, and you've found the right clerk.
If you're not sure which town the death occurred in, or if the local office is difficult to reach, the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) is a reliable alternative. RVRS holds statewide death records from 1926 to the present. It is the central state repository for all Massachusetts deaths and covers every Hampden County municipality. The RVRS is at 150 Mount Vernon St, 1st Floor, Dorchester, MA 02125.
A county-level public records resource worth knowing is the Hampden County Public Records Portal, which provides access to various public records for the county area. It is not a substitute for a certified death certificate from RVRS or a local clerk, but it can help with research and locating related documents.
Note: Hampden County was formed in 1812 from Hampshire County. Its county government operated for 186 years before abolition. Today the Hampden County Registry of Deeds and the Hampden County Probate Court still function, but they are state-level courts, not county government offices.
How to Get Hampden County Death Records
For certified death certificates, start with the city or town clerk in the community where the death was registered. Springfield and Chicopee are the two most commonly contacted offices for Hampden County. Both accept in-person requests. Call ahead to confirm current hours and fees, as these can change.
The Hampden County Public Records Portal is one online resource for county-area records research. Hampden County Public Records Portal offers access to various Hampden County public records online.
The portal is a useful starting point for research, though certified death certificates must still be obtained directly from a city or town clerk or through RVRS.
RVRS handles mail and in-person requests for state-level copies of Hampden County death records. In-person: $20 per copy, same-day service, Monday through Friday 8:45 AM to 4:45 PM. Mail: $32 per copy, 7 to 10 business days. Online through VitalChek: $54 for the first certificate, $42 for each additional. RVRS phone: (617) 740-2600. Email: vital.recordsrequest@state.ma.us.
The Hampden County Probate and Family Court handles estate cases and guardianship matters. It is at 50 State Street, Room 207, Springfield, MA 01103, phone 413-748-7758. There is also a satellite office in Chicopee City Hall at 17 Springfield Street, open Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Cash is not accepted at the Chicopee satellite; use checks or credit cards. The probate court does not issue death certificates but may need a certified copy to open an estate case.
The Hampden County Registry of Deeds is at 50 State Street, Springfield, MA 01103, phone 413-755-1722. It has a satellite office at Room 104, 59 Court Street, Westfield City Hall. This office holds land records from 1636 to the present. It does not hold death certificates but is useful for estate and property research that often accompanies a death record search.
| State RVRS | 150 Mount Vernon St, 1st Floor, Dorchester, MA 02125 |
|---|---|
| RVRS Phone | (617) 740-2600 |
| RVRS Hours | Mon-Fri 8:45 AM-4:45 PM |
| In-Person Fee | $20 per copy |
| Mail Fee | $32 per copy |
| Probate Court | 50 State Street, Room 207, Springfield, MA 01103 |
| Probate Phone | 413-748-7758 |
| Registry of Deeds | 50 State Street, Springfield, MA 01103 |
Note: The Chicopee satellite of the Probate Court does not accept cash. Bring a check or credit card if you are handling estate paperwork there.
What Hampden County Death Certificates Contain
A Massachusetts death certificate is a standardized document. It lists the full name of the deceased, the date of death, the place of death, age, and sex. The cause of death and manner of death are recorded by the attending physician or medical examiner. The certificate notes whether an autopsy was performed.
Personal history fields include birthplace, occupation, and the names of the decedent's parents. If the person was married, the spouse's name is listed. Current residence at the time of death appears on the record, along with information about burial or cremation and the funeral home. The local registrar and the funeral director both sign the document before it is finalized.
Under MGL c.46 §9, state law defines what a Massachusetts death certificate must include. The form has changed over the years. An early-20th-century Hampden County certificate will look quite different from one issued today, with fewer fields and less standardized information. This matters for genealogical research, where older records sometimes leave gaps.
Death Records Laws in Hampden County
Massachusetts death records are public. Under MGL c.46 §2A, any person can request a certified copy of a death record. You do not need to be a family member. You do not need to give a reason. This open policy applies to Hampden County records the same as anywhere in the state.
The full legal structure for vital records is in MGL Chapter 46. This chapter sets the rules for who registers deaths, how they are stored, and how the public gets access. City and town clerks in Hampden County carry out these responsibilities locally, with RVRS maintaining the state-level archive.
If a death record contains an error, MGL c.46 §13 governs the amendment process. You file the correction with the clerk in the community where the death was registered. You will need documentation to support the change. Some amendments may require a court order. The process is not immediate; plan for several weeks at a minimum.
Note: Because Hampden County's 23 municipalities all operate independently, amendment procedures and fees may vary slightly from one town to the next. Contact the specific clerk's office to get the current requirements before filing anything.
Historical Hampden County Death Records
Hampden County was formed in 1812 from Hampshire County, which itself was one of the original Massachusetts counties. The Hampden County Registry of Deeds holds land records going back to 1636, and these records often intersect with death and estate history for the region. Estate inventories, deeds of distribution, and probate files from the early 1800s can supplement official death records that may not exist or may be incomplete for that period.
The Massachusetts Archives in Boston holds statewide death records from 1841 through 1930. These cover all Hampden County communities. Digital images of records from 1841 to 1925 are free through FamilySearch, and many Hampden County entries from this period have been indexed and are searchable online at no cost. This is generally the best free tool for the 19th century and early 20th century records.
For deaths before 1841, Hampden County researchers typically rely on church records, cemetery transcriptions, and pre-statehood town records. Springfield and Chicopee both have long local histories, and local libraries hold collections of older records that haven't made it into any digital database. American Ancestors has a strong Massachusetts collection that includes material from the western part of the state, including Hampden County. The Springfield City Library's local history room is another resource worth checking for pre-1841 research.
Note: The Hampden County Registry of Deeds holds land records dating back to 1636. That's more than 180 years before Hampden County was even formed. These early records cover what is now Hampden County territory and can be valuable for colonial-era family history research.
Cities in Hampden County
The following Hampden County cities have dedicated death records pages with clerk contact details and local access information.
Other communities in Hampden County such as Holyoke, Westfield, Agawam, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Ludlow, and Palmer are below the population threshold for individual city pages. Contact those town or city clerks directly for death records from those communities.
Nearby Counties
Hampden County borders three Massachusetts counties and the Connecticut state line to the south.