Suffolk County Death Records
Suffolk County death records go back to 1630 and are primarily held through the Boston Registry Division, which covers the city of Boston. This page explains how to find and request death certificates for Boston and the other communities in Suffolk County, including online access options and state-level sources.
Suffolk County Overview
How to Get Suffolk County Death Records
Suffolk County is made up of four communities: Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Each city or town maintains its own death records through its local clerk's office. For Boston, the primary office is the Boston Registry Division. For Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, contact those cities' or town's clerks directly. There is no single county-level office that holds all Suffolk County death records.
Boston has by far the largest share of Suffolk County deaths, and the Boston Registry Division is the main source for those records. The Registry holds Boston death records from 1630 to the present, making it one of the longest continuous death records collections in the country. It is the first stop for anyone looking for a Boston death certificate from any era.
For deaths in Chelsea, contact the Chelsea City Clerk. For Revere, contact the Revere City Clerk. For Winthrop, contact the Winthrop Town Clerk. Each office operates independently and sets its own fees and hours. The state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics covers all four communities for deaths from 1931 to the present and can be used as an alternative to going through the local office.
Note: Boston was the last major Massachusetts city to comply fully with state death registration. Before approximately 1850, Boston death records were kept locally by the city but were not reported to the state system. Pre-1850 records are available through the Boston Registry Division directly, not through the state Archives.
Boston Registry Division: Primary Source for Suffolk Death Records
The Boston Registry Division is the core resource for Suffolk County death records involving Boston, which is the vast majority of deaths in the county. The Registry holds records from 1630 through the present day. That depth of coverage is exceptional and makes it possible to trace Boston family deaths across nearly four centuries from a single office.
| Office | Boston Registry Division |
|---|---|
| Address | 1 City Hall Square, Room 213, Boston, MA 02201-2006 |
| Phone | 617-635-4175 |
| registry@boston.gov | |
| Website | boston.gov/departments/registry |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| In-Person Fee | $12 per copy (cash, credit, or check) |
| Mail Fee | $14 per copy |
Online ordering is available through the Boston Registry portal at registry.boston.gov. Online copies cost $14 each and typically arrive in 2-3 business days. The online portal also allows you to search death records from 1956 to the present at registry.boston.gov/death. That search is free and a good way to confirm a record exists before ordering a certified copy.
Mail requests go to: Registry Death, 1 City Hall Square, Room 213, Boston, MA 02201. Include $14 per copy. For records from before 1870, add an extra $10 research fee to cover the time needed to locate older entries. Checks should be made payable to the City of Boston.
The screenshot below shows the Boston Registry Division website, which is the primary gateway for Suffolk County death records involving Boston.
The Registry's site includes ordering instructions, fee schedules, and links to the online search portal for Suffolk County death records from 1956 forward.
Suffolk County Death Records at the State Level
The Registry of Vital Records and Statistics holds Massachusetts death records from 1931 to the present, including all Suffolk County communities. The RVRS is at 150 Mount Vernon Street, 1st Floor, Dorchester, MA 02125. Phone: (617) 740-2600. Email: vital.recordsrequest@state.ma.us. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:45 AM to 4:45 PM. Copies cost $20 in person and $32 by mail. Mail requests take about 30 days; expedited processing (7-10 days) costs more.
Full ordering details are at mass.gov. Death certificate specifics, including what documents you need and what to put in a mail request, are at mass.gov/death-certificates. VitalChek at vitalchek.com processes online orders for $54 per first copy and $42 for each additional copy, with 7-10 day delivery and card payment accepted.
For the period from 1841 through 1930, the Massachusetts State Archives at 220 Morrissey Boulevard in Boston is the standard source. Phone: 617-727-2816. However, because Boston did not fully report to the state system until around 1850, pre-1850 Boston deaths are more reliably found through the Boston Registry Division itself. The Archives may have partial Boston coverage for the 1841-1850 period, but the Registry's own holdings are more complete for that transitional era.
Certified copies from the Archives cost $3 each, with a limit of five per request and a four-to-six week processing time. Digital images of records from 1841 through 1925 are available free through FamilySearch, with the caveat that early Boston records may have gaps in the state's collection.
Historical Suffolk County Death Records: Boston's Unique Record
Boston began systematic death recording in 1642. That makes Suffolk County's records history one of the oldest in North America. The early records were kept in town and city books and have been maintained through multiple transfers of custody over the centuries. The Boston Registry Division holds the authoritative collection.
Massachusetts required statewide death registration starting in 1841, making it the first state to do so. Boston, despite its size, was the last major city to comply fully. Reports to the state were incomplete or absent for much of the 1841-1850 period. Only about 7 percent of Boston deaths were captured in the state system before 1850. This matters for researchers: if you are looking for a pre-1850 Boston death, the Boston Registry Division is the right place to look, not the State Archives.
After 1850, Boston's compliance improved, and the state collection becomes more complete. By the 20th century, Suffolk County records in both the local and state systems are generally reliable. The free digital collection on FamilySearch covers many Suffolk County records from 1841 through 1925. Their Massachusetts Vital Records page explains what is available and how to search it. Keep in mind the early-Boston gaps when interpreting search results from the state collection.
The Massachusetts Historical Society holds a range of historical Suffolk County documents including church records, private papers, and published genealogical collections that can supplement official death records from the colonial and early national periods. Researchers working on 17th or 18th century Boston deaths often need to use church records alongside the city's official registration.
Note: For pre-1850 Boston deaths, always check the Boston Registry Division first. The state system has limited coverage for that period due to delayed compliance with the 1841 registration requirement.
What Suffolk County Death Certificates Contain
Modern Massachusetts death certificates follow the standard required under MGL Chapter 46, Section 9. A current certificate includes the full name of the deceased, date and place of death, cause of death as certified by a physician or medical examiner, age, sex, birthplace, occupation, and the informant's name. Most also include a home address, parents' names, and marital status.
Suffolk County's older records vary considerably in detail. 17th and 18th century Boston death entries may be brief, listing only a name and date. 19th century records are more detailed but still use older terminology and may lack some fields. From the mid-20th century onward, Suffolk County certificates are comprehensive and consistent with the modern standard.
Certified copies from any source carry an official seal and signature and are accepted by courts, banks, and government agencies. If a certificate contains an error, the amendment process is governed by MGL Chapter 46, Section 13. Amendment requests go to the local registrar with supporting documentation.
Suffolk County Death Records: Access and the Law
Massachusetts death records are public. Anyone can get a copy, no matter their relationship to the deceased. This open-access rule comes from MGL Chapter 46, Section 2A. The full statutory framework governing all Massachusetts vital records, including Suffolk County death records, is in MGL Chapter 46.
In practice, this means you can walk into the Boston Registry Division, present a request for a death certificate, pay the fee, and receive a certified copy without showing a family connection or explaining your purpose. The same applies at the Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop clerk's offices. Some offices may ask for basic identifying information about the record you need, but they cannot legally deny access to a public record on the basis that you are not a relative.
Court records tied to Suffolk County deaths are available through the Suffolk County Courthouse at 3 Pemberton Square, Boston, MA 02108. Phone: 617-788-8175. Probate records often accompany death records and can be searched through masscourts.org.
Cities in Suffolk County
The following Suffolk County cities have dedicated death records pages on this site.
Chelsea and Winthrop are also part of Suffolk County but do not have individual city pages. For those communities, contact the Chelsea City Clerk or the Winthrop Town Clerk directly, or use the state RVRS for records from 1931 onward.
Nearby Counties
Death records for neighboring counties follow the same city and town clerk model and can also be requested through the state RVRS.