Find Herkimer County Death Records
Death records in Herkimer County are available through local town clerks and the New York State Department of Health from 1880 onward. Herkimer County was formed from Montgomery County in 1791 and is named for Revolutionary War hero Nicholas Herkimer. The county seat is the village of Herkimer in the Mohawk Valley. Death certificates, probate files, and genealogy records are spread across several offices in the county. This page explains where to look and who to contact for death records in Herkimer County.
Herkimer County Death Records Overview
Herkimer County Clerk
The Herkimer County Clerk is in the County Office Building at 109 Mary Street, Herkimer, NY 13350. The clerk holds court records, land records, naturalization records, and marriage records. Death certificates are not kept at the county clerk office. You need to contact the town clerk where the death took place or the New York State Department of Health.
The New York State Department of Health death records page shows how to order copies by mail, phone, or online for deaths that took place anywhere in Herkimer County.
The NYS DOH page above shows the process for ordering death certificates by mail or online for deaths in Herkimer County and all other New York counties outside New York City.
Herkimer County has towns spread across the Mohawk Valley and into the Adirondack foothills. Towns include Columbia, Danube, Fairfield, Frankfort, German Flatts, Herkimer, Little Falls, Litchfield, Manheim, Newport, Norway, Ohio, Poland, Russia, Salisbury, Schuyler, Stark, Warren, Webb, and Winfield. Each town clerk has death records from 1880 onward.
How to Get Herkimer County Death Records
Death certificates cost about $10 per certified copy from a local town clerk. You need valid photo ID. The spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the deceased can get a copy. Others need proof of a legal claim or a court order. Bring a letter from the agency or court that explains why you need the record.
The state DOH has Herkimer County death records from 1881. Mail orders cost $30 per copy. Send a completed application, a copy of your ID, and payment to the Vital Records Certification Unit, P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Online orders through VitalChek cost $45 plus a processing fee. The state has big delays right now. Local clerks are faster for recent deaths.
For in-person requests, town clerks typically process the request the same day during business hours. Office hours vary by town. Some smaller towns in Herkimer County keep limited schedules, so call ahead. The Little Falls City Clerk and the Herkimer Village Clerk tend to have more consistent hours since they serve larger populations.
Herkimer County Death Records and Surrogate's Court
The Herkimer County Surrogate's Court is in the Herkimer County Courthouse in Herkimer, NY. The court handles probate of wills, estate administration, guardianships, and adoptions. Probate records go back to 1791, the year the county was formed from Montgomery County.
Probate petitions list the date of death, names of heirs, their relationship to the deceased, and where they live. These make probate records a strong secondary source for death information. The WebSurrogate system lets you search estate proceedings online. FamilySearch and Ancestry have digitized many older Herkimer County probate records.
Estates under $50,000 may qualify for small estate proceedings with simplified filing and a $1 filing fee. For larger estates, filing fees are based on the dollar value. The court requires mandatory e-filing for most estate proceedings, though you can opt out by filing form SCM-2 if you can not file electronically.
Genealogy Death Records in Herkimer County
Death records over 50 years old are open for genealogy research. Direct descendants can get copies without waiting 50 years. The NYS DOH genealogy program charges $22 for a one to three year search. Processing takes eight months or more.
The New York State Archives has microfiche death indexes from 1880 to 1943 that you can search for free at the Cultural Education Center in Albany. The Herkimer County Historical Society maintains genealogy collections that can help with death record research. Local libraries in the Mid-York Library System also have genealogy materials.
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society publishes county research guides. Cemetery records, church records, and newspaper obituaries are other good sources for death data in Herkimer County. FamilySearch has census records, probate files, and other collections that cover the Herkimer County area.
The Mohawk Valley has a rich history that goes back to the 1700s. German Palatine immigrants settled many of the towns. Church records from that era, especially from Reformed and Lutheran churches, can include death entries that pre-date the official state system.
Herkimer County Death Record Access Rules
Death records in Herkimer County are restricted for 50 years. Only the spouse, parent, child, or sibling can get a certified copy during that time. Others need a lawful reason backed by documentation. A court order will also work. After 50 years, the records are public and anyone can request a copy for research or personal use.
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in Herkimer County. That means the records from 1880 forward are generally well preserved. The county clerk has land and court records from 1791, and the Surrogate's Court has probate files from the same year. For death records before 1880, check with the Herkimer County Historical Society. They hold church records, cemetery transcriptions, and family papers that can help fill in gaps.
Nearby Counties
Herkimer County stretches from the Mohawk Valley into the Adirondacks. These neighboring counties may have death records you need: