Monroe County Death Records
Monroe County death records are handled differently than most counties in New York. This is a consolidated county for vital records, which means all death certificates are held by the Monroe County Department of Health rather than individual town clerks. The county seat is Rochester, which is also the largest city in the county with about 211,000 people. Monroe County as a whole has around 759,000 residents. If you need a death record from anywhere in Monroe County, you go through one central office. That makes the process simpler here than in most other New York counties where you have to track down the right town clerk.
Monroe County Quick Facts
Monroe County Consolidated Vital Records
Monroe County is one of only four consolidated counties in New York State for vital records. The others are Chemung, Onondaga, and Tompkins. In these counties, all birth, death, and marriage records are held by the county Department of Health, not by individual town or village clerks. This is a big difference from the rest of New York, where you have to know which town the death happened in before you can request a record.
The Monroe County Department of Health handles all death certificate requests for deaths that occurred anywhere in the county. This includes deaths in the City of Rochester, the towns of Brighton, Chili, Clarkson, East Rochester, Gates, Greece, Hamlin, Henrietta, Irondequoit, Mendon, Ogden, Parma, Penfield, Perinton, Pittsford, Riga, Rush, Sweden, Webster, and Wheatland. It also covers the villages within those towns. One office, one set of records.
Contact the Monroe County Department of Health for death certificates. They can issue certified copies for any death that took place in Monroe County. The county health department has been the central keeper of vital records here since the consolidated system was put in place.
How to Order Monroe County Death Records
You have two main paths. The local route goes through the Monroe County Department of Health. The state route goes through the New York State Department of Health. Both can issue certified copies of death certificates for Monroe County deaths from 1881 forward.
Through the state, mail orders cost $30 per copy. Send your form to the Vital Records Certification Unit at P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Online and phone orders through VitalChek run $45 plus a processing fee. Call (855) 322-1022 for phone orders. The state is dealing with big delays. The local office is usually faster for Monroe County residents.
You need a valid photo ID to apply. A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID all work. The spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the person who died can order a certified copy. Other people need to show a lawful right or claim, like a letter from an insurance company or a court order. Applications without proper ID get denied.
Genealogy Death Records in Monroe County
Death records at least 50 years old can be requested as uncertified genealogy copies. The NYS DOH genealogy page has the details. Fees start at $22 for a one to three year search and go up from there. A 41 to 50 year search is $122. Direct line descendants can get copies without waiting 50 years, but they must prove their relationship.
The New York State Archives has microfiche death record indexes from 1880 to 1943 that include Monroe County. You can search them for free in person in Albany. The Rochester Public Library also has a strong genealogy collection with local death record indexes, obituary files, and cemetery records. The Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County on South Avenue is the main branch for genealogy research.
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society publishes a guide to Monroe County vital records. The Rochester Genealogical Society is another resource for local death record research. They hold meetings and maintain reference materials at the Central Library.
The Monroe County Clerk's office handles court and land records but not death certificates. The Monroe County Clerk website shows what records they do keep.
The County Clerk handles marriage records from 1908 to 1935, divorce records, and property documents, but death certificates go through the county health department.
Monroe County Death Records and Surrogate's Court
Monroe County Surrogate's Court deals with wills, probate, and estate matters. The court is at the Hall of Justice, 99 Exchange Boulevard, in Rochester. Probate records can contain useful death information including the date of death, names of family members, and estate details. You can search records online through WebSurrogate.
Monroe County probate records go back to 1821 when the county was formed from Genesee and Ontario counties. The Surrogate's Court also handles guardianship cases, wrongful death settlements, and small estate proceedings for estates under $50,000. These records are public and searchable by name.
For vital records in Monroe County, the county health department is the single point of contact. The Monroe County Department of Health manages all vital records in the consolidated system.
The Monroe County vital records system is consolidated, so all death certificate requests go through one county office instead of individual town clerks.
Nearby Counties and Cities
Monroe County borders several counties in western New York. Wayne County is to the east. Ontario County sits to the southeast. Livingston County is to the south. Genesee County is to the southwest, and Orleans County is to the west. Lake Ontario forms the northern border.
Several qualifying cities are in or near Monroe County. Rochester is the county seat and largest city. Greece and Irondequoit are also in Monroe County and have their own pages. Since Monroe County is consolidated, death records for all of these places go through the county health department rather than separate town clerks.