Search Oswego County Death Records

Oswego County death records are maintained by the town and city clerks across this Lake Ontario shoreline county. The county seat is Oswego, a port city at the mouth of the Oswego River. Oswego County has about 117,000 residents spread across 22 towns, 2 cities, and 9 villages. Death certificates date back to the 1880s when the state started requiring registration. The Oswego County Clerk does not keep death records. Instead, the clerk of the municipality where the death took place holds the record. The state also has copies from 1881 forward. Oswego County sits in central New York between Syracuse and the Canadian border along Lake Ontario.

Where Oswego County Death Records Are Kept

The Oswego County Clerk at 46 East Bridge Street, Oswego, NY 13126, phone (315) 349-8621, keeps marriage records from 1908, land records, court records, and military discharge records. But the County Clerk does not maintain birth or death certificates. Those are with the local town and city clerks.

The City of Oswego City Clerk at 13 West Oneida Street, Oswego, NY 13126 handles death records for deaths in the city limits. Contact Georgianne Carson at gcarson@oswegony.org or Kristina Bailey at kbailey@oswegony.org. The City of Fulton also has a city clerk with vital records. Each of the 22 towns has its own clerk as well.

For genealogy requests through the City of Oswego, you need to complete a Genealogy Application, attach a copy of photo ID, and send a money order payable to "Oswego City Clerk" for $22.00 per copy. Extra fees may apply depending on how many years need to be searched. Checks from non-local banks have to clear before certificates are released. Birth records must be at least 75 years old and the person must be known to be deceased. Death records must be at least 50 years old. Marriage records must be at least 50 years old and both spouses must be known deceased.

Ordering Oswego County Death Certificates from the State

The New York State Department of Health has Oswego County death records from 1880 forward. Mail orders cost $30 per copy. Send forms to the Vital Records Certification Unit, P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Online and phone orders through VitalChek cost $45 plus a processing fee. Call (855) 322-1022.

You need valid photo ID to apply. A driver's license, passport, state ID, or military ID works. The spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the person who died can order a certified copy. Others need a documented lawful right or a New York State Court Order. The state is dealing with significant processing delays. Local clerks are usually faster.

Oswego County Death Records at the Historian

The Oswego County Records Center and Historian at 384 East River Road, Oswego, NY 13126 (same building as the Oswego DMV), phone (315) 349-8461, is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. They have state census records from 1850 to 1925, naturalization records, some burial records, and city directories from 1852 to the 1990s. The historian can help with genealogy research and point you to local resources for tracking down death records.

The Oswego County Historical Society and Richardson-Bates House Museum at 135 East Third Street, Oswego, NY 13126, phone (315) 343-1342, email ochs@rbhousemuseum.org, has research materials and local history collections. The Heritage Foundation of Oswego County at 143 West Third Street, PO Box 405, Oswego, NY 13126, phone (315) 342-3354, email president@oswegocountyheritage.com, also holds archival materials.

Oswego County Death Records for Genealogy

The NYS DOH genealogy program offers uncertified copies of death records at least 50 years old. Fees start at $22 for a one to three year search. Direct descendants can skip the 50 year wait with proof of their relationship. The New York State Archives has free microfiche death indexes from 1880 to 1943 including Oswego County.

The New York State Death Index on FamilySearch covers 1880 to 1956 for free. FamilySearch's Oswego County page lists record dates: births from 1880, marriages from 1907, deaths from 1880, court records from 1791, land records from 1791, and probate from 1816. The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society has research guides that cover Oswego County.

Public libraries in Oswego County may offer free access to Ancestry Library Edition and other genealogy databases. The Oswego Public Library and the Fulton Public Library both have some local history collections. Cemetery records and church records are important sources for deaths before 1880 when official registration had not yet started.

Oswego County Surrogate's Court

The Oswego County Surrogate's Court at the Oswego County Courthouse, 25 East Oneida Street, Oswego, NY 13126, phone (315) 349-3295, handles probate and estate cases. Probate records go back to 1816 when the county was formed. The court handles wills, letters testamentary, estate inventories, and guardianship records. You can search records online through WebSurrogate.

Probate files are a good secondary source for death information. The court file usually includes the date of death and names of heirs. Small estate proceedings for estates under $50,000 can be filed for just $1. These records are public and searchable by name.

Nearby Counties and Cities

Oswego County borders several counties in central New York. Onondaga County is to the south. Oneida County is to the east. Lewis County is to the northeast. Jefferson County is to the north. Cayuga County is to the southwest. Lake Ontario forms the western boundary.

There are no cities in Oswego County that meet the population threshold for a separate page. The largest communities are the City of Oswego and the City of Fulton. The closest qualifying city is Syracuse in neighboring Onondaga County to the south. For death records in Oswego, Fulton, or other communities in the county, contact the local city or town clerk.