Search the Delta County Death Index

Delta County in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has one of the more detailed local death indexes in the state, thanks to the Delta County Genealogical Society's volunteer-compiled database covering deaths from 1867 through 2010. Certified death certificates are available through the County Clerk office in Escanaba. This page covers how to use the genealogy database, how to request certified copies, and what fees apply.

Delta County Clerk Vital Records Office

Delta County Clerk Nancy Przewrocki runs the clerk's office in Escanaba. The Delta County Clerk page at deltacountymi.gov covers the services available, including vital records requests. The office is at 310 Ludington Street in Escanaba, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You can reach the office by phone at (906) 789-5100 or by fax at (906) 789-5196.

Delta County has kept death records since 1867. That gives the county clerk one of the longer record spans in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. For certified death certificates, you go through the clerk's office or use VitalChek online. For index research and genealogy purposes, the Delta County Genealogical Society database is an outstanding resource that goes well beyond what most county offices provide on their own.

The GENDIS database at vitalstats.michigan.gov shows what the state's online death index system looks like and how it complements local county records.

GENDIS is a free state-run genealogy death index covering Michigan deaths from 1971 through 1996, useful for narrowing searches before ordering certified copies from Delta County.

Delta County Genealogical Society Death Records Database

The Delta County Genealogical Society has compiled a searchable death records database covering 1867 through 2010. This is a volunteer-built resource, and it is one of the most detailed local death indexes in the Upper Peninsula. The database includes the name of the deceased, the date of death, the birth year, parents' names, the cemetery where the person was buried, and the funeral home that handled the arrangements.

That level of detail goes far beyond what most county death indexes provide. Most basic death indexes just give you a name, a date, and a county. The cemetery and funeral home fields in the Delta County database are particularly useful when you are trying to locate burial sites or confirm family connections. This database covers deaths over a 143-year window, which means it includes records from before, during, and after the period covered by the state's GENDIS tool.

The database is searchable online. Use it before you request a certified copy from the clerk. It will help you confirm the record exists and give you the exact details you need to fill out the request form accurately. After you confirm the record in the database, ordering a certified copy from the county clerk or through VitalChek is straightforward.

Note: The database covers through 2010. For deaths after that date, contact the Delta County Clerk directly or use the MDHHS vital records office for more recent records.

Requesting Delta County Death Certificates

The Delta County Clerk accepts requests in person, by mail, and online through VitalChek. In-person visits go to 310 Ludington Street in Escanaba during office hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM). Bring the name of the deceased and the date of death. Staff will search the records and provide a certified copy.

For mail requests, write out the name, date of death, your return address, and your reason for the request. Include a check or money order payable to the Delta County Clerk. Mail everything to 310 Ludington Street, Escanaba, MI 49829. Allow extra processing time for mail requests compared to in-person service.

Online orders go through VitalChek. VitalChek charges a processing fee on top of the county fee. Payment is by credit card, and the certificate is mailed to your address. Under MCL 333.2885, death records 75 or more years old are available for public genealogical research.

Delta County Death Certificate Fees

Certified death certificates from Delta County cost $15.00 for the first copy and $5.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Michigan's vital records fee rules under MCL 333.2843 provide the structure for these charges. Order all the copies you need in a single request to get the lower rate on additional copies. Estate work often requires multiple certified originals for different agencies.

Nearby Counties

These Upper Peninsula counties border Delta County. Each has its own clerk handling death records.