Death Index Records in Keweenaw County
Keweenaw County death index records are held by the County Clerk in Eagle River and date back to 1869. Keweenaw is the least populous county in Michigan, located at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula. Despite its small size, the county maintains a complete set of death certificates accessible through the clerk's office, with state copies also available through Michigan MDHHS. This page covers how to search the Keweenaw County death index, how to request certified copies, what the fees are, and which free databases include Keweenaw County records.
Keweenaw County Overview
Keweenaw County Clerk Death Records Office
The Keweenaw County Clerk handles all death records for the county. The office is at 5095 Fourth Street, Eagle River, MI 49950. You can reach the clerk by phone at (906) 337-2229. Death records begin in 1869. The county was formally organized in 1861, but record registration at the local level started in 1869, which is when the county's death index effectively begins. Any deaths before that date may be found in church records, mining company employment records, or early probate files rather than in the official county index.
Keweenaw County is at the northern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, surrounded by Lake Superior on three sides. It is Michigan's least populous county, with just over 2,100 residents. The clerk's office is small and serves a limited population. In-person requests are processed at the Eagle River office. Because the county is remote and sparsely staffed, calling ahead at (906) 337-2229 before visiting or mailing a request is strongly recommended. This avoids delays caused by limited office hours or staff availability.
Mail requests are accepted. Include a completed request form, a copy of your photo ID, payment by check or money order, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Under MCL 333.2885, Michigan death records are public. Anyone may request a copy.
The Michigan MDHHS vital records office in Lansing holds state-level copies of Keweenaw County death records and provides an alternative to ordering directly from the county clerk in Eagle River.
| Office Address | 5095 Fourth Street, Eagle River, MI 49950 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (906) 337-2229 |
| Records Available | 1869 to present |
| Fee | $10 first copy, standard additional copy fees apply |
How to Search Keweenaw County Death Records
The GENDIS database from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services covers Michigan deaths from 1867 through 1897. Keweenaw County is included from 1869, when local death registration began. This free database lets you search by name and returns basic index details, including the county of death and a certificate number. For Keweenaw County, which had significant mining activity and population during the copper boom era, the late 1800s records can be surprisingly rich.
For deaths from 1897 through 1952, Michiganology.org holds a free searchable Michigan death index. The Library of Michigan maintains this database. Keweenaw County entries are included alongside records from every other Michigan county. Index entries show the name, death date, county, and a certificate reference number. Given the county's small population, the total number of entries is limited, but the index is largely complete for the period it covers.
For deaths after 1952, contact the Keweenaw County Clerk directly. FamilySearch.org also holds some Keweenaw County records, including early church records from the Lutheran and Catholic parishes that served the mining communities. These are especially useful for deaths before 1869 or for verifying entries found in the official index.
Note: GENDIS and Michiganology are free index tools. They do not provide certified copies. A certified copy must come from the county clerk or the state MDHHS office.
Fees and How to Order Keweenaw County Death Certificates
The Keweenaw County Clerk charges $10 for the first certified copy of a death certificate. This is one of the lower fees among Michigan's Upper Peninsula counties. Standard fees for additional copies apply. For mail requests, payment by check or money order made out to the Keweenaw County Clerk is the safest approach. Call (906) 337-2229 before submitting a mail request to get current requirements and confirm the correct payment amount.
The Michigan MDHHS vital records office is another option for ordering. The state holds copies of Keweenaw County death records from 1869 onward and can process requests independently of the county. Visit michigan.gov/mdhhs for current state ordering instructions and fee information. Online ordering through the state portal may involve a third-party vendor and a service fee on top of the base certificate cost.
For people located far from Eagle River, the state ordering option can be more practical than mailing to the county. Both channels produce valid certified certificates. The key difference is processing time, which varies by channel and season.
What Keweenaw County Death Index Records Include
A certified Keweenaw County death certificate shows the full name of the deceased, the date and location of death, age at death, and cause of death. It identifies the attending physician or medical examiner, the informant, and the place of burial or cremation. These details are needed for probate filings, estate settlement, insurance claims, and government record updates. For historical research, cause-of-death entries in Keweenaw County records from the mining era often reflect industrial accidents, which makes these records particularly significant for genealogical and occupational history research.
The death index is a summary of registered deaths. It shows name, death date, and registration number rather than the full text of the certificate. For deaths before 1869, no official county-level records exist. Researchers looking at the pre-registration period should check church burial records from Eagle River and nearby communities, mining company employment records, and early Lake Superior region probate files. FamilySearch.org holds some pre-1869 Keweenaw-area material from church and parish sources.
Under MCL 333.2843, Michigan requires timely death registration. Even in a county as small and remote as Keweenaw, this requirement has kept the official records largely intact from 1869 forward.
Michigan Death Index Resources for Keweenaw County
Keweenaw County sits in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, which has its own distinct record-keeping history compared to the Lower Peninsula. The copper mining boom from the mid-1800s through the early 1900s drew large numbers of immigrants, particularly from Finland, Cornwall, and other European regions. This means the Keweenaw County death index from that era includes names and backgrounds not commonly found in southern Michigan counties. Genealogists researching Finnish-American or Cornish-American families often find key records in Keweenaw County.
The Michigan MDHHS vital records office holds state copies and is the primary alternative to the county clerk for ordering. GENDIS and Michiganology provide free index access from 1869 through 1952, which covers the heart of the mining era. Together these tools give you a solid path into the historical record without a trip to Eagle River.
Houghton County, which borders Keweenaw to the south, has a much larger record set from the same era and may hold records for individuals who moved between the two counties. Checking both can be useful when tracing Upper Peninsula mining families. Houghton County death records are a natural companion to Keweenaw research.
Note: Because Keweenaw County is so small and remote, office hours at the clerk's office may be limited. Always call before visiting or submitting a mail request.
Nearby Counties
Keweenaw County is connected to the rest of the Upper Peninsula through Houghton County, its only land neighbor. Researchers tracing Upper Peninsula families often check both counties.