WSA Meyers Neg 4266, Gordon Lathan at grave site of wife Ellen R Lathan, Cheyenne, Wyoming, ca 1916
Though the State of Wyoming did not begin to keep track of deaths until 1909, a death record may still be available
- Albany County: deaths beginning in 1899
- Laramie County: deaths from 1896 to 1900
Most miscarriages were not issued certificates unless they were nearly full term. Some early stillbirths were issued either birth or death certificates or both. Today, if no heartbeat is detected nor a breath taken at birth, Vital Records classifies the event as a fetal death and issues a fetal death certificate. If a heartbeat is detected or breath taken after birth but the child does not survive, both a birth and a death certificate are issued.
Regardless of the form used to register a fetal death, the information becomes an open public record 50 years following the event and may be requested by any member of the public.
Was the death UNDER 50 years ago?
The certificate is not yet an open public record. Contact Wyoming Vital Statistics.
Was the death OVER 50 years ago?
The certificate is an open public record. Contact or visit the Wyoming State Archives.
Are they available online?
Yes, we have partnered with Ancestry.com to make death certificates available through their platform, 1909-1971. Don't have an Ancestry.com account? Your local public library may have a subscription or you can contact the WSA directly.
Death certificate for Eleanor Pruitt Stewart, author of Letters of a Woman Homesteader. (Wyoming Vital Records death certificate #1665, 1933)
Death certificates contain a wealth of information about an individual, including:
Some of this information is only as good as the informant's knowledge and memory, so be sure to check for corroborating evidence when using a death certificate in genealogical research.
For more information on using a death certificate in genealogical research, check out this article on the Wyoming State Archives' blog, Wyoming Postscripts.
For more information on a death, or to find corroborating records, look for:
Death certificates and the information they contain is very useful to identity thieves. To better protect Wyomingites, the Wyoming Department of Health has restricted these records for 50 years and require an application and proof of identity to view those created less than 50 years ago. After that time has passed, the certificates become open public records, available to anyone without an application.
Maybe. Portions of death certifications contain primary source information, including:
Some of the information is based upon the informant's knowledge of the deceased. This information would be considered a secondary source and may not be correct, especially if the informant was not close to the deceased.
While this information may give you a place to start looking, it is always good to look for other corroborating documents.
Citations are an important part of documenting your search and add credibility (and reliability) to your research.
[Name of person], [year/certificate number], death certificate, Vital Statistics Unit, Wyoming Department of Health, [repository].
For Example:
Eleanor Pruitt Stewart, 1933/#1665, death certificate, Vital Statistics Unit, Wyoming Department of Health, as on file at the Wyoming State Archives.
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