Search Henrico County Death Index

Henrico County death index records run from the mid-1800s through the present, covering one of Virginia's most populous jurisdictions surrounding the city of Richmond. The Virginia Department of Health holds death certificates for Henrico County deaths from June 1912 forward, and historical death registers from 1853 to 1896 are available through the Library of Virginia. You can search Henrico County death records online, visit in person at the Richmond state office, or order certified copies by mail or through VitalChek.

Henrico County Circuit Court

The Henrico County Circuit Court is located at the Henrico County Courts Building in Henrico, Virginia. The Clerk's Office maintains wills, probate files, land records, marriage licenses, and court case records. Probate cases filed after a Henrico County death appear in the Circuit Court system and can help researchers confirm death dates and locate family members listed as heirs. The office serves a large and active court with considerable case volume given the county's size.

The Circuit Court does not issue birth or death certificates. Those come from the Virginia Department of Health. However, the Clerk's wills and estate records stretch back to the 1600s in some cases, making Henrico one of Virginia's most historically significant county court archives. Researchers working with very old Henrico deaths may find probate records, estate inventories, and guardianship filings that predate formal death registration.

You can search Henrico County court cases online through the Virginia Online Case Information System (OCIS). Probate cases often appear within a short time after a death. Searching a name in OCIS can provide useful detail, including the approximate date of death and the name of the estate administrator.

Henrico County Death Certificates at VDH

The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records holds certified death certificates for Henrico County deaths from June 1912 to the present. The state office is at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23227, just minutes from most of Henrico County. Walk-in service runs Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can also apply online through the VDH website or mail a request to P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218-1000.

Each certified copy costs $12. Payment options include check, money order, credit card, mobile pay, and cash. Checks go to State Health Department. Under Virginia Code Title 32.1, Chapter 7, death records become public after 25 years from the date of death. Until then, only the spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent of the deceased may request a copy. A government-issued photo ID is required with every application. Call 804-662-6200 for questions.

For online ordering, VitalChek handles Henrico County death certificate requests on behalf of VDH. An extra processing fee applies on top of the $12 state charge. VitalChek covers deaths from June 1, 1912 to the present.

Henrico County Death Index: Historical Records

Henrico County is one of Virginia's oldest counties, formed in 1634. Death records here go back further than most Virginia counties in some respects, with probate and court records reaching into the 17th century. The formal death register system began in 1853 when Virginia law required counties to record deaths. Henrico County registers from 1853 to 1896 are on microfilm at the Library of Virginia and include entries for the county's large and diverse population during the antebellum and Reconstruction periods.

Virginia had no mandatory death registration between 1897 and June 1912. Some metropolitan areas near Henrico continued recording deaths during that gap, but the county itself did not maintain a separate system. Researchers looking for Henrico County deaths in that 15-year window should check church records, newspaper obituaries, cemetery records, and the federal mortality census schedules from 1880, which list deaths for the year ending June 1 of each census year.

The Library of Virginia holds the Virginia death index through 1954 and microfilm death certificates from 1912 to 1939. Virginia residents can search these free of charge through Ancestry for Virginians. The program also covers Virginia Death Registers 1853-1911. The Library of Virginia reference desk is at 800 E. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219, and can be reached at 804-692-3888.

Search Henrico County Death Records Online

For Henrico County, FamilySearch provides free access to the Virginia Deaths and Burials 1853-1912 database, which includes Henrico County entries. The Virginia Death Certificates 1912-1987 collection on FamilySearch has images of older certificates and is searchable by name and year. Recent deaths within the 25-year window show as index-only due to privacy restrictions.

The Virginia Genealogical Society has indexed the Death Index of Virginia 1853-1896 and made it searchable through the Library of Virginia. For Henrico County specifically, where many significant Virginia families lived, this index is a key resource. The VGS also publishes research guides and holds member resources on Virginia genealogy. Their tools are especially helpful for filling gaps in Henrico County death research.

Note: Ancestry for Virginians includes the Virginia Death Records 1912-2014 index with images for records over 25 years old. Any Virginia resident with a library card can access this at no cost.

Cities Near Henrico County

The independent city of Richmond sits within and beside Henrico County. Richmond has its own vital records office and Circuit Court that handles deaths within the city limits.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Henrico County and have their own Circuit Court clerks and death records resources.