Hempstead Obituary Records
Obituary records in Hempstead cover one of the most populous towns in all of New York State, located in Nassau County on Long Island. The Town of Hempstead Clerk maintains birth, death, and marriage records for events that occurred within town limits. Nassau County was formed from Queens County in 1899, so records from the Hempstead area before that date are filed under Queens County. Searching for Hempstead obituary records means checking the town clerk, the state Department of Health, newspaper archives, and local research collections at Hofstra University.
Town of Hempstead Clerk and Death Records
The Town of Hempstead Clerk serves as the local registrar of vital statistics. Deaths that occur in Hempstead are filed with the town clerk's office. Under Public Health Law Section 4140, every death must be registered within 72 hours in the district where it happened. The clerk keeps the original certificate and sends a copy to the state.
You can request death certificates from the town clerk in person. Bring the name of the deceased, date of death, and your identification. You must state your relationship to the person named on the record. Under Public Health Law Section 4174, only qualified applicants with a direct and tangible interest can get certified copies. Spouses, parents, children, and legal representatives meet this standard.
The town clerk also holds marriage records for events in Hempstead. These can help with obituary research when you need to confirm family connections or find a maiden name that appears in a death notice.
Nassau County Records for Hempstead
The Nassau County Clerk at 240 Old Country Road in Mineola holds records that cover the Hempstead area. Nassau County records from 1907 to 1935 include marriage records and other vital documents. The county clerk also has land records, court documents, and naturalization files dating to 1899.
For deaths in Hempstead before 1899, you need to look under Queens County. Nassau County did not exist before that year. The entire area that is now Nassau County was part of Queens. Pre-1899 death records, probate files, and other vital records are filed as Queens County documents. The Nassau County Clerk has some of these older records on microfilm.
The Nassau County Historical Society can also help with Hempstead obituary research. Their collection is housed at the Long Island Studies Institute at Hofstra University. It includes family files, church records, and cemetery transcriptions from across Nassau County.
Hofstra University Long Island Studies Institute
The Hofstra University Library Special Collections in Hempstead is home to the Long Island Studies Institute. This is a key resource for obituary research in the Hempstead area. The institute holds local newspapers, maps, photographs, and genealogical materials focused on Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead.
Newspaper obituaries are one of the most useful resources at Hofstra. Local papers published death notices for Hempstead residents going back well over a century. The library has these on microfilm and in some cases digital format. Researchers can visit during library hours. No appointment is needed for most collections.
The institute also holds family files donated by local genealogists over the years. These files sometimes contain obituary clippings, funeral cards, and correspondence that you will not find anywhere else. If your ancestor lived in Hempstead, checking these files is worth the trip.
How to Search Hempstead Obituary Records Online
Several online tools cover Hempstead obituary records. The New York State Department of Health holds death records from across the state starting in 1881. FamilySearch has free indexes to many New York death records that include Hempstead entries. Ancestry offers digitized vital records indexes for Nassau County as well.
FindAGrave lists burial records from Hempstead cemeteries. These entries often include dates of birth and death, family relationships, and sometimes photos of headstones. It is a free resource and a good starting point when you know the general time period but not the exact date of death.
The NYC Historical Vital Records Project does not cover Hempstead directly, since Hempstead is in Nassau County rather than New York City. However, if your ancestor moved between the city and Long Island, checking both systems can turn up related records.
The New York State Archives in Albany holds statewide death indexes on microfiche. These indexes cover Nassau County deaths along with all other counties outside New York City. They are a useful starting point when you do not know the exact date or place of death within Hempstead.
Requesting Death Certificates by Mail
You can request Hempstead death records by mail from two sources. The town clerk accepts mail requests with the required information and fee. The New York State Department of Health also accepts mail requests for death certificates from anywhere in the state outside New York City.
Mail requests to the state take several weeks to process. The town clerk may be faster for recent deaths. Include the full name of the deceased, date of death, place of death, your relationship to the person, and the reason for your request. A check or money order for the fee must be included. The state charges $30 for a certified copy.
Newspaper Obituaries in Hempstead
Newsday has been the main newspaper on Long Island since the 1940s. It carries obituaries for Hempstead residents daily. Older newspapers from the Hempstead area are on microfilm at local libraries and at Hofstra University. The Hempstead Sentinel and other small papers also ran death notices in earlier decades.
Public libraries in Hempstead can help you find local newspaper obituaries. Many have their own clipping files or indexes organized by name. Librarians can point you toward the right microfilm reel or database. Some libraries also offer free access to Ancestry Library Edition and newspaper databases like Newspapers.com.
Nearby Cities
Hempstead sits in the center of Nassau County with several other towns nearby that maintain their own obituary records. Oyster Bay is to the east. North Hempstead borders to the north. Brookhaven is farther east in Suffolk County. Each town clerk holds separate death records for events in their jurisdiction. If your ancestor lived near a town border, check both towns.