Nassau County Obituary Records Search
Obituary records in Nassau County trace deaths and family connections across one of the most populated counties on Long Island. The Nassau County Clerk at 240 Old Country Road in Mineola holds land and court records dating back to 1899, when Nassau County split from Queens County. Death records and obituaries from Nassau County can be found through local town clerks, the New York State Department of Health, and newspaper archives held by the Nassau County Historical Society. Pre-1899 records for the area that became Nassau County are filed under Queens County and remain on microfilm at the clerk's office.
Nassau County Vital Records and Death Certificates
Nassau County does not have a single central office for death records. Each town and city clerk in the county acts as a local registrar. Deaths that occur in a given town are recorded by that town's clerk. This is the standard system across New York State under Public Health Law § 4140. The town clerk files the original death certificate and sends a copy to the state.
The New York State Department of Health holds certified copies of Nassau County death certificates for deaths registered after the county was formed. Under Public Health Law § 4174, only qualified applicants with a direct and tangible interest can get certified copies. This includes spouses, children, parents, and legal representatives. The fee is $30 for a certified copy from the state. Uncertified copies may be available for genealogy use.
For deaths before 1899, records fall under Queens County jurisdiction. Nassau County was carved out of Queens in 1899. All vital records from the area that became Nassau County prior to that year are filed as Queens County records. Researchers need to keep this date in mind. It is the single most important fact for Nassau County obituary research.
How to Find Obituaries in Nassau County
The Nassau County Clerk at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, NY 11501, can be reached at (516) 571-2664. The clerk's office holds land records from 1899, naturalization records from 1899 to 1987, New York state censuses from 1915 and 1925, and marriage records from 1907 to 1935. The clerk does not perform research on behalf of visitors. You must come in and search the records yourself or hire a professional researcher.
Newspaper obituaries are a key resource in Nassau County. Long Island newspapers have published death notices for well over a century. Newsday, which has been the dominant paper on Long Island since the 1940s, carries Nassau County obituaries daily. Older newspapers can be found on microfilm at local libraries. The Long Island Studies Institute at Hofstra University in Hempstead holds an extensive collection of Nassau County historical materials, including newspapers and family files.
Online databases have expanded access to Nassau County obituary records. FamilySearch and Ancestry both have digitized indexes for New York death records that include Nassau County entries. FindAGrave contains burial records from Nassau County cemeteries. These free and paid tools let you search from home, though not all records are digitized yet.
Nassau County Historical Society
The Nassau County Historical Society operates from a mailing address at PO Box 207, Garden City, NY 11530. You can reach them at (516) 538-7679. The society's collection is housed at the Long Island Studies Institute at Hofstra University. This is where serious genealogy researchers go for Nassau County obituary records that are not available through government channels.
The institute holds family files, photographs, maps, and local history materials. Church records from Nassau County parishes are also part of the collection. Church death registers can fill gaps where civil records are missing or incomplete. Cemetery transcriptions for Nassau County burial grounds are another resource available through the institute.
Pre-1899 Records from Queens County
Before Nassau County existed, the entire area was part of Queens County. All death records, marriage records, and other vital records from the towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay before 1899 are Queens County records. The Nassau County Clerk holds Queens County records on microfilm for the period before the split. This microfilm collection is a critical resource for anyone tracing Nassau County deaths from the 1800s.
Researchers looking for obituaries from the 1800s in what is now Nassau County should also check the Queens County Surrogate's Court for probate files. Wills and estate records from that era were filed in Queens County and may contain death dates and family information that supplement or replace missing obituary records.
Accessing Nassau County Death Records
There are two main ways to get a death certificate in Nassau County. For recent deaths, contact the town clerk where the death occurred or request a copy from the New York State Department of Health. Each town in Nassau County has its own clerk who serves as the local registrar. The town of Hempstead, the town of North Hempstead, the town of Oyster Bay, and the two cities in the county each maintain their own records.
Mail requests to the state take several weeks. Walk-in service at the local town clerk is faster. You need to provide the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death within Nassau County. You also must state your relationship to the person and why you need the record. Genealogy requests for records over 50 years old are generally easier to obtain.
The New York State Archives in Albany holds statewide death indexes on microfiche. These indexes cover Nassau County deaths along with all other counties. If you do not know the exact date of death, the state archives indexes are a good starting point for narrowing down your search.
Cities and Towns in Nassau County
Nassau County contains three large towns that each have their own clerk offices and vital records. Hempstead is the most populous town in Nassau County and one of the largest in New York State. Oyster Bay covers the eastern portion of the county. North Hempstead sits in the northern section of Nassau County. Each town clerk holds local death records for deaths in their jurisdiction. When searching for Nassau County obituary records, knowing which town the death occurred in can save time and help you find the right office.