Tooele County Death Index Records

The Tooele County death index gives you access to death certificates and vital records going back to 1898. Tooele County is one of the older counties in Utah, created in 1852, and its death records span a wide range of history. Certified copies of Tooele County death records can be obtained from the Tooele County Health Department at 151 North Main Street in Tooele City. You can request records in person, by mail, or online through the Utah SILVER system. This page explains how to search the Tooele County death index, what the records contain, and who is eligible to obtain certified copies.

What Tooele County Death Index Records Contain

Tooele County death certificates provide a detailed snapshot of a person's life and death. Each certificate typically lists the full name of the deceased, date and place of death, cause of death, and the name of the physician or coroner who filed the report. Most records also show the deceased person's age, birthplace, parents' names and birthplaces, and occupation. Records from the mid-twentieth century onward often include the name of a surviving spouse and the deceased person's marital status and race at the time of death.

The FamilySearch collection for Tooele County covers deaths from 1904 through 1964, with 1965 and 1966 deaths in a separate collection. These records are part of the statewide Utah death certificate index, which holds over 260,000 images. The FamilySearch database is searchable by name and browsable by county and year. Tooele County also has an older set of birth and death records from 1898 to 1905, before state registration began. These early records are held at the county level rather than by the state.

A valuable collection specific to Tooele County is the FamilySearch catalog entry for "Tooele County Records 1855-1956," which includes marriage affidavits from 1887 to 1937, naturalization records from 1907 to 1945, probate records from 1887 to 1955, and a record of births and deaths from 1898 to 1905. Will records from 1908 to 1966 are also part of this collection. These records offer significant genealogical depth for anyone researching Tooele County family history.

How to Search Tooele County Death Records

The Tooele County Health Department is the primary office for obtaining certified death certificates for events that occurred in Tooele County. The office is located at 151 North Main Street, Tooele, Utah, Suite 100. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 AM to 6 PM, and Friday, 8 AM to noon. Most in-person requests are completed the same day. Mail requests are also processed the same day they are received, though you must allow time for mailing in both directions. Online orders through the Utah SILVER system take approximately 10 to 14 business days.

For historical records that are more than 50 years old, start with FamilySearch or the Utah State Archives. Both provide free access to older death certificate images online. The FamilySearch collection covers 1904 to 1966 and is indexed by name. The Utah State Archives holds records from around 1903 forward and provides online images for public-access records. The VitalRec.com county directory also lists the Tooele County Clerk at 47 South Main Street, Tooele, Utah 84074, phone (435) 882-9140, as a contact for early records and marriage filings.

The image below shows the Tooele County Health Department's vital records page, which has current hours, ordering instructions, and fee information.

The Tooele County Health Department processes in-person, mail, and online requests for certified death certificates covering events in Tooele County.

Tooele County Death Record Office and Resources

The Tooele County Clerk is located at 47 South Main Street, Tooele, Utah 84074-2194, phone (435) 882-9140, fax (435) 882-7317. The clerk holds marriage records from 1887 to present and early birth and death records from 1898 to 1905. The Utah Office of Vital Records, located at 288 North 1460 West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114, holds statewide death records from 1905 forward and can be reached by phone at (801) 538-6105, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.

The USGenWeb project for Tooele County provides free transcriptions of many genealogical records, including cemetery inscriptions, early vital records, and historical documents. The Utah Historical Society Burial Database is another useful resource. It lists several Tooele County cemeteries, including the Faust Old Ranch Cemetery, Clover, Lake Point, Ophir, Vernon, Iosepa, Stockton, Tooele City Cemetery, Tooele City Pioneer Cemetery, and Mercur Cemetery. These records can help fill gaps when no formal death certificate exists for a particular individual.

The image below shows the USGenWeb Tooele County page, a free resource for genealogical transcriptions and early death records.

The USGenWeb Tooele County project offers free transcriptions of vital records, cemetery listings, and historical death data that supplements the official Tooele County death index.

Getting Certified Tooele County Death Certificates

Certified death certificates from Tooele County cost $30 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy requested at the same time. These fees apply to requests made through the Tooele County Health Department and the Utah Office of Vital Records. The health department maintains death records for the previous 50 years. Older records are generally accessed through the state archives or FamilySearch rather than through the health department.

Mail requests must include a completed application form and a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID. Do not send original documents by mail. Checks and money orders should be made payable to the Tooele County Health Department or the Utah Office of Vital Records, depending on which office you are using. The county recorder can be reached at (435) 843-3180 for questions about property-related records that may accompany a death record request.

Under Utah Code 26B-8-125, access to death records less than 50 years old is restricted to the spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent of the deceased, or an authorized legal representative. All requesters must provide valid photo ID and proof of their relationship to the deceased. Applications submitted without required ID will be returned unprocessed.

The BRB Publications directory notes that the Tooele County health department maintains death records from 2006 to the present. For records between 1905 and 2006, contact the Utah Office of Vital Records directly.

BRB Publications provides a directory of Tooele County vital record offices, fees, and contact information useful for locating the right agency for your death index request.

Historical Tooele County Death Records

Tooele County has some of the oldest vital records in Utah. The county was created on March 3, 1852, and county-level records of births and deaths begin in 1898. These early records predate the statewide registration system that started in 1905. The FamilySearch catalog for "Tooele County Records 1855-1956" includes a wide range of historical documents alongside the 1898-1905 birth and death register. Probate records from 1887 to 1955 and will records from 1908 to 1966 can also be used to piece together family histories from this era.

An index to Tooele County marriage licenses from 1888 to 1929 is available at the Family History Library, operated by FamilySearch. This index can help you connect death records to other family documents when searching for ancestors. The Utah Historical Society Burial Database adds another layer of historical depth by providing cemetery data for multiple Tooele County burial sites, some of which predate formal death certification. Together, these resources make Tooele County one of the better-documented counties for pre-1905 genealogy research in Utah.

Note: Some early Tooele County death records may have gaps, particularly for the period before 1898 when no formal county registration system was in place.

Who Can Access Tooele County Death Records

Utah law divides death records into two categories based on age. Records more than 50 years old are public documents. Any person may request them without proving a family connection. Records less than 50 years old are restricted and may only be requested by immediate family members or their authorized representatives.

Eligible immediate family members under Utah Code 26B-8-125 include the spouse, parent, child, sibling, and grandparent of the deceased. Each must show a valid photo ID and proof of the family relationship. Legal representatives must provide written authorization from an eligible family member. The Government Records Access and Management Act, Utah Code 63G-2, sets out the broader framework for public records access in Utah and provides an appeal process for denied requests. Death records more than 50 years old are classified as public under GRAMA and accessible to anyone upon request.

Cities in Tooele County

Tooele County includes several communities west of Salt Lake City. Tooele City is the county seat and home to the health department. Other communities in the county include Grantsville, Stockton, Wendover, and Vernon. Deaths in any of these places are part of the Tooele County death index. Justice Courts operate in Tooele, Grantsville, Stockton, and Wendover.

Nearby Counties

Tooele County sits west of the Wasatch Range and borders several Utah counties. Researchers tracking families across county lines should also check records in neighboring areas.

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