Clearfield County Death Records
Clearfield County obituary and death records are available through the Register of Wills in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. County birth and death records from 1893 through 1905 are on file at the Register of Wills. Deaths after 1905 are recorded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Clearfield County was formed in 1804 and takes its name from the clear fields that early settlers found in the area. Estate records in Clearfield County go back to 1832, providing nearly two centuries of documentation for families who lived in the region.
Clearfield County Quick Facts
Clearfield County Register of Wills
The Clearfield County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court handles estate administration, marriage licenses, probate, adoptions, and guardianships. All appointments for probate matters or marriage licenses must be scheduled in advance. Call the office at (814) 765-2641 and use extension 2126 for probate or extensions 2127 or 2128 for marriage license inquiries. The Register and Recorder office is located on the first floor of the Clearfield County Courthouse.
Birth and death records are available from 1893 through 1905. Certified copies of these local records are $5 each. For deaths after 1905, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Vital Statistics. Marriage licenses have been on file since 1885, with a fully computerized index. Estate records go back to 1832 and have been fully indexed on computer from 1990 forward, with scanned images available from December 1, 1998 onward. This makes modern estate research in Clearfield County especially accessible.
The courthouse also offers Landex Remote software for comprehensive land record searching and Landex Webstore for basic searches by infrequent users. Visit clearfieldcountypa.gov/179 for full office details or clearfieldcountypa.gov for the county government portal.
| Office |
Clearfield County Register of Wills Clearfield County Courthouse (First Floor) Clearfield, PA Phone: (814) 765-2641 Ext. 2126 (Probate) | Ext. 2127/2128 (Marriage) |
|---|---|
| Hours | Appointments required; call to schedule |
| Records | Death and birth records 1893–1905; Estate records from 1832 |
Adoptions in Clearfield County have been on file from August 1925 to the present. Guardianship and estate matters are also handled through the Orphans' Court function of this office.
Clearfield County Register of Wills Resources
The Clearfield County Register of Wills provides access to estate records, local vital records, and death-related documentation going back to the county's early history in the 1800s.
Clearfield County's long record collection, including estate files from 1832 and death records from 1893, makes the courthouse a strong resource for genealogical research in central Pennsylvania.
Getting a Clearfield County Death Certificate
Clearfield County death certificates for deaths from 1906 onward are held by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Certified copies are $20 each. You can request them by mail, in person, or online through the state vital records program. Provide the full name, date of death, and county of death when submitting your request. Eligible requesters include immediate family and those with a legal interest in the record.
Request a certified copy at PA Vital Records or use VitalChek for faster online service. Current wait times are posted at pa.gov vital records processing times. For older records from 1893 to 1905, call the Clearfield County Register of Wills at (814) 765-2641. Those records are $5 per certified copy and are only available at the county level.
Note: Appointments are required for all visits to the Clearfield County Register of Wills, so call ahead before going to the courthouse for death records research.
Historical Clearfield County Obituary Records
Clearfield County was formed from parts of Lycoming and Huntingdon Counties in 1804. The county seat of Clearfield takes its name from the clear fields early settlers found when they arrived in the area. Estate records go back to 1832, just over two decades after the county's formation. These probate files are among the earliest death-related documents in Clearfield County and contain names, dates, property lists, and heir information that support detailed genealogical research.
Before 1893, formal death records in Clearfield County were not collected by the county or state. Deaths from that era are documented in church registers, cemetery transcriptions, and local newspaper obituaries from communities throughout the county. Clearfield County's rural history and strong church community connections mean that burial records survive for many families from the 1800s. Estate files also frequently note the cause and date of death even before formal vital statistics were kept. The marriage license index dating from 1885 can help establish family connections relevant to death research.
The Pennsylvania State Archives holds microfilmed records for Clearfield County including church registers and some early vital statistics. Their online resources can help identify additional sources for Clearfield County death research beyond the courthouse records.
Genealogy Resources for Clearfield County
Genealogy research in Clearfield County benefits from the Register of Wills' long collection of estate records and its computerized indexes. Estate files from 1832 forward name deceased individuals and their heirs, and images are available for records from 1998 onward. Marriage license records have been on file since 1885 with a complete computer index. These two record sets together cover most family events from the mid-1800s to the present in Clearfield County.
The county's courthouse also provides Landex software access for land record research. Property transfers tied to deaths often appear in land records, showing when an estate passed to heirs. Cemetery records and church registers for Clearfield County communities are available through some online genealogy platforms. The Pennsylvania vital records genealogy program provides access to older state death records that can complement local Clearfield County research. The PA State Archives offers additional microfilm and online resources covering Clearfield County families.
Other Clearfield County Record Sources
The Register of Wills courthouse location handles most death-related record needs for Clearfield County. For civil court records, the Prothonotary at the same courthouse location handles historical case files. Property records tied to estate transfers are available through the Recorder of Deeds function at the courthouse. The Landex Remote and Webstore systems for land records are accessed by calling the OSS information line at (717) 274-5890 for subscription help.
Adoptions from 1925 onward are on file at the Register of Wills. Guardianship files and Orphans' Court records are also maintained there. These records document family changes that follow a death in Clearfield County and can help genealogical researchers fill gaps in family history. The Pennsylvania Courts Orphans' Court directory provides contact information for Clearfield County estate and guardianship matters handled through the courts.
Cities in Clearfield County
No cities from our directory are currently listed for this county.
Nearby Counties
Clearfield County borders several Pennsylvania counties in the central part of the state. Death records for people near a county line may be found in more than one county's records.