Monroe County Pocono Death Records

Monroe County obituary and death records are maintained by the Monroe County Register of Wills in Stroudsburg and through the Pennsylvania Department of Health for deaths after 1906. The county sits at the gateway to the Pocono Mountains and has a long record of vital statistics dating from the 1800s. This guide covers how to find Monroe County death certificates, historical obituaries, and related records for genealogy or legal purposes.

Monroe County Register of Wills

The Monroe County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court is located at the Monroe County Courthouse on Monroe Street in Stroudsburg. The office manages probate, estate administration, and historical vital records. Staff maintain marriage records from 1885 to present and historical birth and death records from 1893 through 1906. These early records are key for genealogy research tied to the Pocono Mountains area and the surrounding communities of Monroe County.

Monroe County was formed in 1836 from Northampton and Pike Counties. It is named after James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States. Stroudsburg has been the county seat since the county was established. The courthouse holds Monroe County death and estate records from the 1800s, and the Register of Wills can assist researchers in locating historical wills and inventories tied to deaths in the county.

The Monroe County Register of Wills at the Stroudsburg courthouse is the local source for historical death records and estate files in the Pocono region.

Monroe County Death Certificate Orders

Deaths after 1906 in Monroe County are recorded by the state. The Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Vital Records processes all certified death certificate requests. The fee is $20 per copy. Standard orders take about three weeks. You can start your Monroe County death certificate request online at the PA vital records page or through VitalChek.

For mail orders, send your completed application to Division of Vital Records, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. You must provide the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and supporting documentation showing your eligibility. Make payment by check to Vital Records. Certified copies carry a raised seal and go to immediate family members and legal representatives. All others may request an informational copy without the seal.

Note: Visit the PA processing times page to check current wait times before submitting a Monroe County death certificate request.

Historical Monroe County Obituary Records

Monroe County has a history tied closely to the mountains and tourism. The Pocono region drew settlers, resort workers, and later, a large population of vacationers and retirees. This growth over more than a century produced a wide range of death records, obituaries, and estate filings. Newspapers like the Pocono Record have published obituaries for Stroudsburg and surrounding communities for generations.

The Monroe County Historical Association in Stroudsburg holds local history materials, obituary files, and genealogy collections. Their holdings include older newspaper archives and cemetery records from across the county. Many of the small townships in Monroe County have historic church cemeteries where deaths were recorded in parish registers long before state registration began.

The Pennsylvania State Archives holds Monroe County death records from 1893 to 1905. You can access part of this collection online through the PHMC research portal. Combined with local obituary files and cemetery surveys, these records form a broad base for death research in Monroe County going back to the mid-1800s and earlier.

Genealogy Resources for Monroe County Deaths

Wills and estate inventories filed at the Monroe County Register of Wills name heirs and family connections at the time of death. For researchers building family trees tied to the Pocono Mountains region, these estate records provide context that death certificates alone cannot. They often list children, spouses, and other relatives by name. Records go back to the earliest years of Monroe County's existence in 1836.

The PA State Archives vital statistics collection includes Monroe County entries from the 1893 to 1905 registration era. These early death records are searchable through the state's online research tools. For deaths before state registration, church records and cemetery surveys are the most reliable local alternatives for Monroe County genealogy work.

The Monroe County government website at monroecountypa.gov provides a full directory of county offices and services. If you are unsure which office holds a specific Monroe County death record, the county website lists contact details for all departments and can help direct your inquiry.

For genealogy-specific access to older Monroe County death records, the PA genealogy vital records program describes how to request records for family history research purposes.

Other Monroe County Death Record Offices

The Monroe County Coroner handles deaths that occur under unusual circumstances throughout the county. When a death involves an accident, an unattended passing, or a suspicious circumstance, the coroner opens a case and maintains those records separately from the standard death certificate system. Coroner records in Monroe County can be requested from that office directly.

The Monroe County Clerk of Courts manages Orphans' Court records for probate proceedings. When someone dies with a will in Monroe County, the will enters the Orphans' Court process and the file becomes part of the public court record. Visit the PA Courts Orphans' Court directory for more on how to access these files.

Nearby Counties

Monroe County is surrounded by several eastern Pennsylvania counties. Deaths near a county border may be recorded in the adjoining county depending on the person's residence at the time.

View All 67 Counties