Union County Death Records and Obituaries
Union County death records and obituary materials are maintained by the county Register of Wills and by the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records. Union County is located in central Pennsylvania with Lewisburg as the county seat. The county is known for its historic covered bridges and for being home to Bucknell University. If you are researching a Union County death record, this page explains where records are held, what each office maintains, and how to request certified copies or access historical death documents.
Union County Quick Facts
Union County Register of Wills
The Union County Register of Wills serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court. The office maintains historical birth and death records from 1893 to 1906. These county-level records predate Pennsylvania's mandatory statewide registration and are a key resource for early death and genealogical research in Union County. The office also holds marriage license records from 1885 to the present and handles probate and estate administration for county residents.
The office is located at the Union County Courthouse, 103 South Second Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837. You can reach the Register of Wills at 570-524-8637 during office hours. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Staff can assist with searches of historical Union County death records. For the county government portal, visit unionco.org, where links to all county departments, forms, and contact information are available.
The image below was captured from the official Union County government website, which is the main point of access for county departments and public records.
The Union County portal connects researchers directly to the Register of Wills and to other offices that maintain records relevant to death, estate, and genealogical research in central Pennsylvania.
| Office |
Union County Register of Wills 103 South Second Street Lewisburg, PA 17837 Phone: 570-524-8637 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Records | Death and birth records 1893-1906; marriage licenses 1885-present; estate records |
Note: Marriage license applicants in Union County must appear in person with valid identification, and there is a three-day waiting period before the license is issued.
Union County Death Certificate Requests
For deaths in Union County from 1906 to the present, certified copies of death certificates are issued by the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records. The governing law is the Vital Statistics Law of 1953, codified at 35 P.S. Section 450.101. The regulations at 28 Pa. Code Chapter 1 set out who may access vital records and what documentation is required.
To request a certified copy of a Union County death certificate, order online through VitalChek, by mail to the Division of Vital Records, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103, or in person at a state walk-in vital records office. The fee is $20 per certified copy. Mail orders take about three weeks to process. Expedited service is available through VitalChek. Provide valid photo ID and proof of your relationship to the deceased when requesting a restricted record.
Full instructions are at the Pennsylvania Department of Health death certificates page. For older deaths, the Pennsylvania State Archives offers free online death indices covering 1906 to 1975 and may have scanned images of historical Union County death certificates.
Historical Union County Obituary Records
Union County was formed from Northumberland County on March 22, 1813. It is named after the Federal Union, reflecting the patriotic spirit of the era. Lewisburg, the county seat, has been the center of county government since the beginning. Bucknell University, established in Lewisburg in 1846, has given the county a distinctive academic character. Union County is also known for its historic covered bridges, many of which survive today as landmarks of 19th-century engineering and community life.
The county's historic character means Union County obituary records can trace families with deep roots in central Pennsylvania. Local newspapers published in Lewisburg and surrounding communities have carried obituary notices for generations. Those newspaper archives, held at the county library and accessible through the Pennsylvania State Library, are a strong complement to official death records. Church records from the county's Lutheran, Reformed, and Evangelical communities also hold early death information for residents who predate the county recording system.
For death records from before 1893, church registers, cemetery records, and family bibles are the most reliable sources in Union County. The county's covered bridges and rural communities often had church-centered social life, and those congregations maintained careful records of their members. Many of these records have been indexed or microfilmed and are available through genealogical organizations and the FamilySearch Pennsylvania collections.
Genealogy Resources for Union County Deaths
The Pennsylvania State Archives vital statistics page provides online access to death indices from 1906 to 1975. These free indices are a good first step for Union County death research. They confirm names and dates so you can then order the full certificate from the Division of Vital Records. The archives also hold earlier county vital records compiled before 1906.
Union County's location in central Pennsylvania places it near Snyder, Northumberland, Lycoming, Centre, and Mifflin counties. Families with roots in the region often appear across multiple county archives. If Union County records do not have what you need, checking neighboring county offices or the statewide indices can fill the gap. The State Library vital records research guide and the Library of Congress Pennsylvania genealogy guide both provide useful direction for multi-county research.
The Pennsylvania Orphans' Court directory lists contact details for the Union County Orphans' Court. Probate records and estate files at the Register of Wills office are a key death-related source, especially for deaths before statewide records are complete. Current processing times for vital records orders are at the state processing times page.
Cities in Union County
No cities from our directory are currently listed for this county.
Nearby Pennsylvania Counties
Union County borders several other Pennsylvania counties. If you are uncertain which county holds the record you need, check where the deceased lived or died.