Death Certificate Informants. Tips.

[benny1982]

Hi

In my research, and no doubt many others, most of the time, the informants of death certificates tended to me relatives of some kind, including husband, wife, daugther, son, grandchild, uncle, aunty, nephew, neice, cousin, grandmother or in law or step relative. I estimate that 80% of my death certificates have a relative as the informant.

I have had a few cases where a grandparent has been the informant, and mother in law. Occasionally a friend or neighbour registered the death. If the deceased had no family, or they lived a distance away, then a neighbour or doctor registered the death.

Normally in the early decades of registration, the relationship to the deceased is not given but it is wise to research the informant as they were often relatives.

Only if the death occurred in a workhouse, hospital or other institution, then it was more usually a workhouse master, medical officer or doctor who registered the death, or even a fellow inmate. After 1875 a doctors certificate had to be issued for a death to be registered and if in an institution, then it was usually someone in authority there. But if the death took place at home, which in Victorian times, happened the most, then it was usually a relative who registered the death.

This can help dramatically in breaking down brickwalls, finding other relatives, and married names of siblings, etc.

Ben

[Summer]

Hi Ben,
I have a death cert for my GreatX4 grandmother Margaret Cowey (nee Horseborough) where the informant is not her husband George Cowey. Instead it was a Mary Archer, present at the death, Camden Lane. It has puzzled me and I was wondering, is this common? George went on to marry again a few years later and then after the 2nd wife died, he married again. After she too died, he died a couple of years later as an inmate of Tynemouth Union Workhouse. Can't imagine that was a nice life.

[Peter Goodey]

Instead it was a Mary Archer, present at the death, Camden Lane. It has puzzled me and I was wondering, is this common?

Not unknown, I think, for someone to be paid to sit with the dying, lay out the body and register the death. People shouldn't spend too much time worrying about an unfamiliar informant's name on the assumption that it must be a relative.

[Jan1954]

Not unknown, I think, for someone to be paid to sit with the dying, lay out the body and register the death. People shouldn't spend too much time worrying about an unfamiliar informant's name on the assumption that it must be a relative.

I agree, Peter. I have a few examples in one particular branch of my tree.

The same person kept cropping up as the informant. It was only after investigating her, that I found that she was no relative, but appeared at the death of many of the villagers.

[Peter Goodey]

That's interesting, Jan, that you have evidence of this. It occurred to me later that if only we had access to the death registers we could probably identify these people quite easily. Thanks to Summer for raising this point.

[Marie C..]

A stranger was present at death of my great grandfather. His death cert gives just place, Isleworth. and not the address. He died of exhaustion whilst driving the horses. He was 33.
I found the stranger on the census. She was the next door neighbour.
M