Bladen County Death Index

The Bladen County death index is kept at the Register of Deeds office in Elizabethtown, North Carolina. This office manages death certificates for all deaths that took place in Bladen County. You can search for records by name, date, or other details. Death records in Bladen County go back to 1913 when the state began requiring registration. The office works with the Bladen County Health Department to ensure all death records are filed properly. Both offices play a role in how death records are processed and stored in Bladen County.

Bladen County Death Index Office

The Bladen County Register of Deeds is the custodian of all public records in the county. The office exists to give public notice of property ownership and to house vital records like death certificates. The Register of Deeds Office also keeps birth records, marriage licenses, and notary oaths for Bladen County. The office is pleased to record military discharges (DD-214s) free of charge for retired military personnel.

The General Statutes of North Carolina govern the Bladen County Register of Deeds. Staff are responsible for the maintenance, integrity, and safekeeping of all public records in their care. The mission is to properly enforce these laws while providing the highest possible level of customer service. The office stops recording all records at 4:30 PM daily.

Here is the Bladen County Register of Deeds website.

The site provides information about all records managed by the Bladen County Register of Deeds, including death certificates.

Bladen Death Index Filing Process

The Bladen County Health Department Vital Records Section ensures that all death certificates for persons who died in Bladen County are filed according to Chapter 130-A of North Carolina General Statutes. The Health Director serves as the local registrar for all births, deaths, and fetal deaths in Bladen County. The office also handles burial transit permits and disinterment or reinterment permits.

The deputy registrar at the Bladen County Health Department processes all vital records received and then forwards copies to the Register of Deeds. Certified copies of death certificates can then be obtained from the Bladen County Register of Deeds office. Rebecca Culbreth is the Deputy Registrar. You can reach her at 910-862-6900, extension 6231, for questions about death certificates or burial permits in Bladen County.

Here is the Bladen County Health Department vital records page.

This page explains the role of the health department in processing and filing Bladen County death records.

Note: The Bladen County Health Department processes death certificates before they are forwarded to the Register of Deeds for public access.

Request Bladen County Death Records

To get a certified copy of a Bladen County death certificate, you need to contact the Register of Deeds. You can visit in person in Elizabethtown or send a mail request. For mail requests, include a copy of your accepted identification, the completed request form, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and $10.00 per certified copy.

Mail the complete application to: Bladen County Register of Deeds, P.O. Box 247, Elizabethtown, NC 28337. Only money orders or bank checks are typically accepted by mail. In-person requests at the Bladen County office are processed the same day in most cases.

Birth, death, and marriage data has been added to the Bladen County online search system. The display of vital record data is limited for security reasons. You can use the online index to verify a record exists before making a formal request. For a full certified copy of a Bladen County death certificate, you will need to request it in person or by mail.

Who Can Get Bladen Death Records

North Carolina law restricts access to certified death certificates. Under N.C.G.S. 130A-93, only certain people can obtain a certified copy from the Bladen County Register of Deeds. The public cannot get a certified Bladen County death record until 50 years after the date of death.

Eligible requesters for Bladen County death records include:

• Spouse of the deceased person
• Parents, stepparents, or grandparents
• Children, stepchildren, or grandchildren
• Brothers or sisters
• Persons with legal interest and proof
• Authorized agents or attorneys with documentation

If you are conducting genealogy research, you may request an uncertified copy from the Bladen County Register of Deeds. These cost about $1.00 each. Uncertified copies contain the same information as certified versions but are not valid for legal use. This is the recommended path for family history researchers in Bladen County.

North Carolina Death Index for Bladen

If you cannot find the record in the Bladen County death index, try the state level. North Carolina Vital Records in Raleigh has death certificates from 1930 to the present. The search fee is $24 per three-year period searched. You can order online through VitalChek for an extra $13.95 processing fee.

The North Carolina State Archives holds death certificates from 1913 to 1975 and an index from 1913 to 1979. Bladen County was founded in 1734, but death records only go back to 1913 when statewide registration began. For the oldest Bladen County death records, the Archives is your best resource. Contact them at (919) 814-6840.

The North Carolina Genealogical Society recommends starting at the county level for death record research. The Bladen County Register of Deeds provides uncertified copies at cost. This is faster and more affordable than using the state office for genealogy work on Bladen County families.

Note: Bladen County was a parent county for Brunswick County, which was formed from Bladen and New Hanover Counties in 1764.

Bladen County Death Record Research

A death certificate from Bladen County includes the name of the deceased, date and place of death, cause of death, names of both parents, mother's maiden name, birthplaces of parents, occupation, marital status, name of spouse, and burial location. These details make the Bladen County death index a valuable tool for genealogists.

Statewide registration of deaths began in 1913. General compliance was not reached until about 1920. It is common not to find death certificates for persons who died in Bladen County between 1913 and 1945, since records were not consistently filed during those early decades. For deaths before 1913, no official Bladen County or state records exist. Church records, cemetery listings, family bibles, and the Social Security Death Index may serve as substitute sources for older Bladen County death information.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Bladen County. If the death took place outside Bladen County, contact the Register of Deeds in the county where the death occurred.