Cherokee County Death Records

Cherokee County death index records are stored at the Register of Deeds office in Murphy, North Carolina. This far-western county maintains death certificates and other vital records for events within its borders. Cherokee County has records dating back to 1839 when the county was formed. You can search the death index for records from 1913 to the present. This page covers how to access Cherokee County death records, request certified copies, and use online tools to search for records.

Cherokee County Death Index Records

The Cherokee County Register of Deeds keeps vital records for the county. This includes birth, death, and marriage certificates. The office serves as the custodian for all these records and provides certified copies to people who meet the requirements under North Carolina law.

To request a Cherokee County death certificate, visit the Register of Deeds in Murphy. Bring a valid photo ID and be ready to pay the $10 fee for a certified copy. You will need to provide the full name of the deceased and the date of death. Staff will search the Cherokee County death index and issue a copy if you are an eligible requester.

The Cherokee County government website is shown below.

The Cherokee County website provides details about county services including the Register of Deeds office where death records are maintained.

Cherokee County Death Records History

Cherokee County was formed in 1839. The Register of Deeds has maintained birth, marriage, death, and land records since that time. However, official death registration did not begin until 1913 when the North Carolina General Assembly passed a statewide law.

Even after the 1913 law took effect, many Cherokee County deaths went unreported for decades. The rural nature of this far-western county made consistent filing difficult. It was not until after World War II that death registration became reliable in Cherokee County and across North Carolina. For deaths between 1913 and 1945, the record may simply not exist in official files.

The North Carolina State Archives holds death certificates from 1913 to 1975 and an index covering 1913 to 1979. These records include Cherokee County deaths filed during those years. For deaths before 1913, there are no official certificates. Researchers must look to substitute records such as church logs, cemetery lists, and newspaper obituaries from the Cherokee County area.

Note: Cherokee County was formed from Macon County in 1839, so earlier records may be found under Macon County files.

Who Can Get Cherokee County Death Records

North Carolina law controls who can get a certified death certificate. Under N.C.G.S. 130A-93, certified copies from Cherokee County are limited to:

• The spouse of the deceased
• A parent, stepparent, or grandparent
• A child, stepchild, or grandchild
• A brother or sister
• A person with legal interest in the record
• An authorized agent or attorney

For Cherokee County deaths less than 50 years old, only those above can get a certified copy. After 50 years, the death record is open to a broader group. Uncertified copies are available for family history at a lower cost from the Cherokee County Register of Deeds.

Search Cherokee County Death Index Online

Online databases can help you search for Cherokee County death records from home. FamilySearch offers free access to North Carolina death certificates from 1906 to 1930 with images. They also have death indexes from 1931 to 1994. Cherokee County deaths appear in both sets.

The NC Vital Records research page points researchers to the best source based on the year of death. For Cherokee County deaths from 1930 onward, the state office in Raleigh has certificates. The search fee is $24 for each three-year period, and the fee is not refundable. The North Carolina Genealogical Society recommends getting uncertified copies from the county Register of Deeds for faster and cheaper results.

State Resources for Death Records

The state of North Carolina offers several ways to get a Cherokee County death certificate when you cannot visit the local office. NC Vital Records in Raleigh holds death certificates from 1930 to the present. You can order by mail or online through VitalChek, the only authorized online vendor.

When ordering from the state, you need the name on the certificate, both parents' full names, the date of death, and the place of death within North Carolina. The state charges $24 per three-year search period. VitalChek adds a $13.95 processing fee. Mail orders from the state take 110 to 115 business days to process. The Cherokee County Register of Deeds in Murphy processes in-person requests the same day.

For substitute records, the State Library of North Carolina lists alternatives when official death certificates are not available. Census records, tax lists, and the Social Security Death Index can help fill gaps in the Cherokee County death index. The NC Vital Records forms page has the application for requesting a death certificate from the state.

Note: VitalChek is the only authorized vendor for ordering North Carolina death certificates online, including those from Cherokee County.

Cherokee County Death Index Search Tips

Cherokee County is in the far western corner of North Carolina. The death index covers Murphy, Andrews, and the surrounding mountain communities. This area has a mix of Cherokee, Scotch-Irish, and English heritage. Common surnames in the Cherokee County death index include Bristol, Hughes, Martin, and Palmer.

The Register of Deeds in Murphy holds death records from 1913 forward. For older deaths, the North Carolina State Archives may have delayed certificates. Cherokee County borders both Georgia and Tennessee, so some family members may have died across state lines. In those cases, check the death indexes of Fannin County, Georgia, or Polk County, Tennessee. Mountain communities in Cherokee County were sometimes remote, and death registration was not always timely in the early years. Delayed certificates can help fill those gaps in the Cherokee County death index.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Cherokee County in far-western North Carolina. Death records are filed in the county where the death happened. Check these neighbors if the death may have occurred outside Cherokee County.