Questions tagged [cause-of-death]

For questions about finding, reading or interpreting a cause of death, such as might be given on a death certificate or other death record

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
13 votes
4 answers
633 views

Determining cause of 1908 death in France

How do I find the cause of death for a Thomas Gordon Dickinson who died in Boulogne-sur-Mer in 1908? I have his French death certificate, but it does not state the cause of death, neither do the ...
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

Burial of a person who committed suicide in 18th century England?

I have an ancestor who committed suicide in 1748 in rural Northamptonshire, England. The burial register of his parish does not record his burial, but it does note that he "hung humself lying almost ...
3 votes
3 answers
125 views

Decipher cause of death 1924

This is a death record from 1924. I cannot understand the cause of death, it says he had an operation. And that secondary anemia was a contributing factor... It looks like the last word is forearm but ...
2 votes
1 answer
64 views

Verifying a record of a death on board an emigrant ship?

My ancestor Johanna Foley Desmond immigrated from Ireland with her husband Timothy Desmond on board the Bark ARGYLE. The ship's registry just states "Died 20 May 1849" by her name on the ...
3 votes
1 answer
178 views

Deciphering handwritten cause of death on death certificate

I'm having trouble deciphering a cause of death. So far here's what I think: line (a) cause: ? , onset: 1 week line (b) perforated Ca -- sigmoid, onset: 7 mos. (months) I'm ...
15 votes
3 answers
873 views

Is it crass to record cause of death? What about for suicide?

Most death records have a place where 'cause of death' is recorded. I have recently discovered that a number of my relatives committed suicide. It was always acknowledged that they died, but never ...
4 votes
1 answer
560 views

Identifying the cause of death

This is a photo of my ancestors cause of death. For the life of me I cannot decipher what it says. If anyone has a good idea or even a hint of what it is please let me know!
4 votes
1 answer
276 views

Deciphering cause of death and surname of informant

Can someone help me with deciphering the informant's surname (first line in the second box)and cause of death (first line in the first box)?
0 votes
1 answer
43 views

Do you associate the "Cause of Death" fact with the death GRO entry?

I always associate the death GRO reference with the "Death". If I go so far as you acquire a death certificate I then find out the "Cause of Death". So I add it as a fact. But it ...
4 votes
1 answer
129 views

Reading 1870s cause of death in Canada

I'm having trouble deciphering the cause of death below, which is from an 1870s Canadian death record. The terms used are a good part of the problem. There seem to be a fair number of lists of ...
5 votes
3 answers
603 views

Finding medical records for Richmond State Hospital patient?

My 2nd great-grandmother, Margaret Elizabeth Armegust or Arbingast, was born 22 Sept 1837 in Ohio and died 24 July 1929 at the Richmond State Hospital, Wayne, Indiana, United States. She lived for a ...
5 votes
1 answer
174 views

Meaning of "kitumat" for cause of death in Finland death record

I have a Finland parish death record that shows someone who died 30 Mar 1880 of kitumat. I cannot find a translation or abbreviation for this word as being either Finnish or Swedish or Latin. When I ...
0 votes
0 answers
54 views

Death certificate from 1910

My great-grandfather died in 1910, and I'm trying to figure out the cause of death. It looks like "Nussisplexie" (hand written) but could be Neuris, or something similar. Underneath the cause of death ...
2 votes
1 answer
351 views

Date and Cause of death numbers on New York Passenger list?

I am trying to find out the date and cause of death of a passenger in the New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 on Ancestry. The passenger is ...
4 votes
1 answer
498 views

Determining cause of death from Spanish death certificate

This is related to: Deciphering names from Spanish death certificate Deciphering Work Profession from Spanish death certificate I am trying to decipher this cause of death. The added complication is ...
2 votes
1 answer
86 views

Reading cause of death?

Ernst [Ernest] Staines died in 1936 and his cause of death is shown here: taken from FamilySearch. I'm having difficulty reading the cause of death. Perhaps: Toxaemia from Gangrene of Right Foot ???...
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Deciphering death certificate writing

I have another death certificate that I am struggling to read! This one is for my Great Great Grandmother who passed away in 1917. I know that she died at Roundway Hospital in Devizes which was an ...
3 votes
1 answer
189 views

Does Cause of death being Convulsions suggest Cholera?

Not sure if you can help with this. I received the death certificate of my 3rd Great Uncle today. He died on 15th July 1851 in Bulford, Wiltshire, England and sadly was only 14 days old. I know that ...
6 votes
3 answers
1k views

Deciphering cause of death?

I can't make this cause of death out: What might it be?
4 votes
0 answers
40 views

Locating autopsy results for suicide in NYC in 1931?

Has anyone had any success in obtaining a police file or coroner's report from the 1930's? I am having difficulty finding out if those records were destroyed or not. If not, I cannot find any place ...
2 votes
1 answer
144 views

Reading the cause of death for an acute type of pneumonia

I received a death certificate today for my wife's Great Grandmother. Poor lady died at the young age of 47. Ouch - I am 47 in April! Ooer ... This is the cause of death: I read it as: a. Acute ?????...
5 votes
2 answers
1k views

What is the cause of death on this certificate?

I'm struggling to read the cause of death on this certificate: I can make out: Chronic ? 6 years Exhaustion 2 years ? might be rheumatism, but I've never heard of that being fatal before.
5 votes
1 answer
702 views

Identifying cause of death on Scottish record

I'm finding this handwriting hard to read here. I'm quite certain it ends in "-tysis" but the first few letters are difficult to decode. Does anyone know what the cause of death may be here? This is ...
12 votes
1 answer
597 views

Methods to organize medical genealogy information?

An aspect of genealogy that I have recently become very interested in is medical genealogy. Numerous sources give me information about my medical family history, such as: anecdotal evidence (for ...
4 votes
1 answer
34 views

Finding other sources for the information on a death certificate?

I'm considering ordering the death certificate from the GRO for a relative who died in England. But before I order it, I want to make sure I have the right person. What information am I likely to ...
3 votes
3 answers
406 views

Determining cause of 1958 death in England?

I have an ancestor who died rather young (late forties) at a time when there was no major military conflict. This was post-1900 as well so life expectancy wouldn't excuse this as a natural death. He ...
8 votes
1 answer
86 views

Locating records of coronor's Inquests in Oxfordshire in 1909?

I have a death certificate issued in Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) in 1909 that says the cause of death, decided by an inquest the next day, was by drowning (in the river). Where would records of the ...
3 votes
3 answers
2k views

Determining who died in the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918?

I have several people in my family tree who died at a relatively young age in 1918 -- the year of the deadly Spanish Flu epidemic in the U.S. and Europe. Unfortunately, I can't find death ...
3 votes
2 answers
400 views

Grandmother died in 1910 of bowel paralysis - what is that exactly?

My grandmother died in 1910 of bowel paralysis at the age of 56. I googled but didn't find an exact answer. I don't have her death cert. Any thoughts as to what we would call that disease today?
1 vote
1 answer
224 views

Seeking info on merchant marine who died at sea mysteriously in 1952?

My father-in-law was a merchant marine who died at sea in 1952 under mysterious circumstances. How can we obtain the cause of death? We have not been able to get a certificate due to privacy laws ...
0 votes
2 answers
162 views

What was "Chronic Endeidis"?

Chronic Endeidis, this is from my Great-great Grandfather's death certificate as cause of death ( 1895 ). It is probably a variate spelling but I cannot find reference to it; either by itself or ...
9 votes
3 answers
1k views

Lunacy - what does it mean?

My 39 year old great great grandfather died of "lunacy" in 1845. He was married with two small children. He was a tailor. He lived in Leith, Edinburgh. What would or could be the meaning of "Lunacy" ...
5 votes
1 answer
143 views

Finding cause of death in 1909 for Scotsman James McMillan in Nagasaki, Japan?

James McMillan was chief engineer for the Straits Steamship Company on the Perak in 1908, working between Singapore, Port Swettenham and Penang. This information is contained in a letter written to ...
6 votes
1 answer
417 views

Who killed Katherine Ann (McFee/McPhee) Stevens?

Katherine Ann (McFee/McPhee) Stevens, was the wife of Mr. Byron E. Stevens. The couple resided in Brooklyn Ward 7, New York, USA with their 5 daughters(1). Story has it that Katherine was killed in ...
2 votes
1 answer
132 views

Is "Incain" an old spelling of insane?

This bishop's transcript shows cause of death, which is quite illuminating especially the number that are just listed as "decline". The record at number 49, of William Towler, has cause of death ...
34 votes
4 answers
5k views

What does it mean if cause of death is listed as "Insanity" in late 1800s?

My great, great grandmother's cause of death is listed as "Insanity" on her death record, and I'm not sure what this means. She died in Winsted, McLeod County, Minnesota in 1872 at age 37, and had ...