Search Genesee County Death Records

Genesee County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Flint and date back to 1867. This guide covers how to search for Genesee County death certificates and obituaries, what the Flint Public Library's genealogy collection holds, and how to use free and paid online tools for this county. Genesee County has one of the most well-documented death record collections in mid-Michigan, with multiple indexed sources spanning over 150 years.

Genesee County Clerk Death Records Office

The Genesee County Clerk is located at 900 Saginaw St. in Flint. Under MCL 333.2882, Michigan death records are public and anyone can request a copy. The fee for Genesee County is $25 per copy, which is higher than most smaller Michigan counties. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM. Genesee County's higher fee reflects the volume of records and operational costs of one of Michigan's larger county offices. The county's official site is at geneseecountymi.gov.

Death registration in Genesee County started with Public Act 194 of 1867. Records from that year forward are in the county archive. For researchers, the MichiganGenWeb Genesee County page at genesee.migenweb.org provides death indexes and links to volunteer-compiled resources. The Flint Genealogical Society at flintgenealogicalsociety.org is the most active local group and has compiled substantial death and obituary indexes for the county.

The MichiganGenWeb Genesee County page includes death record transcriptions and links to the Flint Genealogical Society's indexes compiled from local sources going back to the 1800s.

The MichiganGenWeb Genesee County page links to death indexes, cemetery records, and the Flint Genealogical Society's collection of local obituary materials.

Flint Public Library Genealogy Collection

The Flint Public Library holds Michigan's second largest open-stack genealogy collection. The library has Flint Journal obituary indexes covering 1920 to 1959 and 2000 to the present. These indexes let you find specific obituaries fast without browsing issue by issue. The library also has microfilm of local papers, city directories, and funeral home records donated over the years by area businesses and families.

The Flint Journal indexes are especially valuable for researchers studying the auto industry migration period. Hundreds of thousands of workers moved to Flint from the 1920s through the 1960s, and the obituaries from that era capture birthplaces, former residences, and family connections across multiple states. For anyone researching family who came to Flint for factory work, the library's collection is the single best starting point after the official death records at the county clerk.

The Sloan Museum in Flint also holds archives with historical documentation that can supplement death record research, including materials related to the 1936-1937 Sit-Down Strike and the city's automotive industry workforce.

The Flint Public Library's genealogy room holds Flint Journal obituary indexes from 1920 through 1959 and 2000 to present, plus microfilm and funeral home records not found elsewhere.

State and Online Death Records for Genesee County

MDHHS in Lansing holds certified death certificates for all Michigan counties. For Genesee County records, call 517-335-8666. Certified copies cost $34 for the first copy and $16 per additional copy. Online orders are available through VitalChek with a $12.95 service fee. Public Act 73 of 2006 limits online access to death record images less than 75 years old, so recent deaths require a paper request.

For older records, GENDIS on Michiganology is free and covers Genesee County deaths from roughly 1897 to 1952. This is particularly useful for the early auto industry era when large numbers of migrants settled in Flint. FamilySearch has indexed Genesee County deaths across several collections and the FamilySearch Genesee County wiki lists major archives and research starting points. Ancestry.com holds digitized Flint Journal obituary content for various periods.

Note: Because of Genesee County's large population and high migration rates during the auto industry boom, researchers should expect to find county death records for people born in over 30 different states as well as several foreign countries.

Cities in Genesee County

Flint is the county seat of Genesee County and one of Michigan's major cities. Death records for all Genesee County residents are filed with the County Clerk in Flint.

Other cities in Genesee County include Burton, Grand Blanc, Flushing, Swartz Creek, and Fenton. Death records for residents of these cities are all handled through the Genesee County Clerk in Flint.

Nearby Counties

Genesee County borders six other mid-Michigan counties. For people who lived near county lines, check neighboring county death records as well.