Does a death certificate have a social security number on it

A Social Security number (SSN) is widely used to prove one's identity, so in the event a relative has passed away, the number can usually be found quite quickly in the deceased's personal papers. If you don't have access to the deceased's personal belongings, you can get the correct Social Security number from the Social Security Administration, or SSA.

Finding a Social Security Number Yourself

If a relative has passed away, there are many places you can find their social security number. For starters, if you have access to your relative's personal belongings, look through his wallet and personal papers for his Social Security card. You can also find the Social Security number on a tax form such as a W-2 or SSA-1099 or a Social Security benefits statement. Pay stubs generally include a person's Social Security number, as do health care records and life insurance policies. You can also check your relative's driver's license – 29 states use the SSN as the driver's license number or show it on the license. If your relative served in the military, you should be able to find the Social Security number in those documents as well.

If you can't find the Social Security number in any of these places, contact the funeral director responsible for your relative's funeral. Funeral directors include the deceased's Social Security number on the Statement of Death they file with the federal government. The funeral director normally provides a copy of the Statement of Death to close relatives of the deceased, like a spouse or child.

Requesting a Social Security Record

Through the Freedom of Information Act, you can apply to get a deceased relative's Social Security record from the SSA. Often used in genealogical research, this record includes the person's Social Security application in addition to the SSN.

You have two choices in how to receive this information. For $27, you can get a computer extract of the record, which includes the Social Security number. For $21, you can get a photocopy of the actual application which includes the SSN and much more information, including:

• applicant's full name, including maiden name
  
• address at time of application
  
• employer and employer's address
  
• date and place of birth
  
• parents' full names, including mother's maiden name
  
• application date
  
• applicant's signature
  

If the person was born within the last 120 years and the death hasn't been registered with the SSA yet, you may need to provide proof of death. Deaths are almost always registered with the SSA, unless the deceased was too young to receive Social Security benefits and the family never received benefits after the death. The SSA can accept various forms of proof of death, including a death certificate, obituary notice, newspaper article or police report.

You can fill out a Request for Deceased Individual’s Social Security Record online, or print the PDF version, fill it out and mail it to the SSA.

Many people looking for information about their ancestors skip right past the death record, making a beeline for their marriage and birth certificates. Sometimes we already know where and when our ancestor died, and figure it's not worth the time and money to track down the death certificate. Another scenario has our ancestor disappearing between one census and the next, but after a half-hearted search, we decide it's not worth the effort since we already know most of his other vital facts. Those death records, however, can tell us much more about our ancestor than where and when he died.

Death records, including death certificates, obituaries and funeral home records, can include a wealth of information on the deceased, including the names of their parents, siblings, children, and spouse; when and where they were born and/or married; the occupation of the deceased; possible military service; and cause of death. All of these clues can be helpful in telling us more about our ancestor, as well as leading us to new sources of information on his life.

Date & Place of Birth or Marriage

Does the death certificate, obituary or other death record give a date and place of birth? A clue to the spouse's maiden name? Information found in death records can often provide the clue you need to locate a birth or marriage record.

Names of Family Members

Death records are often a good source for names of parents, spouse, children and next of kin. The death certificate will usually list at least the next of kin or the informant (often a family member) who provided the information on the death certificate, while an obituary notice may list numerous family members — both living and deceased.

Occupation of the Deceased

Whether they were a farmer, an accountant or a coal miner, their choice of occupation probably defined at least a part of who they were as a person. You may choose to just record this in your "interesting tidbits" folder or, possibly, follow up for further research. Certain occupations, such as railroad workers, may have employment, pension or other occupational records available.

Possible Military Service

Obituaries, tombstones and, occasionally, death certificates are a good place to look if you suspect that your ancestor may have served in the military. They will often list the military branch and unit, and possibly information on rank and the years in which your ancestor served. With these details, you can then look for further information about your ancestor in military records.

Cause of Death

An important clue for anyone compiling a medical family history, the cause of death can often be found listed on a death certificate. If you can't find it there, then the funeral home (if still in existence) may be able to provide you with further information. As you go back in time, however, you'll begin to find interesting causes of death, such as "bad blood" (which often meant syphilis) and "dropsy," meaning edema or swelling. You may also find clues to newsworthy deaths such as occupational accidents, fires or surgical mishaps, that could lead to additional records.

Death records also offer information that may lead to further research avenues. A death certificate, for example, may list the burial place and the funeral home — leading to a search in cemetery or funeral home records. An obituary or funeral notice may mention a church where the funeral service is being held, another source for further research. Since about 1967, most death certificates in the United States list the deceased's Social Security number, which makes it easy to request a copy of the original application (SS-5) for a Social Security card, full of genealogical details.

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