Death Certificate


Brief Overview

Dødsattest (Death certificate) of Kristian Jeppesen, 1887

Courtesy of The Danish-American Archive and Library.


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Upon the death of an individual a death certificate is always issued in Denmark and a copy given to the next of kin.

The death certificate is most often made out by a doctor or a pathologist if an autopsy is performed.

The death certificate contains name, date of death and occasionally cause of death. A corresponding entry of the burial is always entered into a church book and may contain more information of use to the genealogist.

The lower picture showes the entry in Vardum church book. Kristian Jeppesen is entry number 8. It is worth noticing that because of mistakes in copying and the fact that the spelling of names was not as regulated as it is today, the name in the church book is spelled differently than on the death certificate. When searching for your ancestors be sure to check if there might be an alternative spelling!

In the second part of the entry it is possible to find details such as occupation and age at death. Poor Kristian Jeppesen was only 30 when he died.

  • Entry in the Vardum Church book. From Arkivalieronline.dk

  • The second half of the church book entry.