Anderson County Death Records
Anderson County death records are available through the South Carolina Department of Public Health and a regional vital records office located right in Anderson. The Anderson County Death Index covers deaths from 1915 forward. Located in the northwestern corner of South Carolina on the Georgia border, Anderson County has maintained a well-documented set of vital records. This guide covers how to search Anderson County death certificates and access the county's mortality records through local, regional, and state resources.
Anderson County Quick Facts
How to Access Anderson County Death Index Records
Anderson County has a regional vital records office that provides local access to death certificates and related services. The office is located at 220 McGee Rd., Anderson, SC 29625, phone (864) 260-5667. This office provides death certificates available from 2005 to the present and can initiate corrections to death records. Same-day service is available for many requests at this regional location.
For death records before 2005, contact the main SC DPH Vital Records office at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, phone (803) 898-3630. You can also order certified copies online through gocertificates.com. The fee is $12 per certified copy. All requests for records less than 50 years old require proof of relationship, as access is restricted to immediate family members under S.C. Code Title 44, Chapter 63.
The SC DPH Vital Records office locations page lists all regional offices and their services. This is useful for Anderson County residents who want to find the closest in-person service location.
The Anderson County Coroner Office
The Anderson County Coroner is an elected official with full authority to investigate deaths under S.C. Code Title 17, Chapter 5. The coroner's website at andersoncountysc.org/departments-a-z/coroner provides detailed information about the office, including Freedom of Information Act procedures for requesting coroner records. This is one of the more transparent coroner websites in South Carolina.
The coroner investigates traffic fatalities, workplace accidents, sudden deaths without physician attendance, violent deaths, and any death within 24 hours of hospital admission. The office coordinates with the Anderson County Sheriff, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, and local medical facilities. All coroner findings become part of the official death record for Anderson County.
The Clerk of Courts, C. Reena Thomason, is located at 100 South Main Street, Anderson, SC 29624, phone (864) 260-4053. The Clerk maintains civil, criminal, probate, and family court records. The Anderson County Public Information Office at PO Box 8002, Anderson, SC 29622, phone (864) 260-1047 handles general information requests about county records.
Note: Under South Carolina law, death certificates are issued by the SC DPH, not the county coroner. The coroner's office holds its own investigation records, which are separate from the vital records system.
Anderson County Public Records and Death Index
The Anderson County Court Public Records page explains how to access court records in the county. Marriage, divorce, birth, and death certificates are all obtained through the SC DPH rather than the court system. The Clerk of Courts maintains court records for civil, criminal, and family matters. These records can be searched to find cases related to an individual's death, such as estate proceedings or criminal cases.
The SC Death Indexes 1915-1967 are available online as a free searchable database. This index covers all recorded deaths in South Carolina, including Anderson County, for the first five decades of statewide registration. Researchers can search by name and year to locate entries for Anderson County individuals.
The Anderson County Library is another local resource for death records research. The library holds local history collections, newspaper archives, and genealogical materials specific to Anderson County.
Anderson County Death Records Regional Resources
SC GenWeb at scgenweb.org/oconee/vital.html covers the Anderson-Oconee-Pickens tri-county area with shared regional vital records resources. This volunteer-run site provides links to record collections and indexes for the region. It notes that death records in South Carolina become public after 50 years and lists access points for older records.
Deaths for 1915 to 1952 are available at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History Reference Room at 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223, phone (803) 896-6104. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., no appointment is needed, and there is no charge for viewing microfilm records. The archives hold microfilm copies of Anderson County death certificates from 1915 through 1963.
The Ancestor Hunt death records directory lists additional free Anderson County resources including FamilySearch collections and transcribed records compiled by genealogical volunteers.
Vital Records Request Process in Anderson
The Anderson County Vital Records office at 220 McGee Rd., Anderson, SC 29625 provides the fastest in-person service for recent death certificates. Call (864) 260-5667 to confirm hours and what to bring. This office handles records from 2005 forward and can initiate corrections to existing records. For records before 2005, requests must go to the state office in Columbia.
To request a death certificate, you need the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the county where the death occurred. Immediate family members must also provide valid photo ID and proof of their relationship to the deceased. Mail requests to SC DPH Vital Records, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, along with a completed request form and check or money order for $12. Processing time by mail is typically several weeks.
For the fastest service, use the online ordering system at dph.sc.gov/public/vital-records/death-certificates or visit the Anderson regional office in person.
What Anderson County Mortality Records Contain
Anderson County death certificates record the full name, date, and place of death, along with the cause and manner of death. The certifying physician or coroner is listed, as is the funeral home and place of burial or cremation. Personal details including age, birthplace, occupation, and parents' names appear on most certificates. These facts are needed for estate settlement, insurance claims, and genealogical research.
Early Anderson County death records from 1915 through the 1940s may have handwritten entries and older medical terminology. Some fields may be incomplete in the earliest records. Researchers should also check obituaries in Anderson County newspapers, cemetery transcriptions, and probate records to fill in gaps. The Anderson County Library holds local newspaper collections that can supplement official death records.
Anderson County Death Index Genealogy Resources
The Anderson County Library at andersonlibrary.org has local history materials including genealogical collections specific to Anderson County. The library can assist researchers with accessing death records, obituaries, and related historical documents. Staff can point researchers toward collections that may not be available through online databases.
FamilySearch provides free access to digitized Anderson County death records and indexed collections. The SC Archives holds death certificate microfilm from 1915 to 1963 for in-person review. Combining these resources with the county library's local collections gives researchers the broadest possible base for Anderson County death record research.
Anderson County includes several communities beyond the county seat. Belton, Honea Path, and Pendleton all generated death records that are part of the county's vital records system. Researchers looking for deaths in these communities should use the same state and county resources described above.
Cities in Anderson County
Anderson County includes the city of Anderson as well as several towns. All death records for residents of Anderson County are part of the statewide vital records system administered by the SC DPH.
Anderson is the county seat and the largest city in Anderson County. The regional vital records office at 220 McGee Rd. serves residents of Anderson and the surrounding county.
Nearby Counties
Anderson County borders Georgia to the west and several South Carolina counties. For deaths near county lines, records may be held in adjacent counties.