Prince George's County Obituary Records
Prince George's County obituary and death records are available through the county health department in Largo, the Maryland State Archives, and several newspaper and genealogy collections. The county is the second most populous in Maryland, with close to a million residents and a rich paper trail going back to the mid-1800s. This page covers where to search, what you can find, how much it costs, and which offices handle death records in Prince George's County today and for older historical requests.
Prince George's County Overview
Prince George's County Death Certificates
The Prince George's County Health Department handles death certificates for deaths that took place in the county from 2015 forward. The office is at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building in Largo. You can request a certified copy in person or through the county's online request portal. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. They are closed on weekends and county holidays. For deaths prior to 2015, you will need to contact the Maryland Division of Vital Records or the Maryland State Archives.
Each certified copy of a death certificate costs $25 for the first copy. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $20 each. The county accepts checks, money orders, and credit or debit cards. There is a $2.50 service fee if you pay by card. Make checks and money orders payable to the Prince George's County Health Department. The application form asks for the decedent's name, date of death, age, sex, place of death, and the name of the funeral home. You also need to give your reason for requesting the record and confirm your relationship to the decedent.
| Office | Prince George's County Health Department, Vital Records |
|---|---|
| Address | Wayne K. Curry Administration Building 1701 McCormick Drive, Suite 200 Largo, MD 20774 |
| Phone | 301-883-7879 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Fee | $25 first copy; $20 each additional copy |
| Website | Prince George's County Vital Records |
The county also maintains a dedicated death certificate request page through its health department portal. You can learn about eligibility, upload your ID, and complete the request form without visiting the office in person. Visit the county's death certificate page for the latest instructions. You can also reach the main Prince George's County government website for general office information and contact details across departments.
Maryland State Death Record Resources
For deaths before 2015, the Maryland Division of Vital Records holds statewide death certificates. Their office can be reached at 410-764-3038, and the full catalog of available records is described at health.maryland.gov/vsa/. You can also order certified copies of Maryland death records through VitalChek at vitalchek.com, which adds a convenience fee for online ordering.
The Maryland State Archives in Annapolis holds older death records that predate the statewide registration system. You can reach the archives at 410-260-6400 or browse their holdings at msa.maryland.gov. For Prince George's County specifically, the archives hold circuit court death records from 1865 to 1866 under collection MSA C1196. They also hold Board of Health death records from 1919 to 1975 under collection MSA C1289. These are primary sources for genealogy research and historical obituary work.
The Maryland State Archives death records guide at msa.maryland.gov describes the full range of collections available for Prince George's County and every other Maryland county. If you are researching a death from the 1800s or early 1900s, that guide is the best starting point. Many records are indexed and can be located without a trip to Annapolis.
Historical Obituary Records in Prince George's County
Prince George's County has a well-documented historical record. Several major genealogical collections exist for this county, covering deaths and burials across more than 150 years of newspapers and funeral home registers. One of the most useful is the Gleanings from the Records of the Francis Gasch's Sons Funeral Home, which spans from 1860 to 1940. This collection covers one of the oldest funeral homes in the county and contains names, dates, and family relationships not found in other sources.
Another key resource is the compiled volume Prince George's County Maryland Marriages and Deaths in Nineteenth Century Newspapers. This collection pulls death notices from local papers that were published during the 1800s and organizes them by name and date. It is available through the Maryland State Archives and through major genealogy libraries. Researchers looking for death records from the period before formal state registration will find these newspaper extracts invaluable for Prince George's County work.
The county's major newspapers also provide a direct path into obituary research. The Prince George's Enquirer and Southern Maryland Advertiser ran from 1887 to 1922 and printed death notices regularly. The Enquirer-Gazette followed from 1925 and continues today. The Planter's Advocate covered an earlier period from 1851 to 1861. Digital and microfilm copies of these papers are accessible through the Maryland State Archives and through many public libraries in Prince George's County.
The Prince George's County Historical Society, located in Upper Marlboro, preserves local historical records and is a strong resource for obituary and death record research. Their collections include family histories, cemetery records, and local publications that often contain death notices not indexed anywhere else. The society welcomes researchers and can point you toward the right collections for your specific inquiry in Prince George's County.
Circuit Court and Probate Records
The Prince George's County Circuit Court is located at 14735 Main Street in Upper Marlboro. The main courthouse number is 301-952-3318, and a toll-free line at 800-937-1335 is available for Maryland callers. The Land Records Department, also at the Main Street courthouse in Room D1002, can be reached at 301-952-3330. They are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Land records often connect to estate settlements and death-related transfers.
The Register of Wills is another important office for post-death records in Prince George's County. Their office is in Room D4001 of the same courthouse and can be reached at 301-952-3250. The Register of Wills handles probate filings, which include wills, inventories, and estate accounts. These records frequently name dates of death and next of kin, making them a useful supplement to formal obituary research. Estate files are public records and are available to anyone who requests them.
Note: The Circuit Court death records at the Maryland State Archives (MSA C1196) cover only the years 1865 and 1866. For records before or after that window, other collections apply.
Cities in Prince George's County
Prince George's County contains several cities and communities. Death and obituary records for all of them are handled through the county health department in Largo for recent deaths, or through the state archives for older requests.
Other communities in Prince George's County include Laurel, Hyattsville, College Park, Greenbelt, Landover, Seat Pleasant, and District Heights. Death records for all of these communities are handled through the Prince George's County Health Department or the Maryland State Archives.
Nearby Counties
Prince George's County borders several other Maryland counties. If you are not sure which county holds the records you need, the county of death or the decedent's last address is usually the right place to start.