Milford Death Records

Milford sits on the line between Kent and Sussex counties. Milford death records can be ordered from either of two state Office of Vital Statistics branches. The Dover central office serves Kent County residents. The Georgetown branch serves Sussex County residents. Either office can issue certified copies for any Milford death from 1986 to today. This page lays out how to order, which side of Milford files where, how probate works for Milford estates, and how the City of Milford Clerk handles city records.

Where to Order Milford Death Records

The two nearest Office of Vital Statistics branches for Milford are the Kent County central office at 417 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901 and the Sussex County branch at 546 S. Bedford Street, Georgetown, DE 19947. The Dover phone is 302-744-4549. The Georgetown phone is 302-515-3190. Hours at both are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Milford death records from 1986 to today are issued at either office for $25 per certified copy. Valid photo ID is required. Mail orders go to the Jesse S. Cooper Building in Dover. State guidance is at Delaware Office of Vital Statistics.

Online ordering is open through GoCertificates and VitalChek Network. Both add a service fee on top of the state $25. The Delaware Vital Statistics Regulations require the Office of Vital Statistics to keep the only statewide vital records system. When 40 years pass after death, the record becomes public and is transferred to the Delaware Public Archives.

The rule on the 40-year cut is set out in state regulation. Full text is at Delaware Vital Statistics Regulations. A Milford death from 1985 or earlier is open to anyone at the Archives for any reason.

City of Milford Government

The City of Milford is run by a Mayor and City Council. Milford City Hall is at 201 South Walnut Street, Milford, DE 19963. The city page lists departments, public safety contacts, and council meeting dates. City council meetings are held twice a month and are open to the public.

Milford does not issue death certificates. For a certified Milford death certificate, the city directs residents to the Delaware Office of Vital Statistics. The city page with all department contact info is at City of Milford.

Milford Public Library supports local genealogy research. Small country cemetery records around Milford are not always in the state index. The library can point researchers to local cemetery surveys and to the Greater Milford Historical Society. The Sussex County Clerk of Peace Marriage Bureau in Georgetown also holds related records.

Milford City Clerk and FOIA

The Milford City Clerk is appointed by and reports to the City Council. The office certifies and distributes ordinances, resolutions, and codes. It runs Milford municipal elections. The City Clerk also serves as the FOIA Coordinator, answering Freedom of Information Act requests for city records that fall outside the state vital records system.

Milford residents can submit a FOIA request through the Clerk's office at Milford City Clerk. Delaware state law gives the city 15 business days to respond to each request. The Clerk also keeps a repository of contracts, agreements, and other legislative actions.

For older Milford city records, check the Delaware Public Archives town and city histories file. Historical Milford records include town council minutes and charters. Some older Milford vital records also appear in the Kent County Recorder of Deeds books, since state registration of deaths was not fully in place until 1890.

Milford Probate and Register of Wills

Milford probate depends on which side of the city the decedent lived on. Milford on the Kent County side opens estates at the Kent County Register of Wills at 555 Bay Road, 2nd Floor, Room 214, Dover, DE 19901. Phone is 302-744-2330. Walk-in hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

To open a Kent County estate in person, bring the original Milford death certificate, the original will if one exists, an estimate of the decedent's assets and real estate, a list of next of kin with addresses, and a valid driver's license. Full rules are at Kent County Register of Wills.

Milford on the Sussex County side opens estates at the Sussex County Register of Wills at the Sussex County Courthouse Annex, 5 E. Pine Street, Georgetown, DE 19947. Phone is (302) 855-7875. Sussex County charges a closing fee of 1.25% of the net personal estate value. Appointments are needed for opening, closing, or depositing a will. See Sussex County Register of Wills.

Historic Milford Death Records

Delaware state death records start in 1881 and became consistent by 1890. The Delaware Public Archives Digital Ancestry partnership gives free Ancestry.com access to Delaware residents for state records, including death records from about 1650 to 1933. Enter a Delaware Zip Code on Ancestry to unlock the collection at no cost. That covers Milford death records from the earliest colonial era.

The Archives also holds the Kent County Almshouse Births and Deaths Database. The almshouse register lists those born and those who died in the Kent County Almshouse from 1851 to 1901. Death entries note date of death, age, and sometimes a cause of death remark. Email archives@delaware.gov to order copies.

For older Milford death data, the Recorder of Deeds office in each county holds vital statistics entries from before 1913. Before 1913, the duty to record births, marriages, and deaths fell on each county's Recorder of Deeds. At the end of every three months, the Recorder forwarded copies to the Secretary of the State Board of Health.

Funeral home records also hold recent Milford death information. Lofland Funeral Home, Bennie Smith Funeral Home, and Rogers-Hovatter Funeral Home all serve the Milford area. A call to a funeral home is often the fastest way to confirm a recent date of death before you visit the state office.

Milford Library and Historical Society

The Milford Public Library supports Milford death records research with local genealogy collections. Library cardholders get Ancestry.com access through the Delaware Public Archives partnership. That covers Delaware Death Records from about 1650 to 1933 for free. The Greater Milford Historical Society also holds records specific to the city, including photographs, newspapers, and local family files.

The Sussex County Clerk of Peace Marriage Bureau in Georgetown handles marriage records for Milford residents on the Sussex County side. The New Castle County Clerk of Peace covers records for any Milford family that relocated north. Marriage and death records often cross-reference each other in a full family file. The state guide to certificates at Delaware.gov Certificates Guide clarifies which office handles each record type.

Nearby Delaware Cities

Milford sits on the Kent and Sussex county line. Harrington is to the northwest. Dover is north. Seaford and Lewes are to the south. The Kent County page and the Sussex County page both apply.