Edgefield County Death Records
Edgefield County death records are held by the South Carolina Department of Public Health, with older documents available through the SC Department of Archives and History. People searching for an Edgefield County death record can request certified copies by mail, in person at a regional office, or online. This guide explains how to locate and obtain Edgefield County death records, including both recent certificates and documents from one of South Carolina's original counties, formed in 1785.
Edgefield County Quick Facts
Edgefield County Death Certificates
Certified copies of Edgefield County death certificates come from the South Carolina Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records. The state office is at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, and can be reached at (803) 898-3630. Details about ordering options appear at dph.sc.gov.
The nearest regional vital records office for Edgefield County residents is the Greenwood location at 1736 S. Main Street, Greenwood, SC 29646, phone (864) 227-5970. An in-person visit there produces a certified copy the same day. Mail requests take roughly four weeks. Online orders through VitalChek or GoCertificates typically arrive within five to seven business days. The search fee is $12 by mail and $17 in person or online. Extra copies of the same record cost $3 each. Full fee details appear at the DPH fees page. You must show a valid government-issued photo ID when submitting any request; acceptable forms are listed at the DPH ID requirements page.
Access to Edgefield County death records less than 50 years old is limited to immediate family members and authorized legal representatives. Records 50 or more years old are open to the general public under South Carolina law.
Edgefield County Coroner Records
The Edgefield County Coroner investigates sudden, unexpected, or violent deaths within the county. The office is led by David Burnett and can be reached by mail at PO Box 389, Edgefield, SC, or by phone at (803) 637-6536. The coroner files cause-of-death information that becomes part of the official death certificate submitted to the state.
When a death in Edgefield County is subject to investigation, the coroner's case file may include autopsy reports, toxicology results, and field notes. These records are separate from the official death certificate. Close family members can submit a written request to the coroner's office for copies of investigative reports. Response times vary based on whether a case is still open. The completed death certificate is the document used for most legal and genealogical purposes and must be requested through the state's vital records system rather than the coroner's office.
The Edgefield County Public Index, accessible at publicindex.sccourts.org, may reflect court proceedings connected to a death, such as estate and probate cases. The image below is sourced from that public index.
The Edgefield County Public Index allows searches of court records that may relate to death proceedings and estate matters.
Probate filings in the public index often name the deceased, list heirs, and confirm the date of death, making them useful alongside state death certificates.
Edgefield County Probate Court
The Edgefield County Probate Court handles estate matters that arise after a death. The court is located at 129 Courthouse Square, Suite 212, Edgefield, SC, and can be reached at (803) 637-4076. Judge Gregory Anderson presides over probate proceedings for the county.
Probate records are a valuable companion to death certificates. When an estate was opened after a death in Edgefield County, the probate file typically names the deceased, the date of death, surviving heirs, and an inventory of assets. These records are generally public and can be searched through the SC Probate Court system at scprobate.net. For older estates, the Edgefield County Probate Court may hold original paper files that have not been digitized. Calling the court before visiting saves time, especially when researching deaths from several decades ago.
Note: Probate court records confirm that a death occurred but are not a substitute for an official certified death certificate issued by the state.
Historical Edgefield County Death Records
Edgefield County was formed in 1785 as one of South Carolina's original counties, which means its historical record is especially deep. Statewide death registration did not begin until January 1, 1915. For deaths before that date, researchers must turn to other sources.
The SC Department of Archives and History in Columbia holds records covering the period before 1915, including some that extend back to the colonial era. The Archives can be reached at (803) 896-6100 or visited online at scdah.sc.gov. FamilySearch has digitized Edgefield County inquisition books covering 1844 to 1902 along with some slave records, all searchable for free at familysearch.org. The CSI:Dixie project has also indexed Edgefield County coroner reports from 1800 to 1900 held at the SC Archives, providing details on deaths investigated during that century.
Church records, cemetery registers, and family papers are another important source for pre-1915 Edgefield County death data. Many local congregations kept detailed burial registers, and several have been transcribed by genealogical societies and shared through online databases.
The Old Edgefield District Genealogical Society (OEDGS) is a key local resource. The society is located at PO Box 546, Edgefield, SC, and can be reached at (803) 991-0492, by email at OEDGS85@gmail.com, or through their website at www.oedgs.org. They maintain records, answer research questions, and can point researchers toward county-specific death record sources that are not available online.
The Johnston Genealogical Research Center at 405 Calhoun Street, Johnston, SC 29832, is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM. This 4,500-square-foot facility holds more than 5,500 genealogical books, 2,500 surname files, 2,000 subject files, and hundreds of reels of microfilm. The center also holds extensive African-American and Native American genealogical resources that are especially relevant for Edgefield County research given the county's plantation-era history.
Edgefield County Library Death Record Resources
The Edgefield County Library at 105 Court House Square, Edgefield, SC, phone (803) 637-4025, holds local history materials that can support death record research. Library collections often include published obituary indexes, local newspapers, county histories, and microfilmed documents not available anywhere else.
Newspaper obituaries are among the most informative non-certificate sources for death data. Local papers for Edgefield County have been published for well over a century, and issues on microfilm at the library may contain obituaries with details such as cause of death, survivors, burial location, and church affiliation. The SC State Library at statelibrary.sc.gov also holds South Carolina newspaper collections and can be a useful remote resource when local library access is not convenient.
Researchers tracing African-American ancestry in Edgefield County should pay special attention to the Johnston Genealogical Research Center and the OEDGS, both of which have made extra efforts to document historically underrepresented populations in local death and burial records.
South Carolina Death Records Laws
South Carolina death records are governed by Title 44, Chapter 63 of the South Carolina Code, found at scstatehouse.gov. These laws apply equally to every county, including Edgefield.
Section 44-63-74 sets the filing deadline. The medical certifier must complete their portion within 48 hours of being notified of a death. The funeral home or person responsible for disposition must file the completed certificate within five days. Electronic filing became mandatory in 2022. Late filing carries penalties starting at $250 for a first offense and rising to $1,000 for repeat violations.
Section 44-63-84 defines who may obtain certified copies. For deaths within the past 50 years, only immediate family members and their legal representatives may request a certified copy. After 50 years the record becomes publicly accessible. Section 44-63-161 makes it a felony to alter or misuse a death certificate. Amendments to existing records follow the process in Section 44-63-150, which requires supporting documents reviewed by the state registrar. Call the SC DPH at (803) 898-3630 before beginning any amendment process.
Nearby Counties
Edgefield County borders several South Carolina counties. If a death occurred near a county line, the record may be filed in a neighboring county depending on where the person lived.