Tigard Death Index Records
The Tigard death index is maintained through the Washington County Clerk as part of the county vital records system. Tigard sits in the Portland metro area with a population of about 55,000. The Washington County Clerk handles all death index records for Tigard and other cities in the county. Researchers use the Tigard death index to find names, dates, and record numbers linked to deaths in this part of Oregon.
Tigard Quick Facts
Tigard Death Index Background
The death index for Tigard is part of the Washington County vital records system. Tigard was incorporated in 1961, but the area had residents long before that. Deaths in the Tigard area prior to incorporation were filed under Washington County and appear in the county-level death index. After incorporation, deaths in Tigard continued to be filed through the county.
Oregon began statewide death registration in 1903. Deaths in the Tigard area before that date may appear in early Washington County ledgers, church records, or family papers. The Oregon State Archives holds many of these older Washington County records. After 1903, each death in the Tigard area became part of the central death index.
Washington County saw rapid growth in the second half of the twentieth century. Tigard grew with it. The Tigard death index expanded as the population rose, and today it includes decades of records for this part of the Portland metro area.
How to Search Tigard Death Index
Searching the Tigard death index can be done online, by mail, or in person. The best method depends on the age of the record and what you need from it.
The Oregon Historical Records Index is a free online tool that covers death index entries from the early 1900s through mid-century. Search by name and look for results in Washington County. This is the fastest way to check the Tigard death index for older records.
The Washington County Clerk office is in Hillsboro, the county seat. The county website provides information about vital records services and how to request copies.
The Washington County Clerk keeps death records for Tigard and the entire county. You can visit the clerk office in Hillsboro, call ahead, or mail a written request. Provide the full name and approximate date of death. The clerk will search the death index and let you know what records exist for Tigard.
Note: Tigard is close to several other cities in Washington County, including Beaverton, Lake Oswego, and Tualatin. A person who lived in Tigard may have died at a hospital in Portland or another nearby city. The death could be filed under a different location in the death index.
Oregon Death Index Resources
Beyond the county, state-level resources cover Tigard death index records. The Oregon Health Authority maintains death certificates from 1903 to the present. You can order certified copies by mail or online through VitalChek. These state records come from the same data that feeds the Tigard death index.
The Oregon State Archives also holds historical records for Washington County. For early death records in the Tigard area, the archives may have documents not found elsewhere. These include scanned images of old county ledgers and vital records books that predate the statewide death index.
Oregon law under ORS 432.350 governs who may obtain certified copies of death records. The death index is generally public. Full death certificates may have access restrictions based on the date of death and your relationship to the deceased. Under ORS 432.380, older records become more widely available over time.
Death Index Record Contents
Each entry in the Tigard death index contains a small set of key facts. The index is a finding tool, not the full record. Here is what a typical entry shows.
- Full name of the deceased
- Date of death
- County where the death was filed
- Age or birth year
- Certificate or record number
The full death certificate holds more detail. It lists cause of death, burial location, parents' names, spouse's name, and the funeral home that handled arrangements. For Tigard deaths, the certificate is on file with the Washington County Clerk or the Oregon Health Authority. Use the record number from the death index to request the right document.
Tigard Death Index Research Tips
Good preparation saves time. Start with what you know. Write down the full name, year of death, and any other facts before you search the Tigard death index. Even a rough decade helps narrow results.
Tigard is part of the Portland metro area. Hospitals, care facilities, and funeral homes in nearby cities often handled Tigard residents. A death may be filed under Portland, Beaverton, or Lake Oswego in the death index rather than Tigard. If you do not find a match under Tigard, search all of Washington County. The county-wide death index covers every location within its borders.
Check name variations. Older death index entries for the Tigard area may use nicknames, initials, or alternate spellings. A woman may be listed under her married name or maiden name. Try all forms. Spelling errors happen in older records, so try phonetic matches too.
- Search all of Washington County if Tigard yields no match
- Check nearby counties like Clackamas and Multnomah
- Try alternate name spellings and nicknames
- Use the state archives for records before 1961
Keep in mind that Tigard was not incorporated until 1961. Deaths in the area before that year will appear in the Washington County death index under the location name used at the time. It may say "Washington County" or a rural route rather than "Tigard" in older entries of the death index.
Note: Funeral home records in the Tigard area can also help. Local funeral homes kept their own logs of services, which often include death dates, family contacts, and burial sites that supplement the death index.
Washington County Death Index
Tigard is in Washington County, and all death records for the city are filed through the Washington County Clerk. The county maintains death index records for Tigard and every other city in the county. For more on Washington County death records, research options, and related vital records, visit the full county page.