Search Malden Obituary Records
Malden obituary records go back to the early days of this Middlesex County city, with vital records kept at the local level since well before statewide collection started in 1841. You can search for Malden obituary records through the City Clerk's office on Pleasant Street, dig into historical death records at the Malden Public Library, or use the Massachusetts Archives database for records from 1841 to 1925. The state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics also holds Malden death records from 1936 to the present. This page walks through all the ways to find, request, and search Malden obituary records and death certificates.
Malden Overview
Malden City Clerk Obituary Records
The Malden City Clerk is the main source for death certificates and obituary records in the city. The office sits at 215 Pleasant Street in Malden. You can call them at 781-397-7045 to ask about a record or start a request by phone. The clerk keeps all death records filed in Malden, and they can issue certified copies for deaths that took place within city limits. Walk-in requests tend to be the fastest way to get a copy.
To get a Malden death certificate, you need the full name of the person who died, the date of death (or a close range), and the place of death. Bring a valid photo ID when you go in person. The clerk can also take mail requests. Send a letter with the details of the record you need, your return address, and a check or money order for the fee. Processing times for mail requests vary, but most get handled within a few weeks. If you are not sure whether a death was filed in Malden, the clerk staff can check their index for you.
The Malden city website has contact details and hours for the City Clerk's office, along with other city services.
Check the site for any updates to office hours or request procedures before you visit.
| Office | Malden City Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 215 Pleasant Street Malden, MA 02148 |
| Phone | 781-397-7045 |
Historical Malden Obituary Resources
Malden has vital records that go back to 1850 and earlier. The published volume "Malden Vital Records to 1850" is a key resource for anyone searching for old death records in the city. This book covers births, marriages, and deaths recorded in Malden before statewide registration took hold. You can find copies at the Malden Public Library and through genealogy lending libraries. The data in these early records is sometimes sparse, but it can fill in gaps that no other source covers.
For Malden obituary records from 1841 to 1925, the Massachusetts Archives Vital Records Search is a free tool. Enter a name, pick Malden as the location, select "Death," and set your year range. Results show volume and page numbers. You can then view digital images of the original records at no cost. For records from 1841 to 1930 that are not yet online, email archives@sec.state.ma.us and the staff will scan up to five records for free.
The Malden News was the city's local paper for many years. Obituaries printed in the Malden News are a good source for death notices and family details that don't show up on official certificates. Newspaper obituaries often list survivors, church membership, clubs, and burial location. These details make them a strong complement to the official death record from the clerk's office.
Note: Malden vital records filed before 1841 exist only at the city level and are not in the state archives database.
Malden Public Library Local History
The Malden Public Library has a local history collection that is useful for obituary research. The library holds old city directories, newspaper files, and local history materials that can help you piece together information about Malden residents. Staff in the reference department can point you to the right resources if you are not sure where to start.
The library website lists hours, services, and ways to contact the reference desk for research help.
Beyond the library itself, the Boston Globe has covered Malden obituaries for decades. The Globe is the largest newspaper in the region and its obituary section includes death notices for people across Middlesex County. Microfilm of the Boston Globe is available at major libraries in the area, and digital archives are searchable through several subscription databases. The Cambridge Chronicle and Somerville Journal also sometimes carried Malden death notices, especially for residents with ties to those nearby communities.
Malden Death Records Through State Agencies
The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics holds Malden death records from 1936 to the present. Their office is at 150 Mount Vernon Street in Dorchester. Walk-in copies cost $20. By mail, a copy runs $32. If you need it fast, order through VitalChek for $54 for the first copy and $42 for each one after that. VitalChek also offers next-day shipping for urgent requests. Call them at (866) 300-8535 to order by phone.
The state archives holds Malden records from 1841 to 1930. Certified copies from the archives cost $3 each. You can order up to five per request. Pay by cash or check made out to Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mail your order to Massachusetts Archives, Attn: Certified Vitals, 220 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125. Processing takes about four to six weeks. For quicker access to the information (but not a certified copy), the free online search is the best option.
Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 46, death certificates are public records. Anyone can request a copy for genealogy, obituary research, or other reasons. The one restriction is cause of death. Only the surviving spouse, parent, child, sibling, legal guardian, or legal representative can see that part of the record. If you are not related to the deceased, the cause of death line will be blank on your copy.
How to Get Malden Obituary Records
There are several ways to get a Malden death certificate or obituary record. The method you pick depends on how fast you need it and how old the record is.
- In person at the Malden City Clerk, 215 Pleasant Street
- By mail to the City Clerk with a written request and payment
- Through the state RVRS office in Dorchester for records from 1936 onward
- Online through VitalChek for state-level records
- By email to archives@sec.state.ma.us for scans of records from 1841 to 1930
For the oldest Malden records, the published vital records volume covering dates to 1850 is your best bet. Check the Malden Public Library for a copy. The FamilySearch website also has free Massachusetts death collections that may include Malden entries. Their database covers town clerk records, vital records from 1626 to 2001, and deaths and burials from 1795 to 1910. You need a free account to search, but there is no charge for access.
AmericanAncestors.org is another tool for Malden obituary research. Run by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, it holds indexed Massachusetts vital records from 1841 to 1920 in several collections. A subscription is required for full access, but some records can be viewed with a free guest account. The site also has the Boston Jewish Advocate Obituary Index with over 24,500 notices from 1905 to 2007, which may include Malden residents.
Note: The Malden City Clerk can confirm whether a death record exists in their index even if you do not have the exact date.
Malden Obituary Records and Public Access
The Massachusetts Public Records Law gives you the right to request government records, including death records held by the Malden City Clerk. Under this law, agencies must respond within 10 business days. Copy fees are capped at $0.05 per page for standard copies. For cities with more than 20,000 people (which includes Malden), the first two hours of search time are free. After that, the maximum charge is $25 per hour.
Malden is part of Middlesex County. Unlike some states, Massachusetts does not keep vital records at the county level. All birth, death, and marriage records are held by individual city and town clerks. So for any death that took place in Malden, the City Clerk at 215 Pleasant Street is the primary custodian of that record. The county clerk office in Belmont does not handle vital records requests.
Middlesex County Obituary Records
Malden is in Middlesex County, the most populous county in Massachusetts with about 1.6 million residents. While the county does not maintain vital records itself, many of the cities and towns in Middlesex County have their own clerk offices with death records going back decades or even centuries. For a broader look at obituary resources across the county, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Malden also have their own obituary records at their local clerk offices.