Craighead County Death Index
The Craighead County Death Index covers official death records from Jonesboro and every other community across the county, giving researchers and family members a starting point to locate names, dates, and certificate numbers. Death records in Arkansas are held at the state level, but local offices and public libraries in Craighead County provide real help when you need to search historical data, trace a family line, or request a certified copy for legal use. This page lays out where to search, who maintains the records, what to expect at each office, and how to use free online tools to find what you need.
Craighead County Death Index Overview
Craighead County Death Records Access
Death certificates for Craighead County are not held locally. All Arkansas death records are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. You can reach that office by phone at (501) 661-2174 or toll-free at (800) 637-9314. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. If you plan to walk in, submit your request by 3:00 PM to get same-day processing. The state office is about 130 miles southwest of Jonesboro, so most Craighead County residents find mail or online ordering more practical.
If you prefer in-person help locally, the Craighead County Health Unit accepts applications for death certificates at 611 East Washington Avenue, Jonesboro, AR 72401. Phone: (870) 933-4585. Staff there will take your application and forward it to the state office. The certificate comes back by mail, so visiting the local health unit does not result in a same-day copy. But it is a good option if you need help filling out the form correctly.
Under Arkansas Code § 20-18-305, access to death records is split by age. Records less than 50 years old are restricted to immediate family, legal representatives, and those with a documented legal need. Records 50 years and older are open to the public. Non-relatives searching older records must submit their request by mail. A $10.00 non-refundable search fee applies even when no record is found.
Note: Craighead County was established on February 19, 1859, and state death registration did not begin until 1914, so any deaths before that year were not formally recorded at the state level.
Ordering Certificates for Craighead County Deaths
Online orders for Craighead County death certificates go through VitalChek, the official online platform for Arkansas vital records. The base cost is $10.00 for the first copy and $8.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. VitalChek adds a $5.00 service fee and a $1.85 identity verification charge. You will need the full name of the person who died, the date of death, and your own government-issued photo ID for verification.
The Arkansas Digital Archives also offers a free search tool that can help you confirm record details before ordering. The Arkansas Death Records Index covers 1935 through 1961 and is searchable by name, county, death date, or certificate number. For Craighead County deaths in that range, start here to get the certificate number, then order the actual document from the Department of Health. It saves time and avoids paying a search fee for a record you are not sure exists.
VitalChek is the state-authorized online service for ordering certified Craighead County death certificates, adding fees on top of the base certificate cost.
Craighead County Clerk and Court Records
The Craighead County Clerk does not hold death certificates, but the office maintains records that support death index research. Probate records are a key secondary source. When someone in Craighead County died and left assets, the estate often went through probate court. Those case files can include the date and place of death, the names of heirs, and estate inventories. Marriage records from 1878 to the present are on file with the Clerk and help build family timelines around a death.
The main Craighead County Clerk office is at 511 South Main Street, Suite 202, Jonesboro, AR 72401. Phone: (870) 933-4520. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. There is also a Lake City branch at 107 Cobean Boulevard, Lake City, AR 72437, phone (870) 237-4424. The Clerk maintains county court records, voter registration, and DBA filings. Certified copies of documents cost $5.00 each, with standard copies at $0.25 per page. Research fees run $15.00 per hour after the first hour.
The Craighead County Clerk's online portal gives access to county court records, marriage license searches, and an online expenditure database, all of which can support a death index investigation.
The Craighead County Public Records Lookup tool covers additional record categories defined under Arkansas FOIA. Under state law at § 25-19-101, public records include court documents, property filings, and other officially maintained data. The lookup tool can help locate property transfers, tax records, and other documents that sometimes confirm a death date or surviving heirs.
Historical Death Records and the Jonesboro Library
The Jonesboro Public Library at 315 West Oak Avenue, Jonesboro, AR 72401 is one of the most useful local resources for Craighead County death index research. Phone: (870) 935-5133. The library provides free in-library access to Ancestry Library Edition, which includes Arkansas Death Certificates from 1914 to 1969. You can also access census records, cemetery records, and family history databases at no cost through a library card.
The library's local history collection stands out. Obituary indexes for the Jonesboro Sun run from 1896 to the present, making it possible to search for death notices across more than a century of local newspaper coverage. That kind of coverage is rare in Arkansas and makes Craighead County a stronger county for genealogical research than many others. Other available indexes include the Craighead County Marriage Index for both the Western and Eastern Districts, the Cemeteries of Craighead County index, the Lake City Cemetery index, the Monette Weekly Sun Obituary Index from 1962 to 1968, and the Marked Tree Gazette and Tribune Index covering 1905 to 1939.
Note: Many of these local indexes were compiled by volunteers and may have gaps or name variations. Always cross-reference with the Arkansas Digital Archives or Ancestry records.
Genealogy Societies and Archives in Craighead County
The Genealogy Society of Craighead County is a local organization focused on acquiring, preserving, and publishing genealogical and historical data for the county. The Society maintains an Obituary Index for the Jonesboro Sun and a searchable member surname index. If your family name appears in local records, the Society may already have information compiled. Volunteers can point you toward specific indexes or connect you with members who have researched similar family lines.
The Craighead County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1011, Jonesboro, AR 72403, holds more than 2,000 artifacts, photographs, and documents at its Research Library. Admission is free. The library includes genealogical and historical records for the county, and staff or volunteers may assist with research visits. The Historical Society's collection complements the public library and can fill gaps when formal records are missing.
At the state level, the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock holds the statewide Death Index for 1914 through 1949. The Archives also maintains the In Remembrance Database, covering deaths from 1819 to 1920 drawn from church publications, cemetery records, and mortality censuses. The Arkansas Genealogical Society supports statewide research and can connect you with resources beyond what is available locally.
Arkansas Death Record Law Overview
Arkansas death registration has been required since February 1, 1914. Under Arkansas Code § 20-18-601, a death must be registered within 10 days. The attending physician has 3 business days to complete their portion. Electronic registration is now standard statewide, which means records created in recent years are generally more complete and searchable than older paper-based filings.
The State Registrar's authority, including the system for matching birth and death records to prevent identity fraud, comes from Arkansas Code § 20-18-203. When you search the death index and find a match, the Registrar's office is the agency that processes your certificate request. Court-related probate records searchable through Arkansas CourtConnect are also governed by state law and are useful when the certificate alone doesn't answer all your questions.
Arkansas Code § 20-18-601 sets the registration deadlines that determine when a death appears in the official index, covering all Craighead County deaths from 1914 forward.
For additional guidance on the certificate request process from a national perspective, the CDC vital records guide for Arkansas outlines procedures, acceptable identification, and what to do when a record cannot be found. The FamilySearch Arkansas Vital Records wiki also summarizes available digital collections and links to free search tools.
Cities in Craighead County
Jonesboro is the largest city in Craighead County and has its own death index records page with local courthouse details and search resources.
Nearby Counties
If you are searching for a person who lived near the Craighead County border, death records may have been filed in an adjacent county. Check these nearby pages for contact details and search options.