Faulkner County Death Records

Faulkner County death records are held by the Arkansas Department of Health and by local county offices in Conway, one of the fastest-growing cities in Arkansas. With three universities, a significant medical community, and a rapidly expanding population, Faulkner County generates a higher volume of death records than most Arkansas counties. This guide covers how to request certified death certificates for Faulkner County, where to find historical mortality records, and what online and archive sources are available for research.

How to Get a Faulkner County Death Certificate

Certified death certificates for Faulkner County are issued by the Arkansas Department of Health, Vital Records Section. The state office is at 4815 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205 (Slot 44). The 24-hour information line is (501) 661-2336. In-person service is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Same-day service is available for requests submitted before 4:00 p.m.

Faulkner County was formed in 1873 and has grown dramatically since then. Conway is home to the University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College, and Central Baptist College. The city also has several hospitals and medical centers serving the county and surrounding areas. The county's growth means that Faulkner County death records reflect a broad cross-section of Arkansas residents, not just longtime local families. Some people who die in Conway hospitals may be residents of neighboring counties. If you are researching a death that occurred in Conway but the person lived elsewhere, the record will still be filed under Faulkner County.

Mail requests take four to six weeks. Online orders through VitalChek arrive in three to five business days. Credit cards are accepted for online orders. The first copy costs $10.00. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $8.00 each.

Faulkner County Circuit Court and Probate Records

The Faulkner County Circuit Clerk in Conway handles probate and civil court filings. Probate records are a key source of death-related documentation at the county level. Estate cases opened after a death include the death certificate, any will, an heir list, and property records. These files are public once filed. Given the county's significant growth over recent decades, there are many more estate filings per year in Faulkner County than in most Arkansas counties of comparable size.

Search Faulkner County court cases through the Arkansas Courts case search system. The tool is free and lets you search by name or case number. For the full documents, contact the circuit clerk in Conway or visit in person. The Arkansas Courts website lists contact information for the Faulkner County Circuit Clerk. The clerk's office also maintains indexes for older estate files dating back many decades.

Faulkner County is in the Twenty-Eighth Judicial Circuit of Arkansas. If you are researching an older estate that may have been filed before the county's modern growth period, the circuit clerk can assist with locating archived case records. Older files may not be in the online case system but are still available through the clerk's office directly.

Historical Faulkner County Death Records and Genealogy

Faulkner County's history goes back to 1873, meaning there are nearly 50 years of pre-registration deaths to account for before the 1914 statewide system began. Church records from Conway and surrounding communities, cemetery inscriptions, and county histories are the best sources for pre-1914 research. The county's university presence has also generated historical collections and local archives that can supplement official records.

The Arkansas State Archives holds materials for Faulkner County including court records, land files, and some early vital records from before the Department of Health began tracking deaths statewide.

Researchers can contact the archives to request finding aids for Faulkner County collections and determine which materials are available remotely or in person in Little Rock.

The Encyclopedia of Arkansas has a Faulkner County entry with historical background useful for placing records in context.

The Encyclopedia entry for Faulkner County covers the county's founding in 1873, the development of Conway as a college town, and the communities that make up the county today.

Understanding the county's development helps researchers identify which churches, schools, and communities to search for pre-1914 death documentation.

FamilySearch covers Faulkner County in its Arkansas collections. Historical records including census mortality schedules and church-derived vital records are available through the site at no cost.

FamilySearch's Faulkner County genealogy collections include indexed records from multiple sources spanning the county's full history from 1873 forward.

Searching FamilySearch by county is a good starting point for any genealogy research involving Faulkner County families before or after statewide death registration began.

For cemetery research, Find A Grave has burial listings for cemeteries throughout Faulkner County, including both urban Conway cemeteries and rural community graveyards in the surrounding area.

Find A Grave's Faulkner County cemetery listings cover a wide range of burial sites from older pioneer cemeteries to modern memorial parks in and around Conway.

Cemetery records on Find A Grave can confirm burial dates and locations for Faulkner County ancestors when no official death certificate is available or when the record is restricted.

Death Record Access Rules in Faulkner County

Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 18, restricts access to death records less than 50 years old. Eligible requesters for restricted records include a surviving spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the deceased. Legal representatives with documentation of their authority also qualify. People with a documented property or legal interest may request restricted records. Academic researchers can sometimes access restricted records with proper documentation. Records more than 50 years old are open to the public with no relationship requirement.

The Arkansas Legislature website has the full text of the vital records access statute. The Arkansas Secretary of State handles related state administrative functions. Call the Vital Records Section at (501) 661-2336 with questions about eligibility for a specific Faulkner County record.

Online Resources for Faulkner County Death Records

The CDC's Where to Write for Vital Records page provides current contact details and fee information for the Arkansas Department of Health. The National Vital Statistics System explains how death data is collected nationally. Obituaries for Faulkner County residents appear in Legacy.com through local newspaper archives including the Log Cabin Democrat, which serves the Conway area. The National Archives holds federal records including military death files and pension records that may relate to Faulkner County residents. The Arkansas Heritage agency links to archival collections and programs related to Arkansas history.

Nearby Arkansas Counties

Faulkner County is surrounded by several central Arkansas counties, each with death records accessible through the state health department and local circuit clerks.

Cities in Faulkner County

Conway is the qualifying city in Faulkner County with its own dedicated death records page.