Find Death Records in Union County
Union County death records are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Health and accessible through local court files in El Dorado, the county seat. Union County in south Arkansas has a well-developed records infrastructure due in part to the oil boom that began in El Dorado in 1921, which brought a surge in population and more consistent documentation of vital events. Researchers looking for Union County death records will find state-issued certificates going back to 1914 and probate records that go back considerably further. This guide explains how to get certified copies, search historical sources, and use genealogical tools for Union County research.
Union County Death Records Overview
Where to Get Union County Death Records
Certified Union County death records are issued by the Arkansas Department of Health, Vital Records Section, at 4815 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205 (Slot 44). Phone: (501) 661-2336. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8am to 4:30pm. Same-day service is available for in-person requests before 4pm.
Mail orders take 4 to 6 weeks. Online orders through VitalChek process in 3 to 5 business days. The first certified copy costs $10.00. Additional copies of the same record are $8.00 each when ordered together.
The Union County Circuit Clerk's office in El Dorado handles all local probate and estate filings. Union County has more complete records than many south Arkansas counties due to El Dorado's oil-driven population growth in the 1920s and 1930s. The boom brought workers from across the region, and the county's vital records from that era reflect a much more diverse and transient population than the pre-boom period. Natural gas is still produced in parts of the county, maintaining a level of industry that keeps the administrative infrastructure relatively active. The El Dorado area has been the commercial center of south Arkansas for most of the 20th century.
Note: Union County's oil-era population influx means death records from the 1920s and 1930s may include people from across the United States who came to work in the oil fields. Don't assume all death records in this period are from locally rooted families.
Union County Probate and Estate Death Records
Probate records for Union County are filed at the Circuit Clerk's office in El Dorado. These records document estate administration and can include wills, executor appointments, heir lists, and property inventories. Union County's relatively active economy means its probate records tend to be more consistently maintained than those of more rural south Arkansas counties.
The Arkansas Courts case search provides free online access to Union County circuit and probate court records. Older records from before digitization may require a direct request to the El Dorado courthouse. The Arkansas Secretary of State holds additional corporate and estate-related filings that can supplement probate research, particularly for oil-era corporations and partnerships.
Arkansas State Archives holds microfilmed historical Union County records going back well before the 1914 vital registration start date. Their collections include early county court minutes, deed records, and probate files that can document deaths through estate proceedings.
Contact the Arkansas State Archives to confirm which Union County holdings are available and whether specific collections need to be requested in advance of a visit.
Historical Death Records in Union County
Arkansas statewide death registration started in February 1914. Union County deaths before that date have no official certificates. Pre-registration research uses probate files, church records, and federal census materials.
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas covers Union County history and the oil-era transformation that shapes the county's record landscape. The National Archives holds federal mortality schedules from 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 that list individuals who died in the twelve months before each census.
Use the Encyclopedia of Arkansas to understand Union County's record history and identify the most relevant archives for your research period.
The 1921 oil discovery in El Dorado transformed Union County almost overnight. Church records from Baptist, Methodist, and other congregations established in El Dorado and surrounding communities in the oil-boom years can document deaths for workers who came from out of state and had no other local paper trail. These records are often held by individual churches or have been deposited with denominational archives. The Arkansas State Archives is the best starting point for identifying what church records have been preserved for Union County.
Cemetery Records and Burials in Union County
Union County has a mix of established municipal cemeteries in El Dorado and rural burial grounds across the county. El Dorado's growth in the 20th century led to the development of larger, better-maintained cemeteries than those found in many south Arkansas counties.
Find a Grave has indexed many Union County cemeteries through volunteer contributions, with entries that typically include name, birth and death dates, and headstone photos. El Dorado's larger cemeteries have generally good coverage.
Search Find a Grave and filter to Union County, Arkansas to locate burial records for El Dorado and communities throughout the county.
Some older rural cemeteries in Union County have not been fully indexed online. The Union County Historical Society and local funeral homes can sometimes provide burial information for sites not yet documented in major genealogy databases. The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program has cemetery survey data that can help locate older and more obscure burial grounds.
Obituaries and Death Notices in Union County
Union County obituaries appear primarily in the El Dorado News-Times, which has served as the county's newspaper of record for most of the 20th century. The paper's coverage expanded significantly during the oil boom era and has maintained consistent publication since. Recent obituaries are often posted on the paper's website and on funeral home sites.
Legacy.com aggregates obituaries from many Arkansas newspapers including the El Dorado area. For older obituaries, the Arkansas State Archives newspaper collection holds microfilm of the El Dorado News-Times and predecessor papers going back many decades. Some issues have been digitized. The oil-era El Dorado papers are particularly rich because deaths of workers from across the country were often noted in local publications.
Funeral homes in El Dorado maintain their own records. Because El Dorado has had active funeral homes since the boom era, some of these records go back further than in smaller communities. A direct call can quickly confirm basic facts for older deaths that don't appear in published sources.
Who Can Access Union County Death Records
Arkansas restricts death records under Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 18. Deaths from 50 or more years ago are public. Deaths within the past 50 years are restricted to eligible parties.
Eligible requesters for restricted records include the decedent's immediate family, including a spouse, parent, child, or sibling. Legal representatives with documented interest can also request records. A government-issued photo ID is required. Mail requests should include a copy of your ID and a written statement of your relationship to the decedent.
The restriction applies only to certified copies from the Department of Health. Probate records, cemetery records, and obituaries are generally accessible without restrictions. If you are working on a recent case and are still establishing eligibility for the official certificate, these open sources can often provide the core information you need in the meantime.
Online Search Tools for Union County Deaths
Online research for Union County death records includes state ordering systems, court search platforms, and genealogy databases. Official state sources are the best starting point.
VitalChek handles online ordering for Arkansas death certificates from 1914 onward. The Arkansas Courts case search covers Union County circuit court and probate records. The CDC Arkansas vital records guide explains how the state system works. The National Vital Statistics System provides national mortality data for context.
Union County's oil history also means that the Texas State Library and Louisiana vital records offices may have records for workers who moved between south Arkansas and neighboring states during the early oil-boom decades.
Genealogy Resources for Union County
Union County genealogy benefits from the county's well-documented 20th-century history and relatively complete records compared to many south Arkansas counties. The oil-era influx adds complexity but also depth to the record base.
FamilySearch provides free access to Arkansas death certificates from 1914 onward. Federal mortality schedules from 1850 to 1880 are available through FamilySearch and the National Archives. These census records are the main pre-registration tool for Union County deaths. Arkansas circuit court records are searchable through arcourts.gov. The Union County Historical Society in El Dorado is a practical local contact for materials not available through statewide systems, including oil-era local records and family collections.
Nearby Arkansas Counties
Death records in neighboring counties may supplement Union County research, particularly for families who lived near county lines or moved between districts.