Greece Death Index

Greece death index records are kept by the Town Clerk, the local registrar for vital statistics in this Monroe County town. Greece sits on the western shore of Lake Ontario, just northwest of Rochester, and is one of the largest towns in the Rochester metro area. Death records filed within Greece town limits can be obtained through the Town Clerk or the New York State Department of Health. Monroe County Vital Records at 740 East Henrietta Road in Rochester also plays a role in the area's vital records system. Knowing which office to contact can save weeks of waiting.

Greece Death Index Records

The Greece Town Clerk acts as the local registrar. Death certificates for deaths in Greece are filed with this office. Under New York law, the clerk in each municipality registers vital events. The original death record stays with the town clerk where the death occurred.

To request a death record, contact the Greece Town Clerk. Provide the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death. The clerk searches their files and issues copies to eligible requestors.

Certified copies are limited to certain people. Spouses, parents, children, siblings, and legal representatives can request them. For genealogy, records older than 50 years are available as genealogy copies. These contain the same data but are marked for research use only.

Monroe County Death Index Resources

Greece is part of Monroe County. The Monroe County Vital Records office is at 740 East Henrietta Road, Rochester, NY 14623. This office handles health-related records for the county and can help direct you to the right local registrar.

The Monroe County Clerk maintains court records, deeds, and other filings but does not hold birth or death certificates. Those stay with local town and city clerks. Do not go to the county clerk for death records.

Rochester city death records are held by the Rochester City Clerk, not the Monroe County offices. If someone died at a Rochester hospital but lived in Greece, the death was filed in Rochester. Always check where the death occurred, not where the person lived.

State Death Index Search

The New York State Department of Health holds death records from the early 1880s forward. You can write to PO Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602 or call (855) 322-1022.

Fees start at $22 for a 1 to 3 year search. Processing takes 8 months or longer. The Greece Town Clerk is much faster. Use the state when you are not sure where a death occurred in New York.

Death indexes open to the public after 50 years. The NYS Archives in Albany has microfiche copies free to view in person. These indexes list name, date and place of death, and a certificate number you can use to order the full record.

Genealogy Research in Greece

Start with the death index microfiche at the NYS Archives if the death was over 50 years ago. The microfiche is free and covers a broad range of years. Once you find an entry, use the certificate number to order a copy from either the Town Clerk or the state.

The Rochester Public Library has a local history division with genealogy resources. The Monroe County Library System also holds microfilm and other records that can help with death index research in the Greece area.

Historical societies in Monroe County may have records and context that official offices do not. The Greece Historical Society can help with local research. These are not vital records offices, but they can point you to useful sources.

How Death Records Work in Greece

New York uses a local registrar system. The clerk where the death happened files the original record. A copy goes to the state. You can get records from either source, but the local clerk is faster.

State processing runs 8 months or more. The Town Clerk can handle requests much quicker. If you know the death took place in Greece, contact the Town Clerk first.

Under 10 NYCRR 35.4, local registrars file records with the state within a set time. This keeps the statewide death index complete. Vital records are not available through FOIL requests. Death records follow their own access rules under the Public Health Law.

Ordering Greece Death Certificates

In-person requests go to the Greece Town Clerk during business hours. Bring a photo ID. Staff can search and issue copies depending on workload. Call first to check hours and confirm current fees.

Mail requests should include the deceased's full name, date of death, your relationship to the deceased, and payment. Contact the Town Clerk to confirm what payment forms they accept. Money orders are usually a safe choice for mail requests.

For state requests, send a letter to the NYS DOH with a check or money order. Specify whether you want a genealogy copy or a certified copy. Genealogy copies cost less and work for family research.

Nearby Cities

Rochester borders Greece to the southeast and is the Monroe County seat. Irondequoit is another Monroe County town to the east of Greece. Both cities maintain their own death records through local clerks. Each registrar handles only deaths that occurred within their own boundaries.