That Seemingly Random Number on Grandma’s Death Certificate

Death certificates from the 20th century often have numbers associated with the cause of death. Added to the certificates for statistical purposes, these codes can make it easier to read the causes of death on some certificates when the handwriting presents a challenge. And…some of us just wonder what those numbers are doing on the certificate.

For more on these death certificate codes, visit our “Search Tip of the Day” page or visit the list of codes directly