Unalaska Alaska Death Records
Death records for Unalaska, Alaska are maintained by the state Health Analytics and Vital Records Section. Unalaska is the largest city in Aleutians West Census Area, and all requests for certified death certificates must go through the state HAVRS office rather than any local agency.
Unalaska Overview
Unalaska Death Records and the State System
Unalaska is a city in the Aleutian Islands, located on Unalaska Island and adjacent Amaknak Island in the Aleutians West Census Area. All death records for Unalaska residents are held by the Health Analytics and Vital Records Section (HAVRS) at the state level. The City of Unalaska at unalaska.gov provides local government services but does not store or issue death certificates.
Alaska Statute AS 18.50 governs all vital records statewide. Death records are restricted for 50 years from the date of death. Records from before 1975 are now publicly available. Records from 1975 onward require proof of an eligible relationship to the deceased. Given Unalaska's remote island location, online and mail methods are the most practical options for most residents ordering death certificates.
Unalaska has a long documented history as a Russian colonial outpost and later a major American military and fishing port. Death records for the Aleutian Islands begin in 1913, though Russian Orthodox Church records and Russian colonial records extend the documented history much further back. The Aleutian Islands collections at the Alaska State Archives hold records from across this period.
Requesting Unalaska Death Certificates
Certified death certificates for Unalaska residents are ordered through the state HAVRS portal. Requests can be submitted in person at a state office, online through VitalChek, or by mail or fax. Email is not accepted. The online method through VitalChek is the most practical for Unalaska residents given the island's distance from any state office.
The Anchorage office at 3901 Old Seward Hwy, Ste. 101, Anchorage, AK 99503, phone (907) 269-0991, is the most accessible state walk-in location for Unalaska residents who travel to the mainland. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Juneau office at 5441 Commercial Blvd., Juneau, AK 99801, phone (907) 465-3391, fax (907) 465-3618, is open the same hours. Mail requests go to Health Analytics and Vital Records, P.O. Box 110675, Juneau, AK 99811-0675.
The first certified copy costs $30. Additional copies at the same time cost $25 each. An apostille costs $42. A record verification costs $2.50. VitalChek orders take 2 to 3 weeks. Mail and fax take 2 to 3 months. All submissions need a completed form, a government ID copy, and payment.
Note: Submit through one method only to avoid duplicate charges.
Historical Records and Genealogy for Unalaska
Historical death records for Unalaska are part of the Aleutian Islands collections at the Alaska State Archives in Juneau, at 395 Whittier St., phone (907) 465-2270. The Archives holds Aleutian Islands Death Records from 1913 to 1944 as part of the territorial record system. The FamilySearch wiki for Aleutians West Census Area describes the available collections, including territorial records and church-based vital records from earlier periods.
Russian Orthodox Church records for Unalaska date back to the Russian colonial era and document deaths from the late 18th century onward. These records are among the oldest vital records in Alaska and have been partially digitized through the Alaska State Archives and FamilySearch partnership. The statewide Alaska Vital Records 1816-2005 collection at FamilySearch covers the Aleutian Islands area.
The Alaska State Library genealogy resources page provides statewide tools applicable to Aleutian Islands research. The Museum of the Aleutians at 314 Salmon Way, Unalaska, AK 99685, phone (907) 581-5150, holds historical collections that may supplement genealogical research. Cemetery records for Unalaska are indexed at Find a Grave. The Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch covers deaths from 1962 to present.