Daily AncestorAccidental death
Accidental death, or simply accidental, was an inquest verdict or death record entry meaning the person died from an accident, not disease, suicide or murder.
Accidental death is a verdict an inquest jury could reach, and on death records accidental or accident was entered in the cause or manner column.
Older records may add the details, such as drowned, kicked by horse, or killed by falling tree. Those details can lead you to newspaper stories, coroner files or court cases.
As seen in a recordCause of death column, 1850 to 1880 federal mortality schedule
Jas. Rowe, 19, M, W, Single, Penn., May, Accidental, killed in mine
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Accidental death." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/accidental-death. Last checked 2026-10-01.