Daily AncestorGunshot wound
Gunshot wound on an old record meant death from a bullet or shot, which could be an accident, a suicide or a homicide; the word alone does not say which.
The 1911 Census Bureau manual lists gunshot as an undesirable return on its own, since it might be accidental, suicidal or homicidal. It asked doctors to state which and the means, as revolver wound of head, homicide.
IPUMS separates firearms accidents, suicide by firearm and homicide by firearms. Check inquests and newspapers.
As seen in a recordCause of death column, 1850 to 1880 federal mortality schedule
Thos. Pruden, 17, M, W, Nov., Gunshot wound, accidental
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Gunshot wound." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/gunshot-wound. Last checked 2026-10-12.