Daily AncestorPalsy
Palsy is an old word for paralysis, often with trembling, usually after a stroke when it was the cause on a death record.
Palsy means paralysis, the loss of power to move part of the body, sometimes with shaking. It comes from the same root as paralysis.
On death records, palsy or paralysis often means the person had a stroke and lived on for a while. Bell's palsy, a weakness of one side of the face, keeps the old word alive.
As seen in a recordCause of death column, 1850 to 1880 federal mortality schedule
Mary Kline, 74, F, W, Widowed, Penn., February, Palsy, 180 days
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Palsy." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/palsy. Last checked 2026-10-01.