Daily AncestorSenility
Senility meant the physical and mental decline of advanced age; as a cause of death it was close to saying old age.
Senility, or senile debility, described the weakness and confusion that can come with old age. In the 1800s and early 1900s it was a common cause entered for elderly people.
Before dementia was understood as a set of diseases, senility covered memory loss, frailty and general failure together. It is not a precise diagnosis.
As seen in a recordCause of death line on an early 1900s death certificate
Cause of death: Senility. Duration: 1 yr.
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Daily Ancestor. "Senility." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/senility. Last checked 2026-10-01.