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A death cert will confirm a marriage status, widow of or wife of, or if nothing is mentioned it's either unknown or they were single.

It'll mention when and how they died, and where, and the name of the informant, hopefully this will be a family member.

Always remembering the data on the cert is only as good as the knowledge the person reporting the death had about the deceased.

Tracey

Tracey, thank you for this information,and I do understand what you are saying in the last sentence.
However, I'm not quite sure how you would cross-reference this to the persons birth certificate, to be positive you have the same person. For instance, on my grandmother's death certificate, it says her father's name, which is what got me started on the family to begin with.
Again, many thanks
Julia in Derbyshire

Was your Grandmothers death cert a scottish one or was he the informant?

Her death cert should have her age (if known) or a best guess...

You never know who's going to be the informant. It'll state their relationship to the deceased.... so it might be John Smith (Nephew) for instance.... or John Smith ( son in law) the latter would indicate she may have had a female child etc etc

Tracey

Tracy - no, it was not a Scottish one, but I do know her father's name was on it. I'll tell you why I know. When I wanted to start this geneology game, last year, I was looking for her father under William Turner. When I mentioned to my dad that I could not find anything under that name,he told me that the death cert. was among some papers my desceased mother had left. She had this cert. because she was the person who was in charge of 'everything' so to speak.His name was actually Ira William, and so I was able to go forward. The Margaret of the query here, was his sister.
Many thanks
Julia in Derbyshire