Where To Find Obituary Records

If you are looking for obituary records there is a good chance you will find them as long as you know where to look. In fact, tracking down obituaries is one of the best ways to find out about a person who has passed away, because not only are they published in public documents, such as newspapers, but they often contain brief information about the deceased and their family.

That said, the following are some suggestions where you should being your search to track down the obituaries you seek:

Newspapers – There is more than one way that you can conduct your investigation when it comes to newspaper archives. The first method you should try is to check out the paper's digital archives that are listed on their site. However, what you will discover is that most newspapers have limited obituaries in terms of dates. In other words, most of them do not have digital copies of these documents prior to the late 1990's.

Internet Archives - Another option you have is to search for newspaper-related Internet archives at your local library and universities, as these institutions often have numerous records that have been complied from a variety of resources. Thus, you have a better chance of finding both new and old obituaries.

Social Security Death Index – There are different websites that will allow you to search for a person's personal records if you can provide their name or social security number. If the individual you are searching for is listed, you will learn their name, state where they lived, date and place of birth and death, etc.

Genealogy banks – You can check out websites that specialize in genealogy records as they often have huge databases filled with various archives from a myriad of resources including newspapers and other public record documents. By checking into someone's ancestry you can learn dates related to birth and death and info regarding their family history.

You will find that exploring the above sources to locate the obituary you wish to obtain is an easy process but it is a process that is not always free, especially when it comes to looking up a person who has been dead for decades. Therefore, don't be surprised if a small fee accompanies your search. This is normal when checking public records. Your only concern should be to ensure the site is trustworthy.

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