Obituaries

Obituaries and death notices are some of the most sought-after documents for genealogists. In addition to gathering evidence about when and where a person died (which can be difficult to find in the era before statewide vital record-keeping), you might discover other details not available elsewhere:

• the deceased’s occupation and interests
• names of the person’s family members
• the places where he or she lived (sometimes including the hard-to-find birth place of an immigrant)

Obituaries also can give you a glimpse into the cultural nuances of the era.

This guide will walk you through the ins and outs of obituary research, including where to look for historical obituaries and death notices, and the clues about your ancestors that you can glean from obituaries.

TYPES OF DEATH RECORDS IN NEWSPAPERS

It’s a common misunderstanding that any item in the newspaper concerning someone’s death is an obituary. But in reality, three types of remembrances may have been printed. Although not all are technically obituaries, you can use this guide to help you find and use all three.

Obituaries

An obituary is an editorial article written by a member of the newspaper staff after interviewing the family and gathering biographical facts about the deceased person. Families may request an obituary be written about their relative, but the editor decides if the story is published.

An obituary could be a short article of a few hundred words or a lengthy profile covering half of a page. The length depended on the newspaper, the social standing of the person,