Searching for someone’s obituary can feel overwhelming, but with the right approach, you can locate most obituaries within minutes. Whether you’re researching family history, seeking closure, or need information for legal purposes, this complete guide shows you exactly where to look and how to search effectively. From free online databases to historical archives, we’ll walk…
Searching for an obituary can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially when you’re dealing with limited information or older deaths. Whether you’re piecing together family history, seeking closure after losing touch with someone, or need obituary information for legal purposes, the good news is there are more resources available today than ever before.
This comprehensive guide will show you exactly how to find an obituary for a specific person using both free and paid resources, plus expert tips to make your search more effective.
Did you know? Everis offers interactive digital memorial pages that go far beyond a traditional obituary. Friends and family can share stories, photos, and reflections over time—creating an evolving tribute that honors a life and invites the community to keep memories alive. Learn more about Everis Obituaries >
Essential Information You’ll Need About the Person
Before beginning your search for an obituary, gather as much of the following information as possible. The more details you have, the faster and more accurate your search will be.
Primary Info (Must-Have)
1. Full Name
- First, middle, and last name (exactly as used)
- Try variations: nicknames, maiden names, married names, initials
- For women: search both maiden and married names
- Common misspellings of the name
2. Time Frame
- Year of death (even approximate)
- Month and day if known
- Age at time of death or birth year
- Date ranges help when exact dates are unknown
3. Geographic Information
- City and state where death occurred
- Last known residence (may differ from death location)
- County information
- Previous locations where they lived
Supporting Details (Helpful, But Not Required)
Family Connections
- Spouse’s name (including former spouses)
- Children’s names and approximate ages
- Parents’ names
- Siblings’ names
Personal Information
- Occupation or employer
- Military service details
- Religious affiliation or church membership
- Schools attended
- Notable achievements or community involvement
Free Online Resources
Before you start clicking through websites, it helps to have realistic expectations about what you’ll find online. If the person died after 2000, you’ve got a good chance at finding their obituary with a simple Google search since most newspapers started putting their content online around that time. For deaths before 2000, you might get lucky, but don’t be surprised if you need to dig deeper.
Online searching can still be worth a try (you never know what’s been digitized), but you’ll probably need to try a paid obituary database or check libraries, historical societies, or search historical records to find what you’re looking for.
Online Search Engines
Before diving into specialized databases, start with the search engines you already know. Google, Bing, and Yahoo often surface obituaries from newspaper websites, funeral homes, and memorial sites that might not show up in dedicated obituary databases.
Search Techniques:
- Use quotation marks around full names: “Beverly Marie Casey”
- Try different combinations: “Beverly M. Casey” or “B. Marie Casey”
- Add the word “obituary” or “died” to your search
- Include location: “Mary Johnson” obituary Detroit Michigan
- Try date ranges: “Robert Brown” died 2019-2021
- Use the minus sign to exclude irrelevant results: “David Wilson” obituary -actor
Example Search Teamplates:
- Search obituary + [name] + [location] + [year]
- Try “[name] memorial service” or “[name] funeral”
- Include family member names: “John Smith” survived by “Mary Smith”
Top Free Obituary Websites
Once you’ve exhausted basic search engines, it’s time to check the sites that focus specifically on obituaries. These platforms collect death notices from newspapers, funeral homes, and families across the country, making them goldmines for your search.
Legacy.com
This is probably your best starting point for recent obituaries. Legacy partners with thousands of newspapers and funeral homes across the country, so you can search by name, location, and date all in one place. What makes it especially valuable is that many obituaries include guest book entries from friends and family, plus photos that can help you confirm you’ve found the right person.
Everis.com
Everis Obituaries are interactive, digital memorial pages where friends and family can share stories, photos, and reflections. They’re more than a one-time notice. They’re evolving tributes that honor a life and invite others to keep the memory alive.
Another solid option for recent obituaries, Tributes.com has good search functionality and includes listings from funeral homes nationwide. It’s particularly useful if you’re also looking for funeral home contact information in the area where someone passed away.
ObituariesHelp.org
Think of this as your roadmap to obituary hunting—it’s a comprehensive directory that links you to local newspapers and funeral homes organized by state. It’s particularly helpful when you know the general area where someone died but aren’t sure which specific newspaper or funeral home to check.
Don’t let the name fool you—this massive database of cemetery records often includes full obituary text or links to obituaries, not just burial information. It’s run by volunteers who photograph headstones and gather family information, making it especially valuable for historical searches where other online sources come up empty.
Newspaper Websites
National Newspapers
Major papers like The New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today maintain searchable obituary archives, often free with registration.
Local and Regional Papers
Small-town newspapers frequently offer the most detailed obituaries for their communities:
- Check both current and archived newspaper websites
- Many require free registration for full access
- Local papers often include more personal details and family information
Did you know? When you plan ahead with Everis, your comprehensive plan includes carbon-neutral cremation, planning documents, obituary, nature memorial and resting place in nature, for $4,150.
Paid Obituary Databases
When free resources don’t yield results, paid services often provide access to more comprehensive archives and historical records that have been digitized and made searchable online, with some going back to the 1700s. Most offer free trials, so you can often find what you need without long-term commitments.
Genealogy Websites
Ancestry.com
The most comprehensive genealogy platform includes:
- Extensive obituary collections from newspapers nationwide
- Historical death certificates and burial records
- Advanced search filters by location, date, and family members
- Integration with family trees and DNA matches
- Usually offers 14-day free trials
MyHeritage.com
Strong international coverage with:
- Global obituary databases
- Historical newspaper archives
- Family tree building tools
- DNA matching capabilities
Newspaper Archive Services
Newspapers.com
Owned by Ancestry, this service provides:
- Millions of historical newspaper pages
- Advanced search capabilities
- 517 million+ obituaries
- Full-page newspaper views
- Good for obituaries from 1700s-present
GenealogyBank.com
Specializes in obituaries and historical records:
- 17,000+ newspapers, including small-town publications
- Historical documents from 1690-present
- Advanced search filters for names, dates, and locations
- Extensive coverage of American newspapers
International coverage with:
- 47 countries and all 50 U.S. states
- Historical newspaper database from 1607-present
- Keyword and date-specific searching
- Full newspaper page access
Obituaries in Libraries & Funeral Homes
Sometimes the best obituary hunting happens offline, especially for older deaths or people from smaller communities. Local libraries and funeral homes often have physical records that never made it online, and the staff at these places can be incredibly helpful when you’re stuck.
Libraries
Public libraries are often your best bet for historical obituary research since many maintain local obituary indexes, have access to newspaper microfilm, and offer free database access to library card holders—plus librarians are usually happy to help guide your search.
University libraries can be even more valuable with their extensive historical collections and academic databases, especially if you’re looking for regional newspaper archives that might not be available elsewhere.
Funeral Homes
Funeral homes are goldmines for obituary hunting since they keep records of services they’ve conducted and often have copies of the obituaries they placed in newspapers, sometimes going back decades.
Many also post current and recent obituaries on their websites with search functions, and the staff can provide burial location details and other information that might not appear in published obituaries.
Obituaries on Social Media and in Modern Searches
Don’t overlook the power of social media when searching for recent obituaries—families often share obituary links on Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms before they even appear in search results. Plus, memorial pages and tribute posts can provide details and context you won’t find in traditional obituaries.
Try these search tips:
- Search for the person’s name plus “memorial” or “tribute”
- Family members often create memorial pages
- May include obituary links or text
- Check family members’ profiles for shared obituaries
Historical and Archive Obituary Searches
For deaths before 1990, most obituaries exist only in physical archives and require more intensive research methods.
Local Historical Societies
Historical societies often maintain:
- Newspaper clipping files organized by surname
- Local death records and cemetery information
- Volunteer researchers familiar with local resources
- Historical photograph and document collections
State Archives
- Historical newspaper collections on microfilm
- Death certificates and vital records
- Digital collections (increasing regularly)
- Research assistance services
Cemetery Research
- Cemetery office records often include death dates and family information
- Headstone inscriptions provide birth and death dates
- Plot records may include next of kin information
- Many cemeteries now have online databases
Microfilm Archives
Library of Congress
- Extensive newspaper microfilm collection
- Available through interlibrary loan programs
- Historical coverage of major U.S. newspapers
State Universities
- Regional newspaper archives
- Historical document collections
- Public research access
- Academic database access
The Key to Successful Obituary Searching
Finding an obituary for a specific person requires patience, creativity, and often multiple approaches. Start with free resources and basic information, then expand your search methods and consider paid services if necessary. Remember that not everyone has a published obituary, but alternative records can still provide valuable information about a person’s death and life.
The key to successful obituary searching is being thorough, trying multiple spelling variations and date ranges, and using various types of sources. Whether you’re researching family history, seeking closure, or gathering information for legal purposes, these methods will give you the best chance of finding the obituary you’re looking for.
Remember to respect privacy concerns and family wishes when conducting your search, and always verify information through multiple sources when possible.
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