When you’re researching your ancestors, obituaries are a wonderful resource. They provide answers or clues to many questions about birth, marriage, death, relatives, affiliations, military experience, and so much more.
In this blog post, you’ll discover the best places to find obituaries, what you can find in them, and what to watch out for.
When I sit down to research a new ancestor, one of the first things I look for (besides census records) are obituaries. They can be an amazing source of information for your genealogy research.
For example, the obituary for my 2x great-grandmother, Julia Ann Dettinger, (above) included her name, the time and date of death, her exact age at death (which helped me figure out her birth date), where the funeral took place, and where she was buried. And this was a short one!
Let’s see where you can find obituaries and why they are so valuable.
Start with Online Databases
Many online sites contain digitized obituaries, making them easy to find. Websites like Ancestry.com, Genealogybank.com, and Newspapers.com have large collections. Memorials at FindAGrave.com may also have obituaries.
You can start with a general search of your ancestor’s name and location, where you think their obituary should be. But you could also use the card catalog searching for obituary collections.
A good one at Ancestry.com is called “U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current”. Keep in mind Newspapers.com is owned by Ancestry and a subscription is required to view the clipping, but it’s a start to see what’s available.
If you want to know more about using the card catalog at Ancestry.com, click here.
As I mentioned in my blog post, 10 Ways Newspapers Can Power Your Genealogy Research, I found two important obituaries minutes after I subscribed to Newspapers.com. I think it’s one of those paid sites that’s worth the money.
Legacy.com
Another online tool is Legacy.com. This website started in 1998 and is one of the leaders in online obituaries and memorials. They have obituaries featured in over 1500 of the world’s most popular newspapers. It is easy to search by name, location, or newspaper.
Visit Local Libraries and Archives
If you can’t find what you’re looking for with online searches, local libraries and archives can be a big help. You can visit them in person or check their resources online. Librarians know a lot about local records, so don’t hesitate to ask them for help. They might also have special collections that could be really useful.
For example, the Mars Hill News from Aroostook County, Maine is online at the Walter T. A. Hansen Memorial Library website where I’ve found many references to my husband’s family.
What Will You Find?
Obituaries usually include important details about a person’s life. Look at all the things you may be able to find out about your ancestor:
Personal Information
- Full Name: Often includes full name, including maiden names and nicknames. Pay attention to variations and spellings and keep a list of them.
- Date of Birth: Could be listed directly or you can figure it out from their age and date of death.
- Date of Death: Typically includes the full date, sometimes with the time of death. And then sometimes it may say something like “…they passed away Monday” with no particular date listed. In this case, figure out the death date by comparing it to the date of the newspaper.
- Cause of Death: Sometimes included, providing information about your ancestor’s health. You may find this health issue runs in the family.
- Age: The age of the deceased at the time of death is often included, which can help verify birth and death dates.
- Place of Death: The location where the person passed away, which can sometimes differ from their place of residence.
- Place of Birth: This can give you clues to the family’s origin. If they were born outside of the U.S. this should point you to immigration or naturalization records.
- Residence: The last known place of residence, which can be useful for finding other local records.
Relatives and Friends
- Surviving Relatives: Includes spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, and sometimes extended family members. This can help confirm relationships and identify living relatives.
- Deceased Relatives: Names of family members who passed away before the deceased, which can help piece a family together.
- Friends: Many times obituaries will mention pallbearers or dear friends of the deceased. These clues can be important for breaking down brick wall ancestors.
Occupation
- Occupation and Achievements: Information about your ancestor’s career, education, hobbies, and community. This is wonderful information to add to their story.
Funeral or Burial Information
- Funeral Service Details: Dates, times, and locations of services, which can lead to church or funeral home records.
- Burial or Cremation Details: Information about the burial site or cremation, which can point you to cemetery records or memorials.
Special Details
- Photographs: Some obituaries include photographs, which are always an amazing find!
Variations in Names and Dates
The information in obituaries can sometimes have errors or different spellings of names and dates. In the obituary of Julia Ann Dettinger, her name is listed as Julian, which I’ve never found in any other record.
It’s important to check the information with other records whenever you can. Dates might not be exact either. Being flexible in your search can help you find records you might otherwise miss.
Look for Patterns and Trends
As you find obituaries, you may notice patterns or trends in your family. For instance, you might see that several family members lived in the same area or worked in similar jobs. These patterns can help you understand your ancestors’ lives better. They can also point you to other records, like job or property records, that can add more to your research.
Find and Organize Key Information
When you find an obituary, take the time to extract every nugget of information and organize the important details. Create a special section in your genealogy records for obituaries, and include things like the publication date, the newspaper name, and the specific information found in the obituary. If you’re citing your sources, this information would be included in that citation.
Explore Related Newspaper Articles
Obituaries aren’t the only newspaper article you’ll find. Items like death notices, funeral announcements, and stories about the person’s life or community activities are also published. These related articles can give you more context and details about your ancestor’s life.
Be sure to check issues of the newspaper a few days before and after. You never know when publication will take place.
Verify with Other Sources
While obituaries are useful, they should just be one part of your research. In most cases, you don’t know who the informant was. Use the information in the obituary as clues and verify it with several other types of records, like birth and death certificates, census records, and wills. This cross-checking helps make sure your research is accurate and can tell you if you need to do more verifying.
Respect Privacy and Sensitivity
When using obituaries in your research, it’s important to respect the privacy and sensitivity of the information. Obituaries can contain personal details about living relatives, so be careful when you share, especially online. Always think about the potential impact on the families involved and handle the information with care.
An Example from My Family
My 2x great-aunt, Mary Ellen Stabley, was married to Charles Franklin Harkins. Charles was a well-known citizen of York County, Pennsylvania so when he died there were many newspaper reports. These are just 3 of 14 death notices, obituaries, and funeral notices I found in 6 different newspapers in York and Lancaster Counties. You can learn a lot about a person’s life in obituaries!
Now, not every ancestor is going to have 14 different articles written about them, but whatever you find will be valuable clues for further research.
Finally
Obituaries can be powerful tools in your genealogy research. By following these simple tips, you can effectively use them to discover new details about your ancestors’ lives and fill in the gaps in your family’s history.
Genealogy tip: If your ancestors moved, you may find obituaries in newspapers in the towns or cities they previously lived. Don’t limit yourself to where they died.
Have you found obituaries but you don’t know how to connect the dots of your ancestor’s life? Give me a call and let’s discuss your latest project.
