How to Find Obituaries in My Area

Obituaries summarize a deceased person’s life. They usually list the late individual’s date of death, age, accomplishments, affiliations, and next of kin. Some obituaries will list the cause of death as well. Obituaries notify friends and relatives of the individual’s death and provide valuable information for genealogical research. When you want to find obituaries in your area, look toward local newspapers and Internet directories.

Seek out area newspapers. Find newspapers at libraries, gas stations, convenience stores, supermarkets or other stores. Purchase the newspapers, read them at the library, or find them online.

Look at the index on the newspaper's front page to find the obituaries page. If using a newspaper website, type in "obituaries" in the search box or look for a listing. You may need to input the deceased's first and last names.

Locate obituaries online using directory websites such as ObitLinksPage.com or ObituariesHelp.org. Select your state from the map to find obituary information by state.

Browse funeral home websites for obituary information. If you are unfamiliar with the local funeral homes, find listings in a phone book.