Obituaries: A Research Guide

Obituaries provide an important tool to researchers by offering biographical information on individuals, which may not be readily available elsewhere. In many cases, the obituary supplies the only biographical data extant on a person. Major newspapers like The New York Times print obituaries of notable people and death notices for others in the local community. Indexes to these newspapers, as well as specialized indexes to obituaries in these and other sources, provide access to this valuable biographical information. In response to renewed interest in genealogy, various compilers have published indexes to obituaries that have appeared in American newspapers of modest circulation; obviously, these indexes are limited in terms of their geographical and chronological parameters. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library's catalog and research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.

52 McGs: The Best Obituaries from Legendary New York Times Writer Robert McG. Thomas, Jr. edited by Robert McG. Thomas and Chris Calhoun. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001. ISBN: 0743215621.
The late New York Times reporter Robert McG. Thomas Jr. (1939–2000) developed a loyal following for quirky, witty obituaries.

Final Placement: A Guide to the Deaths, Funerals, and Burials of Notable Americans. Robert B. Dickerson. Algonac, MI: Reference, 1982. ISBN: 0917256182.
Information about the deaths, funerals, and burials of some famous Americans.

The Last Word: The New York Times Book Of Obituaries And Farewells: A Celebration Of Unusual Lives by Marvin Siegel. New York: Morrow, 1997. ISBN: 0688150152.
A compilation of 100 of the most colorful, entertaining, and touching obits that have appeared in The New York Times.

The New York Times Obituaries Index: 1858–1978. 2 vols. New York: New York Times, 1970–1980. ISBN: 0667005986.
Refers researchers to the appropriate issue of The New York Times for the desired obituary. After 1978, check the heading “Deaths” (which is then subdivided by individual names) in the annual cumulations of The New York Times Index .

Obituaries: A Guide to Sources by Betty Jarboe. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1989. ISBN: 0816104832.
Published obituaries and cemetery records arranged by state. Also indexed by names, titles, and subjects.

Obituaries in American Culture by Janice Hume. Jackson: University of Mississippi Press, 2000. ISBN: 1578062411.
A look at obituaries in American culture over time.

Obituaries on File by Felice D. Levy. 2 vols. New York: Facts On File, 1979. ISBN: 0871963728.
Compilation of obituaries appearing in Facts On File from 1940 through 1978. Arranged by name of the deceased, subject (wherein individuals are listed by vocation, nationality, and corporate affiliation) and chronology (in which the deceased are listed by date of death).

Permanent Addresses: A Guide to the Resting Places of Famous Americans by Jean S. Arbeiter and Linda D. Cirino. New York: Evans, 1983. ISBN: 0871314029.
Listings of where famous people are buried.

Project Remember: A National Index of Gravesites of Notable Americans by Arthur S. Koykka. Algonac: Reference, 1986. ISBN: 0917256220.
Arranged primarily by occupation with an index listing individual names. There are significant secondary arrangements which include mass burials, burials outside the United States, burials of uncertain disposition (e.g., those lost at sea), and a listing of those who chose to have no memorial e.g., those who directed that their ashes be scattered over land or sea.

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Cemetery Junction
www.daddezio.com/cemetery/
Directory of cemeteries within the United States, Canada and Australia.

Family Search from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp
Search for death and burial records worldwide.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
www.nara.gov
Online access to a selection of nearly 50 million historic electronic records created by more than 20 federal agencies.

Obituary Daily Times
www.rootsweb.com/~obituary/
Citations to published obituaries in newspapers in the United States and Canada.

Social Security Death Index
www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/vital/ssdi/main.htm
Generated from the U.S. Social Security Administrations Death Master File. It contains the records of deceased persons who possessed Social Security numbers and whose death had been reported to the SSA.

Vital Records Information-State Index
http://vitalrec.com/index.html
Contains information about where to obtain vital records (such as birth, death and marriage certificates, and divorce decrees) from each state, territory, and county of the United States.