Obituaries are one of the most sought after articles that are published in old newspapers. They can be found a multitude of ways. If you are searching newspapers online, there are several methods to get you to the obituary faster and more effectively. There are thousands of indexes to newspaper obituaries that have been created by libraries, genealogical societies and from volunteers in a multitude of organizations and websites. Online search engines are valuable, especially since most obituaries in the past two decades appear in obituary and tribute websites only.
Here is a summary of 9 different ways to get to that elusive obituary and the information written in it:
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Use keywords in your search criteria that are Frequently used in obituariesUse keywords in your search criteria that are Frequently used in obituaries
Obituaries have a standard set of words that are often found in them. So if you are looking for an obit, try adding one of these common obituary words to your search criteria:
- Beloved
- Dear
- Loving
- Passed away
- Survived by
- Died
- Funeral
- In lieu of flowers
- Native of
- Devoted
Continue searching after finding the first obituaryContinue searching after finding the first obituary
Sometimes they are amended after the first publication, especially in cases of multiple marriages. Often step-children are omitted (accidentally, or on purpose). And once they are published, family members may notice honest mistakes, requiring editing and republishing.
Obituaries in the Last 20 YearsObituaries in the Last 20 Years
Most obituaries in the 21st century are published online, rather than a printed newspaper. Many of your local newspapers have websites where obituaries are published. There also are memorial and remembrance sites that are available for free, and many families publish their obituaries on these sites. The advantage of these sites are that they allow the author to write longer obituaries with much more life information for the deceased. To find them, using your favorite search engine can help you discover the obituaries.
See alsoSee also
- How to search for people in newspapers
- How to optimize searching for obituaries in online newspapers
- Tips on analyzing the Vitals section of historical newspapers
- Newspaper records
- Newspaper records in the United States
- Newspaper records in Ireland
- Newspaper records in Russia
- Newspaper records in Ukraine
- Newspaper archives in Greece
Explore more about how to optimize searching for obituaries in online newspapersExplore more about how to optimize searching for obituaries in online newspapers
- Learn Legacy Software Live! City directories, obituaries and more webinar by Geoff Rasmussen at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- Obituaries: Clues to Look For. Tips for making sure you get the full benefit from an obituary notice webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars