Past Obituaries Facts

An obituary is a written notice of a person's death, usually published in a local newspaper. When a celebrity or notable public figure dies, obituaries usually appear in newspapers all over the world. While it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the first obituary appeared, newspapers like "The Times" in Great Britain started publishing death notices in the 1800's.

Basic obituaries for average citizens are usually published for free throughout North America and Europe as a public service. Past obituaries can provide useful information, since they typically include the decedent's age, city of residence, place of birth and immediate family member names such as spouse and/or children. Libraries as well as the actual newspaper usually offer archives of past obituaries, especially from the 20th century and beyond. Using information from past obituaries of ancestors whose identity you know can lead you to a fuller exploration of your family tree.

Those conducting genealogical research from before the 20th century may have a difficult time finding obituaries, but the task is not impossible. Many city libraries offer historical research searches for a nominal fee, which can help expedite the process of finding an obituary from the 1800's or even earlier if one might exist. After all, the first obituary probably was a formal notice tacked to doors even before the 1800's, at least according to Marilyn Johnson, author of "The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries."

If your ancestor belonged to particular religious groups during the 19th century, especially in the southeastern United States, you may have an easier time finding these past obituaries. This is because religious faiths such as the Quakers, Baptists and Mennonites had their own publications that often published death notices. You can typically utilize the DeathIndexes.com Obituaries Research Guide to conduct these searches without a trip to your local library!

Past obituaries of groups of immigrants, like Germans from Russia who came to the United States, also may be easier to find if you're seeking information from before the 20th century. This is because American historical societies made a special effort to archive such death notices to attempt to preserve cultural history. Such research can also be conducted using the DeathIndexes.com Obituaries Research Guide.

If you've ever wondered with awe how major newspapers such as "The New York Times" quickly publish lengthy literary missives regarding the death of public figures, this fact could burst your admiration bubble. The newspaper--along with other major publications like "The Times" of London--keeps an archive of pre-written obituaries for major public figures. As of 2010, "The New York Times" pre-written death notice archive covered about 1,500 celebrities. This greatly expedites their obituary writing process, as only basic details such as the actual death location and date must be added prior to publication.

References

"Death Indexes: Obituaries Research Guide." http://www.deathindexes.com/obituaries.html

"Obit: A Lively Night of Obits." http://www.obit-mag.com/articles/a-lively-night-of-obits

"The New York Times: Obituaries." http://www.nytimes.com/pages/obituaries/index.html