Genealogy, Obituaries, and Family Histories
Obituaries from the past can be an important part of present day genealogical research. Genealogy has become an increasingly common pastime for many, and – of course – is greatly aided by the Internet. Genealogy is one of the more common online searches. (Be careful not to search for the misspelled "geneology.")
Searching the obituaries of our ancestors can lead not only to knowing the facts about their lives and something about their stories, but also the names of relatives, the place of interment, and more. Read closely – the names of mourners and pallbearers, for example, could provide new clues to family relationships.
Writing more accurate and complete obituaries today will make searching for our family histories better in the future. In that vein, remember to include what seems obvious today, but may not be in the future, for example, the year of death, the place of residence, or the place of interment.
Resources and Links
Amazon.com's
Genealogy / Obituary Bookshelf (on
Amazon.ca) Search
results for genealogy / obituary.
Ancestry.com Access the world's largest family
history collection, with billions of records. Subscription based –
free 14-day trial.
Ancestry.ca –
Canada Subscription based – free 14-day trial.
Ancestry.com
– Historic Newspapers Online Search millions of
pages of historic newspapers from the US, Canada, and the U.K.
dating back to the 1700s. Subscription based – free 14-day
trial.
Ancestry.com
– Obituary Collection
Search 9 million obituaries from
the US, Canada, the UK, Europe, and Australia. Subscription based –
free 14-day trial.
Family
Genealogy and History Internet Education Directory The
aim of this website is to "promote scholarly educational access to
all key worldwide Internet genealogical and family history databases
and resources."
Newspaper
Obituaries on the Web Access to databases of archived
obituaries on the Internet – six million free newspaper obituaries
in the United States.
Obituary
Central This website is an obituary database for
finding obituaries and performing cemetery searches.
Obituary
Look Up Volunteers An all-volunteer web site and
mailing list that provides obituary look ups all over the
world. Volunteers from many locations could be able to help in
your obituary research.
Obituaries
(Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Websites) The Obituaries
section of this comprehensive guide to genealogy resources.
Obituaries
Help Resource for online and newspaper obituaries
archives and genealogy research.
See Also:
Memoir
Writing: Ten Tips
How to Write a Life Story
Six Words To
Describe A Life?
Obituaries
in American Culture: A Review
A Family History
Writing Workshop
More From Obituary Guide:
- Writing Your Own Obituary Offers Chance for Reflection
- How to Write a Legacy Letter (Ethical Will)
- A Family History Writing Workshop
- Helping Families "Most Satisfying Work" for Funeral Celebrant
- Be Prepared: Will, Health Care Directive (Living Will), and More
Books You May Find of Interest:
Not Quite What I Was Planning:
Six-Word Memoirs

Writing an Obituary Worth Reading:
A Guide to Writing a Fulfilling Life Review

Find the Good:
Unexpected Life lessons From a Small-Town
Obituary Writer

Having the Last Say:
Capturing Your Legacy in One Small Story

Obit:
Inspiring Stories of Ordinary People Who Led Extraordinary Lives
For All Time:
A Complete Guide to Writing Your Family History

Thrive:
The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of
Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder

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