Using Newspaper Obituaries to Locate Lost Family

If you've lost touch with a part of your family or you are looking for ancestral ties, the best place to start looking is in newspaper obituaries. Surviving family is usually listed. If it's a recent obituary, you can contact these people directly, if not, you can contact the children of the deceased.

An obituary is a notice that announces the death of someone with a description of the person's life and list of family members. An obituary is a valuable tool for genealogists and family tree researchers because it contains clues about the deceased and the deceased's family. The obituary is often written by the funeral home or mortuary, but many people choose to write an obituary for their loved one that is published in the newspaper and included in the funeral program.

No matter how big or small a community, there is always a newspaper serving that community, and has been for decades and longer. Newspapers reporting on the events of people's lives and deaths can be a valuable way to link yourself to long lost family. Unlike vital records that give specific dates, and limited information, newspapers report on more than just the facts. They give details of the lives lived, births, deaths, marriages and ... read more

• How do I write a Eulogy?
  You have been asked to write and give a eulogy at a loved one's funeral, but need some guidance as to what to say. It is not easy to write a eulogy for someone you loved as soon as you hear of his or her passing. Below you will find usable information you can apply right now in ... read more>
• How do I write an Obituary?
  Writing an obituary can be a daunting task so often funeral homes and mortuaries will write the obituary for you based on the information you provide to them. Once you have collected the information about the deceased that you'd like to include in the obituary, ... read more>
• What do I write in an Obituary?
  An obituary is a notice that announces the death of someone with a description of the person's life and list of family members. The obituary is often written by the funeral home or mortuary, but many people choose to write an obituary for their loved one that is published ... read more>
• What to write in Newspaper Obituaries, Death Notices and Funeral Obituaries?
  An obituary is a notice that announces the death of someone with a description of the person's life and list of family members. An obituary can be published in a newspaper, online or in the funeral program. There are subtle differences in the obituary based ... read more>
• Maximizing Genealogical Value of Obituaries
  Obituaries offer a wealth of information about your family. They have important facts about the deceased and important dates that you can use to piece together clues about the history of your family ... read more>
• Newspaper Obituaries are disappearing!
  Anyone involved in genealogy research or anyone who reads obituaries has surely noticed that the newspaper obituaries sections are getting smaller and smaller every year. It's been going on for at least a decade and ... read more>