Many newspapers and other publications that print obituaries have been indexed in books, in databases and on microfilm, and can usually be found in many local and/or government libraries.

These indexes will provide you with the exact publication that printed the obituary, whether it was a newspaper or other publication. You can then search for this resource in library archives, on microfilm at your local or state library, or at the source of the publication. The Periodical Source Index (PERSI) is usually a good starting point and will allow you to search by state or county and subject. The system indexes over 2,000 genealogical periodicals published annually since 1986 by the Allen County Public Library.

An excellent book to aid in your research is Obituaries: A Guide to Sources, 2nd edition (Boston: G.K. Hall, 1989) by Betty Jarboe. This book identifies a list of indexes for obituaries. Newspaper in Microform: United States, 1948-1983 (Library of Congress, 1984, 2 vols. Washington D.C.) lists, by geographical location, newspapers that are available on microfilm and the corresponding libraries where they can be found. Since most of the collections can be borrowed through an interlibrary loan, this is a good resource for starting your library research.

Some larger affiliations store genealogy information in databases and on microfilm. The Family History Library (FHL), located in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the largest library of its kind in the world, and was founded by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints in 1894 to store genealogical records for its members. The FHL now stores over 2.4 million rolls of microfilmed records and 4,500 periodicals among thousands of other books, microfiche and electronic resources

The Library of Congress is home to over a million world newspapers dating back 3 centuries. You can search the catalogs of the library at your local or university library that uses Worldcat or RLIN Zephyr. University libraries in the U.S. are eligible to request an interlibrary loan, so if you find a resource that is housed in The Library of Congress, you may be able to access the resource directly without a trip to Washington, D.C.

Church records, compiled by some genealogy associations, are available for a small fee for a specific area. The Western Michigan Genealogical Society, for example, has compiled indexes of church records of the pre-1900s time period. The index is available in print, but the records themselves are available in the Grand Rapids Public Library. Check with your state and local genealogy groups for more information about indexes and compiled records they may have published or are archiving.

Although libraries are a good start, not all newspapers have been indexed; you may have to do some independent research to find what you need. If your local library doesn’t have the obituary, try checking with the local newspapers in the area where your ancestor lived

Finding the newspapers of the time period may also require some research, as many early newspapers have been acquired, or may cease to exist. At the library, research the local area and find out what publications were available in the area at the time of death.

That information should get you started on locating the obituary. Don’t forget, it’s possible that the local newspaper may have also written an article about the event, depending on your ancestor’s status in the community or the cause of death.

Once you’ve determined where to look, you’ll need to contact the newspaper to find out whether it has archives of older publications. Many publishers will allow you to search their archives onsite.

Religious publications, such as newsletters and newspapers, are another source of obituaries. When searching for church publications, it’s best to first identify the religious affiliation of your ancestor as well as any specific churches they may have attended in a local area. You can find more information about churches that were in the local area during a specific period of time by searching county and church histories.

The local library (in the same area as the church) may have archives of the published records. You can also contact the church directly. Many churches keep records of birth, baptisms or christenings, marriages and deaths.

Printed Sources: A Guide to Published Genealogical Records by Richard Dougherty is a resource which has received high marks from genealogists and provides a guide to denominational publications within the book.

Your genealogy research, and specifically your obituary searches, may extend to other countries. You may want to look for guides specific to those areas. An Irish Genealogical Source: Guide to C hurch Records (PRONI, 1994), and other specific guides may be more helpful as you continue your research. You can also contact genealogy associations around the world for more information about local areas and publications.