New Zealand Obituaries - FamilySearch Historical Records

New Zealand

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes obituaries for the years 1844 to 1963.

Obituaries are a prime source for finding detailed family information. This collection contains obituaries and death notices from various New Zealand newspapers including the New Zealand Herald and the New Zealand Star.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Obituaries and death notices may contain the following information:
 * Name of deceased
 * Date of death
 * Age at death
 * Residence at death
 * Burial date
 * Burial place
 * Birth place
 * Birth date
 * Spouse
 * Parents
 * Children
 * Other relatives

How Do I Search This Collection?
When searching it is helpful to know: 
 * Your ancestor’s name
 * Residence of your ancestor
 * Approximate death date

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:
 * Use the estimated age at death to calculate a birth year
 * Some obituaries list “survivors.” This is a list of relatives of the deceased who were still living. Use these relationships to extend your family tree
 * Use the death date to locate a death certificate
 * Use the burial date or place to locate sexton’s records or to find a grave marker for your ancestor
 * If biographical material is included in the obituary, search for records about your ancestor in the places mentioned in the obituary

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the obituaries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Remember, your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times
 * If your ancestor used multiple names throughout their life, look for all their names
 * A “survivors” list in an obituary may not include all living relatives
 * Information in an obituary should be verified with other sources if possible. Sometimes the person who wrote the obituary had faulty or incomplete information
 * Check available newspapers for several days before and after the death of your ancestor

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You can then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

"New Zealand Obituaries, 1844-1963." Database with Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. Citing Auckland Institute and Museum Library, Auckland, New Zealand and Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
 * Collection Citation:

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