Illinois, Obituaries - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an obituary collection organized by county or newspaper and then alphabetically. Extracted information as well as newspaper clippings are represented. The originals are housed in different libraries and repositories throughout Illinois. Some collections contain obituaries from other states. The collection include records for the years 1959 to 1990.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The records usually contain:
 * The name of the deceased
 * Age
 * Birth date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Names of parents, spouse or other relatives
 * Name of newspaper, date and place of publication

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the your deceased ancestor
 * The approximate date of death
 * The names of family members and their relationships

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 obituary, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person. Next, look at the pieces of information given in the obituary for new information. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the birth date or year to search for the death record
 * Search for vital records, such as birth and marriage on the state and county level
 * Search for the family in census records
 * Search for land and probate records
 * Search for a burial record

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Illinois.
 * Illinois Guided Research
 * Illinois Record Finder
 * Illinois Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Illinois Research, 1880-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

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.