Hawaii Obituaries Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Hawaii

Record Description
This collection consists of an index of obituaries transcribed by volunteers from the Joseph F. Smith Library at Brigham Young University - Hawaii for the time period ca. 1980 to the present. The obituaries were transcribed from The Honolulu Advertiser, The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, The Kauai Garden Island News, The Maui News and The Hawaii Tribune-Herald. This is an ongoing project. Records will be added to the index as the index as they are completed. Some of original obituaries are in the Hawaiian language. Microfilm copies of some of the newspapers are available at the family history centers and at the Joseph F. Smith Library in Laiei.

Record Content
The information in the records may include:


 * Name and age of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Date and place of birth
 * Names of parents and other survivors
 * Life's accomplishments
 * Place(s) of employment
 * Funeral details
 * Burial details
 * Name and address of mortuary

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know the following:


 * Name of deceased
 * Identifying formation such as death date

Search the Collection
To search the collection by name: Fill in the requested information on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about those in the list to what you already know about your own ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒ Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the "Surname Range" category which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

With either search keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example:


 * Use the birth date or year to search for birth records.
 * Use the birth date along with relative’s names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the locality and relative’s names to locate church and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the records of nearby towns.
 * 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 could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.

Related Websites

 * Joseph F. Smith Library BYU-Hawaii
 * Hawaii Obituary Records, State Archives
 * Hawaii Obituaries, Public Libraries Online
 * Hawaii Obituary Index, USGW Archives
 * Online Hawaii Death Indexes and Records
 * Hawaii Public Libraries Newspaper Collections

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image Citation: