Michigan Obituaries - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index to an obituary collection for the years 1820 to 2006. It is organized by the county or newspaper name and then alphabetically. Extracted information as well as newspaper clippings are represented. The originals are housed in several libraries and repositories throughout Michigan. Some collections contain obituaries from other states and nearby regions.


 * Note: The Van Buren County card files contain no surnames that begin with the letter G

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The records usually contain:
 * The name of the deceased
 * Age
 * The birth date and place
 * The death date and place
 * The names of parents, spouse or other relatives
 * The name of cemetery
 * The 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 individual
 * The date of the event or the name of a spouse or parent

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Locality/Newspaper/Collection
 * 2) Select the Name or Name Range to view the images.

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.

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

 * Use the information found in the record to locate the death record
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find other vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage
 * Use the information found in the record to find the family in census records

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

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Record Finder

 * Consult the Michigan Research Tips and Strategies and its Record Finder to search other records

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.

"Michigan Obituaries, 1820-2006." Database and images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 22 February 2018. Grand Rapids Public Library, Michigan.
 * Collection Citation:

Top of Page